26 bh bypass valves

jacko147 · 03-31-2013, 05:00 PM

I found both my in and out valves for my water heater bypass were blown most likley from freeezing, looking at the config there is no way to get antifreeze up to these valves without sending some through the water heater, has anyone else experienced this? is it a poor design or am I missing something? there are 2 lines going into the water heater, valves on both those lines, some additional pex tube after the valves (about 3 inches) then a tee on each line with a horizontal line with the bypass valve in it, seems to me that 3" of additonal pex tube is what screwed me as when sending antifreeze through the lines it wont flow into there and water will be trapped.

**Crabman** · 03-31-2013, 05:29 PM

If you open the low point drains, drain water heater and open faucets the water should drain out of there before you add the antifreeze, or you could just use the air pressure method to clear the lines. All the valves should be open to get the water out of the area in question when draining.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...zing-Poll-2012

clubhouse · 03-31-2013, 05:32 PM

I know exactly what you are describing, I thought the cross link of pex isn't close enough to the valves too. I only drain the water heater and blow out my lines with an air compressor so I didn't really put much more thought on getting antifreeze to the valves.

If I understand, the purpose of the bypass is so you don't have to put 7 gal of antifreeze in the WH. If you set up the bypass and circulate the antifreeze as usual but before you finish open the WH valves one at a time just to force a little antifreeze into the valves, would that help?

Or, you can use an air compressor to blow out the water lines before circulating antifreeze.

Jagiven · 03-31-2013, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crabman

If you open the low point drains, drain water heater and open faucets the water should drain out of there before you add the antifreeze, or you could just use the air pressure method to clear the lines. All the valves should be open to get the water out of the area in question when draining.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...zing-Poll-2012

X2

RoyBraddy · 03-31-2013, 06:06 PM

Let me see if I understand this right...

You are saying you have the center bypass valve open and the two in-line valves closed as in the bottom diagram and then purged the water lines with pink antifreeze. You have found the short lines going to the hot water heater from the two closed in-line valves was busted due to freezing.

I am suspecting you did not drain the 6-gallons of water from hot water heater when winterizing?

I have been planning on doing this mod to my water heater to make it easy to drain. This is the bottom port where an electric element can be used. Mine just has a plug in it now. I either remove the bottom plug shown here or just open the top pressure relief valve above and then hopefully the water heater will drain normally when I am letting water out of the whole system using the low water port drain. You would do this before closing the BYPASS valves on the water heater. This probably leaves a little of water still inside the hot water heater but it should have plenty of room to expand if it freezes. Adding the bottom water valve shown here would definitely totally drain the hot water heater.

Roy Ken

Explorer03 · 03-31-2013, 06:16 PM

I have the 2013 26Bh with the same configuration. I did not have any problems winterizing my TT or having any lines freezing. I closed the valves into and exiting the hot water heater and opend the bypass. I drained the HW heater and all other lines; added the antifreeze per instructions and all is well. I agree with RoyBraddy that the hot water heater was not drained.

LiftedAWDAstro · 04-01-2013, 12:51 PM

I have a 2012 26BH and winterized just like Explorer03 did. Hopefully mine are not busted! I'll find out in a couple weeks. I did drain the tank too. I use this drain valve in the water heater:

jacko147 · 04-01-2013, 04:19 PM

I did drain the wh, I also blew air through the system with the wh valves open before I circulated antifreeze through the lines, I opened the low points for antifreeze, but I dont believe I opened the low point with the wh valves open and faucets, this is probably my mistake. Anyways I was out camping and made the repair in the campground, I found these valves at a local hardware store and was curious if they will be ok? http://www.pexuniverse.com/store/pro...ply-stop-valve

Doug · 04-01-2013, 05:47 PM

Those should be fine.
I prefer the 1/4 turn in household shutoff valves, but that's just a personal preference.
Not sure if they make 1/4 turn in this style.
Haven't worked with pex plumbing yet.

Doug

hazlet · 04-01-2013, 05:55 PM

how cold did it get this winter where you are jacko147?

