Connecting in & Out hose on Water heater

[Jetmart]

What kind of fitting is required to bypass the water heater for winterizing? I have plastic hoses with some type of slip fitting on the in & out of the fresh water system.

It is a 2004 Sundancer 280.

 

[Hampton]

I took the fitting to Home Depot when the original one was leaking. I re-built it with standard plumbing fittings with hose clamps.

 

[Lazy Daze]

For winterizing, I just remove the plastic pipes completely from the fittings (takes about 3 seconds) and use a 1' piece of regular garden hose (5/8", not 3/4") to connect the two, now, loose ends of plastic pipe. I use hose clamps to tighten the hose on the pipe.

Once Spring comes, I velcro this "bypass kit" right onto one of the plastic pipes so it's ready for next year.

 

[tbirdvet]

You can buy by=pass kits from RV stores and Amazon that have 3 way valves that makes the system real easy to use.

 

[Brian 59]

You can buy by=pass kits from RV stores and Amazon that have 3 way valves that makes the system real easy to use.

I did install one of those kits last fall. Does everyone just drain the water from the tank after they have circulated the antifreeze through their water system, knowing that the drain will not fully drain the tank?

 

[Lazy Daze]

Does everyone just drain the water from the tank after they have circulated the antifreeze through their water system, knowing that the drain will not fully drain the tank?

Yes. What little water is left will cause no problems as it has plenty of room to expand. If you felt better, you could use a compressor and gently blow the tank out.

I never use any pink in the fresh water holding tank, either. Same thing... what little water is left will cause no problems.

 

[DaleM]

I never use any pink in the fresh water holding tank, either. Same thing... what little water is left will cause no problems.

+1 :thumbsup:

That and compressed air works great. Make an adapter out of a piece of garden hose that will connect to your dock water inlet. The other end fit with a quick-release to hook to a compressor. Use about 20psi to blow out the lines. THen pump in pink through a line that feeds the water pump and then blow out once again. This way you've cleared the lines, pinked the pump (not the water heater or fw tank) and then reduced the overall amount of pink you have sitting in the lines (less of a funky taste at launch). You're still protected from freezing because residual pink will do what pink does best

 

[poormonkey]

Unfortunately the hot water bypass kits by SeaTech are for 1/2" pipe. I have 15 mm pipe on our searay. Before I bypass the hot water tank, I use an RV blowout out plug, and turn the compressor down to about 25 psi. I blow out all the faucets, both hot and cold. Then I use a 1 foot piece of 15 mm to bypass the hot water tank, and leave the hot water tank valve open. Then I run pink stuff through the system.

They make the adapater in brass as well as plastic.


http://www.seatechinc.com/pdf/Winterization_Kits.pdf

 

[tbirdvet]

Remember on some water heaters there is also a mixing valve and some additional hose from the cold side to the hot side of mixing valve that will also need to be drained or pink run through it.