I'm about to order the Camco 35953 water heater bypass kit to install on my Atwood 6 gal. heater.

Does anyone have this kit installed or any opinions about adding a bypass in general? I read on a Amazon customer review that the ball valves aren't full bore and restrict the water flow somewhat. I'm not too concerned about that though. I won't be using my water heater much so I'd like to keep it empty when traveling. I also ordered a half inch drain valve/ballcock so I can empty it easily.

Our Scamp came with a single valve that shuts off the flow into the water heater. Works for us!

Where do you put the drain ballcock? Does it go in-line with the bottom water heater plumbing connection? I'd love to drain our water heater without having to un-wire the HottRod electric heater element that installs into the drain port.

The drain goes on the outside at the water heater panel. I couldn't find a clear picture of the Atwood drain, but it's basically at the front panel, lower left corner. Right now there's a half inch drain plug there, I have to use my 7/8" lug wrench to get it out so it's kind of a hassle to drain. Peter it sounds like you have a an electric heater so I'm sure it's configured differently from my propane one. This is a picture of the drain Camco 11703, I just ordered off ebay for $3.75 + $1.90 shipping. Hopefully it will be drainable without tools now. Good idea about the valve on the input line, I thought about that, and it would be cheaper to get a Pex compatible barbed 1/2" ball valve.

I installed one this fall as I felt that the shutoff valve in the cold line was useless in my Scamp. I had to bye two Pex couplings so I could put the lines back together after installing the bypass.

Bill K

I install one in an Airstream we had years ago and was happy with it's performance. Don''t remember much else about it.

I went by Lowes and they had quite an extensive selection of Pex fittings and tubing. I bought a simple 1/2" Pex brass ball valve for under $6. I'll try installing this to the input line of the heater instead of the bypass kit. Thanks folks for all the input.

Then how will you winterize the hot water lines after turning off the valve ?

Bill K


I'll try installing this to the input line of the heater instead of the bypass kit.

Learn the procedure to winterize your trailer with the shutoff valve on the inlet side of the water heater on my web site.

http://scamp.n0kfb.org/ -> tech tips -> Winterizing your Scamp

-- Dan Meyer

Bill
I was also wondering the same thing about the input valve.

All
Camco also makes a winterization kit part #35983. The difference is instead of two valves, the hot water output valve is replaced by a check valve. This eliminates one step in the winterization progress. Also when installing your W/H bypass kit you also can install a RV pump converter winterization kit. (Camco Part#36543) This kit allows you to pump anti freeze directly out of the anti freeze jug so you don't have to put antifreeze in your water tank and it also protects your pump. You still need to start the winterization process by blowing out your water lines from the city water connection. This will remove water out of the city water line since there is a check valve in the city water hose connector and fresh water could be trapped at the city water connector.
Eddie

Dan
I see how you do it now from your web page. But if you install the pump kit you can winterize with about one gallon of antifreeze and in the spring the water storage tank is easier to deal with.

Bill, I live in sunny California, I do get frost where I live but the absolute lowest I've experienced in the Bay Area is upper 20's. So I'm not doing this for winterization, I'm doing it to travel with an empty tank (unless I'm using hot water of course), and to keep it empty when stored to avoid a stinky hot water tank.