Quickturn permanent bypass kit - confused...

[gomotomoto]

Okay so call me a dingdong but I'm looking at the Camco Quickturn permanent bypass kit for my hot water heater and I do not understand how you can bypass the water heater with a single turn meaning valve only being on one side. doesn't there need to be a valve for the cold intake AND the hot outtake for this to bypass the hot water heater? it is the end of a long day and I'm a little fried but for the life of me cannot figure this out -- at least one dimensionally looking at it on the computer screen

[68 TWind]

When you close the by-pass no water goes into the tank (cold side). Then you drain the tank. Once the tank is drained, it is out of the "system". You don't need a by pass on the outlet side (hot). I winterized my Trade Wind today and this is the earliest I have every had to do that ( temps in the low 20's this weekend here in Mississippi). What happened to global warming-ha ha.

[gomotomoto]

Why do they tell you not to drain your hot water tank until there's antifreeze in the pipes?

I actually drained the hot water tank before I read this. So what to do now?

[Bill M.]

Is it a 3 way valve? If so, it has 3 lines connected to it and it moves the hot water from going into the tank to going directly to the faucet. That is the way the valve on my older Airstream is set up.

[68 TWind]

Can't help on the antifreeze question. I use compressed air connected to the fresh water inlet to blow out all the lines, both hot and cold by opening one faucet at a time and the toilet valve. I don't fill them with antifreeze. I'll let air blow into the water heater for a few seconds then close the by-pass. I then drain the filter bowl on the water pump and the fresh tank, fill the traps with RV antifreeze and starting thinking about spring time. We don't get terribly cold winters here in Mississippi but in 5 years I have had no issues with frozen pipes. If you do use compressed air make sure you turn the pressure down on the regulator at the compressor to around 45 lb. You do not want to put 120 lb. of air into your plumbing.

[gomotomoto]

Figured it out finally... The hot (or output) has a check valve, so the antifreeze doesn't dip back down into the tank. Just looking at a photo of it doesn't make much sense til you see the one way gizmo. Is a good design as long as the check valve holds up. We'll see, I'll install this weekend

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by 68 TWind

Can't help on the antifreeze question. I use compressed air connected to the fresh water inlet to blow out all the lines, both hot and cold by opening one faucet at a time and the toilet valve. I don't fill them with antifreeze. I'll let air blow into the water heater for a few seconds then close the by-pass. I then drain the filter bowl on the water pump and the fresh tank, fill the traps with RV antifreeze and starting thinking about spring time. We don't get terribly cold winters here in Mississippi but in 5 years I have had no issues with frozen pipes. If you do use compressed air make sure you turn the pressure down on the regulator at the compressor to around 45 lb. You do not want to put 120 lb. of air into your plumbing.

I neglected my toilet valve and black tank flush valve last year and they froze and busted- in Mississippi. We had a longer than usual winter last year. I did a little better job winterizing this year. I feel confident. Last year was the first year I tried compressed air only, and last year was the first time I had anything freeze and break. They say to blow the lines out with air first, and then run pink antifreeze through them rather than just push the water out with the antifreeze- the water and antifreeze can mix, diluting the antifreeze and making it less effective. I don't think a 12 volt compressor will put too much pressure on the lines.
Every morning when I walk by the trailer in my driveway on my way to work I feel good that it is winterized properly and will make it through the winter with no issues.
Also, I usually end up winterizing 2 or 3 times- go camping, winterize, go camping again, winterize again, and so on and so on and Scooby Dooby Doo-

[Skatiero]

I put a valve on both because the check valve gave me a lot of problems with pressure during normal use.
Rob

[TG Twinkie]

While a check valve does not affect the pressure. It does affect the flow by virtue of the fact the water pressure has to overcome the spring pressure in the check valve. Plus the space the check valve, spring and seat take up in the interior of the assembly.
Some check valves require vertical installation to function properly.


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