Hot water bypass valve

[Bobby A]

Behind my UDC there is 2 valves with 3 connections. On the outside at the UDC the top valve says Hot Water Heater Bypass valve. The other one below it says Antifreeze Inlet Winterizing System. Can someone help me locate where I can purchase these two valves ?? Maybe even send me a link with a picture of them ?? There is a plate on the front of these valves with a name in small print, B&B. Not sure if that is a name of a manufacture or what.

Thank you in advance,
Bobby A

 

[Terry H]

The original valves are by B&B Molding. Here are replacement valves that will work Hot Water Bypass valve and Winterize Valve.

 

[danemayer]

Why are you replacing them?

 

[Bobby A]

The original valves are by B&B Molding. Here are replacement valves that will work Hot Water Bypass valve and Winterize Valve.

Thank you Terry, WOW !! they are expensive !!

Dan,
I had to have my rig winterized this past Winter for the very first time EVER !! The mobile tech that did it said my valves were not working. He had to remove I think three lines from the back of the UDC and winterize it manually. I'm glad I did not attempt to do it because I would not have a clue how to do what he did to get antifreeze through my rig.

 

[danemayer]

Thank you Terry, WOW !! they are expensive !!

Dan,
I had to have my rig winterized this past Winter for the very first time EVER !! The mobile tech that did it said my valves were not working. He had to remove I think three lines from the back of the UDC and winterize it manually. I'm glad I did not attempt to do it because I would not have a clue how to do what he did to get antifreeze through my rig.

Before buying new valves, I'd check the antifreeze suction line using a bucket of water and the outside shower. Turn the valve, put the hose in the bucket of water, turn on the pump, press the handle on the shower head.

The bypass valve for the water heater is also easy to check, but requires you let the water heater cool down and remove the anode rod (or if Atwood, the drain cap). Let it drain. Turn the valve to bypass. While hooked up to city water, or with the pump ON, no water should go into the water heater. If water does enter, it could be a failure on the check valve that's on the hot water line coming out of the water heater. Looking into the water heater, if water drips/flows from the top, it's the check valve. If from the bottom, it's the bypass valve.

 

[jolar3329]

On my trailer the plastic valve handles rounded off at the handle valve stem interface. I remove the handle and turn the valve stem with a wrench to the position I want and then reinstall the handle. The manufacturer should use a metal handle or change the design.

 

[Bobby A]

Before buying new valves, I'd check the antifreeze suction line using a bucket of water and the outside shower. Turn the valve, put the hose in the bucket of water, turn on the pump, press the handle on the shower head.

The bypass valve for the water heater is also easy to check, but requires you let the water heater cool down and remove the anode rod (or if Atwood, the drain cap). Let it drain. Turn the valve to bypass. While hooked up to city water, or with the pump ON, no water should go into the water heater. If water does enter, it could be a failure on the check valve that's on the hot water line coming out of the water heater. Looking into the water heater, if water drips/flows from the top, it's the check valve. If from the bottom, it's the bypass valve.

Wow, very interesting Dan, I shall try these tests, let me understand this correctly though. To check the antifreeze suction as you suggest, with the bucket of water, by pressing the handle on the outside shower head is that suppose to suck the water from the bucket ??

Thank you,

 

[danemayer]

Wow, very interesting Dan, I shall try these tests, let me understand this correctly though. To check the antifreeze suction as you suggest, with the bucket of water, by pressing the handle on the outside shower head is that suppose to suck the water from the bucket ??

Thank you,

Test with city water turned off so the only sources of water are the fresh tank and the bucket.

When you turn the antifreeze valve handle, the valve inside should turn, opening a path for water or antifreeze to be sucked in by the pump. Then when you turn on the pump, the pump will try to pull water out of the bucket instead of out of the fresh tank. But with all the faucets closed, the water coming out of the pump has nowhere to go, so the pump will stop. If you open the outside shower sprayer, and it pumps water out of the bucket and out through the sprayer, and the water level in the bucket decreases, you'll know that the antifreeze valve is working.

Turn the valve handle back to normal position to allow the pump to pull water out of the fresh tank. With bucket removed, if you get water out of the sprayer, you'll know the valve is working in the normal position too.