RoyBraddy · 04-01-2013, 06:20 PM

Lowes or Home Depot should have all the PEX fitting you need and the clamp kits... Get LOWES to demo how they go together.

I suspect those PEX lines can be longer that the real short ones presently being used. I haver worked with the PEX lines either but I would think you should be able to reuse the VALVES that are presently being used. The PEX lines just slip over the nipples and has a clamp over kit to make them secure and water tight. I bet GOOGLE will have some video's to watch on how to work with the PEX lines.

Roy Ken

jacko147 · 04-01-2013, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazlet

how cold did it get this winter where you are jacko147?

-3 F is the coldest it got, held around zero for a couple days

DerekMellott · 04-04-2013, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacko147

-3 F is the coldest it got, held around zero for a couple days

It's still that cold here, I need to move.

With the expansion that happens when water freezes the lines must have been nearly full. I'm not sure how that happens with the water heater empty.

Regardless of how it happened its always a good idea to keep some extra pluming materials in the camper.

I should go check my lines, it's been way to cold here to even think about camping and still too much snow.

MichaelG · 04-17-2013, 07:58 AM

I too have leaking and such at the water heater inlet/outlet and bypass valves, as well as under the kitchen sink for the drain valves. I'm assuming improper winterizing at some point in the past.

It seems there may be many more experienced here than I, and, I appreciate the diagram earlier in this thread that showed the bypass configuration. Can anyone tell me what the standard outside diameter of the tubing generally used in Jayco builds is? Is it 3/8" or 1/2"?

My TT is at a campground and I'm getting setup for the season where I will be there almost every weekend training. Unfortunately, it is a 4 hour drive, and, I didn't take pictures of the existing lines and valves. I want to get the parts needed to repair them before I go. I do believe that my existing lines are polybutylene with PEX "like" clamps on the fittings.

I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

-Michael

Threebutchers · 04-17-2013, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacko147

I did drain the wh, I also blew air through the system with the wh valves open before I circulated antifreeze through the lines, I opened the low points for antifreeze, but I dont believe I opened the low point with the wh valves open and faucets, this is probably my mistake. Anyways I was out camping and made the repair in the campground, I found these valves at a local hardware store and was curious if they will be ok? http://www.pexuniverse.com/store/pro...ply-stop-valve

You definitely want a valve that (at a glance) tells you if it's open / closed (90 degree operation)

jacko147 · 04-17-2013, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Threebutchers

You definitely want a valve that (at a glance) tells you if it's open / closed (90 degree operation)

These are 90 degree (1/4 turn)

Quote:

Originally Posted by [COLOR=#3E3E3E

MichaelG[/COLOR];128788]I too have leaking and such at the water heater inlet/outlet and bypass valves, as well as under the kitchen sink for the drain valves. I'm assuming improper winterizing at some point in the past.

It seems there may be many more experienced here than I, and, I appreciate the diagram earlier in this thread that showed the bypass configuration. Can anyone tell me what the standard outside diameter of the tubing generally used in Jayco builds is? Is it 3/8" or 1/2"?

My TT is at a campground and I'm getting setup for the season where I will be there almost every weekend training. Unfortunately, it is a 4 hour drive, and, I didn't take pictures of the existing lines and valves. I want to get the parts needed to repair them before I go. I do believe that my existing lines are polybutylene with PEX "like" clamps on the fittings.

I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

Mine are 1/2 pex lines, I had to purchase the pex clamps and cinch tool, I used regular hose clamps at the campground to get me out of a pinch, but they had a slow leak, the cinch clamps are the way to go, check amazon, I paid around $40 shipped for the tool and clamps

sgscomps · 04-21-2013, 09:42 PM

DO NOT use any brass drain valve with a pet**** in place of the plastic drain plug on an Atwood hot water heater which is typically what Jayco uses on most campers except for large 5th wheels or Seneca's. If you don't use the plastic drain plug which is what Atwood installs from the factory you know have dis-similar metals and will create a galvanic reaction. Atwood puts this plastic plug there for a reason.

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