Quote:
Originally Posted by Jann Todd
...Don't need to open and close the water heater bypass like you do. Just close it since the bypass will take care of the inlet line and run the antifreeze into the hot water lines. That is why you have a bypass.....
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Dont think so! I noticed you list a
Casita, but note that most all Scamps dont have a true water heater bypass but only a shutoff on the cold water inlet pipe. At least mine is that way, and the valve started leaking after its first winter in North Carolina. I strongly suspect it suffered freeze damage.
If one were to open the hot water taps or remove the water heater drain plug, and at the same time open the low point drain in the plumbing, then perhaps the water would drain out of the valve and it would not freeze. But that step is not included in the winterizing instructions that I have seen.
You should not need to run antifreeze through the water heater, but the
Scamp design means that the only other alternative is to drain the hot water lines with gravity.
And unless a
Scamp is modified, the only way to introduce antifreeze to the system is through the fresh water tank. The mod you mentioned is a good idea, but many and perhaps most people will not want to do it. Its another Scamp shortcoming. It does not bother me so much because I have elected to not use the on-board tank for potable water, only for commode and sink.