bypass valve

[annie oakly]

Hello

How easy is to change a bypass valve on the water line from the hot water tank?

I have a 2010 25.6 Jayco Eagle
Went camping on the Victoria long weekend for us Canadian
the valve just turns and I could not get the hot water from the hot water tank.

[RVhiker]

This answer assumes that the cutoff valve for your hot water tank is plumbed with 1/2" Pex and stainless steel clamp fittings.

It's not too hard to change out a valve, if you have the proper tools and a bit of knowledge. The tools are a Pex stainless steel clamp crimper and a Dremel tool with a cut off disc. The Dremel tool is used to cut the old stainless steel clamps that hold the valve. Done carefully, this can be done without damage to the pipe. Install the new valve and use the clamp crimper to tighten the clamps.

A stainless steel clamp crimper costs about $50 - $70 and a Dremel tool about the same. Any plumber could easily do this job for you if you don't have the tools and would rather not invest in them. There is a lot of Pex plumbing in my trailer, and I've found the tools come in handy.

[Brownie]

Originally Posted by RVhiker

This answer assumes that the cutoff valve for your hot water tank is plumbed with 1/2" Pex and stainless steel clamp fittings.

It's not too hard to change out a valve, if you have the proper tools and a bit of knowledge. The tools are a Pex stainless steel clamp crimper and a Dremel tool with a cut off disc. The Dremel tool is used to cut the old stainless steel clamps that hold the valve. Done carefully, this can be done without damage to the pipe. Install the new valve and use the clamp crimper to tighten the clamps.

A stainless steel clamp crimper costs about $50 - $70 and a Dremel tool about the same. Any plumber could easily do this job for you if you don't have the tools and would rather not invest in them. There is a lot of Pex plumbing in my trailer, and I've found the tools come in handy.

Very nice explanation, RVh!

Another option would be to switch to "Shark Bite" fittings. The fittings themselves are about double the price of PEX, but they're all metal (rather than plastic) and you just push them on. You won't need the crimper or the Dremel - just an $8 PEX/PVC cutting tool and a piece of 1/2" PEX tubing ($4 - $5). Cut the PEX tubing around the fitting, push on a Shark Bite tube x tube splice, T, elbow, or whatever you need, cut a short piece of PEX to make up for the length you cut off, push on the Shark Bite valve, and your done!

I do quite a bit of plumbing work on manufactured homes (which also use PEX tubing), and I've had great luck with them.

[annie oakly]

thanks for the information, I am going out to the trailer on the weekend, I cannot keep it at home,( townhouse) will take some pictures so I get the right parts,
I believe I have one of those Dremel tools in the garage,
I have a friend who lives close to the trailer to help me change the part
I have not found a RV repair place who I trust yet. I got ripped off last spring on some work.

[Tail_gunner]

Originally Posted by RVhiker

-----A stainless steel clamp crimper costs about $50 - $70

I found this a couple years ago. It works quite well. And for only occasional use I find the price is right.

http://pexcrimper.com/ordering.html

[RVhiker]

Tail_gunner, that looks like handy tool and I like the small size and small price. My terminology about Pex fasteners may not be correct; there are at least two kinds of Pex fasteners - a stainless steel clamp and also a crimp ring. I believe that the very handy tool you linked to is for fastening crimp rings; what my trailer uses are stainless steel clamps, which require a different sort of tool like this ; the stainless steel clamps look like this. The tip of the tool grabs that "bump" in the stainless steel ring and squeezes it together making the clamp's diameter smaller. A Pex crimp tool goes around the whole crimp ring and squeezes the whole ring smaller. Either kind works, and it all depends on what kind you want to be able to use.

[RedHorse1]

Usually there are 3 valves associated with the water heater bypass. did you set them all?
Two control the water flowing into and out of the heater. The third allows (or blocks) the water flowing through the bypass. This link helps explain the bypass. Hope this helps!
http://parts.cunninghamcampers.com/?p=4711

[sask934]

I would change out the whole section as it is easier to put in altogether in one piece. I did this recently and used metal taps. I had one that was leaking so I changed them all. The gasket in one of the plastic taps was pushed out the back of the tap and it leaked....
This may give you an idea of what you will need..
Here is a pic: