Do you have to bypass Hot Water Heater to winterize

[ArtWallach]

I have a 2000 301 DA - Do I have to bypass Hot Water Heater to winterize. Can't I just drain, by opening all the hot and cold faucets, fill water tank with 4-5 gals of pink stuff, turn on hot water then cold until pink comes out?

 

[Lazy Daze]

No, because then you'll fill the hot water heater with AF and even if you run things dry again, there will still be some in there and that is not good. For one, it's a lot more work in the Spring to flush everything. Secondly, AF in a hot water heater isn't good for the element.

Bypassing can be done as simply as with a length of garden hose and takes all of about 1 minute. There are other ways, as well. I did a video of one of these ways - I think it's in the tech section. If you can easily avoid putting AF in the fresh tank that is preferred, too.

 

[skolbe]

On my 2000 - I could just disconnect and use the fittings to connect the hot and cold from the hot water heater. The compression fittings reattach in that era very easily. It is 20 seconds.

 

[rcknecht]

No, I just drain mine, and then blow out the lines with my compressor... If you use pink, it is good to bypass to save pink...