 

[JohnDar]

It should if you have the onboard water pump turned on and the city water shut off. Funny that you have B&B valves and my 2009 has the Swan valves. I’ve had my own experiences with B&B molded plastic products...not good.


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[Bobby A]

Test with city water turned off so the only sources of water are the fresh tank and the bucket.

When you turn the antifreeze valve handle, the valve inside should turn, opening a path for water or antifreeze to be sucked in by the pump. Then when you turn on the pump, the pump will try to pull water out of the bucket instead of out of the fresh tank. But with all the faucets closed, the water coming out of the pump has nowhere to go, so the pump will stop. If you open the outside shower sprayer, and it pumps water out of the bucket and out through the sprayer, and the water level in the bucket decreases, you'll know that the antifreeze valve is working.

Turn the valve handle back to normal position to allow the pump to pull water out of the fresh tank. With bucket removed, if you get water out of the sprayer, you'll know the valve is working in the normal position too.

That is GREAT info Dan, thank you so much, I will give these 2 tests a try, I would think the mobile tech should of known this test, instead he just said "your valves are not working " At least he was able to winterize by moving some lines hear and there, more than I could do. I just want to be able to utilize the valves as intended and winterize without any fuss.

Thanks Dan, howd you get so smart !! LOL !!

Bobby A

 

[JohnDar]

Bobby, if you’re back in Michigan and need a hand, give me a call.


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[Bobby A]

Before buying new valves, I'd check the antifreeze suction line using a bucket of water and the outside shower. Turn the valve, put the hose in the bucket of water, turn on the pump, press the handle on the shower head.

The bypass valve for the water heater is also easy to check, but requires you let the water heater cool down and remove the anode rod (or if Atwood, the drain cap). Let it drain. Turn the valve to bypass. While hooked up to city water, or with the pump ON, no water should go into the water heater. If water does enter, it could be a failure on the check valve that's on the hot water line coming out of the water heater. Looking into the water heater, if water drips/flows from the top, it's the check valve. If from the bottom, it's the bypass valve.

Good afternoon Dan,
Well, I did the first test as you suggested, with city water off and fresh water holding tank EMPTY. A bucket of water and put the suction line in the bucket of water, turned the valve to winterize, then turned on the pump. The pump kept running,( it didn't shut off). I pressed the handle on the shower head and NOTHING came out, it did NOT suck water from the bucket. Now, you did not say to turn on the hot or cold water knobs on the out side shower, so they were kept in the closed position.

I did not perform the 2nd test of draining the hot water tank and doing that test because the first test failed !! Guidence please,

Thank you for your help and time,
Bobby

 

[danemayer]

Sorry, yes the knobs have to be turned, just as if using the shower normally.

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[Bobby A]

Sorry, yes the knobs have to be turned, just as if using the shower normally.

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OOPs, I tried to follow your instruction EXACTLY !! LOL !! Maybe that is why the pump did not shut off ??

I'll get back to ya, after take 2 !! I have to help a fellow camper re install his coroplast after a leak, I probably won't get to my issue till tomorrow. Have a good 4th of July !!

Thanks again,

 

[Bobby A]

Sorry, yes the knobs have to be turned, just as if using the shower normally.

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Dan,
Take two didn't give me the results we were hoping for. Did everything you suggested and opened up the outside shower knobs this time and nothing came out the sprayer.

 

[danemayer]

Bobby,

There are several possibilities.

• As the tech said, the valve could be bad.
• There could be a problem with the pump not being able to move water
• When the tech disconnected fittings from the valves, he may not have put them back the same way.

I'd suggest the next thing to do would be to add 10-15 gallons of water to the fresh tank, turn the winterize lever back to the normal positionl With city water turned off, turn on the pump, open a faucet and see if you get water. Try the same thing with the valve in the winterize position.

You should be able to pump water from the tank in the normal position, but not in the winterize position.

If you have the pump exposed, you might check the filter bowl for cracks. Also check that the connections to the pump are hand tight.

 

[Bobby A]

Bobby,

There are several possibilities.

• As the tech said, the valve could be bad.
• There could be a problem with the pump not being able to move water
• When the tech disconnected fittings from the valves, he may not have put them back the same way.

I'd suggest the next thing to do would be to add 10-15 gallons of water to the fresh tank, turn the winterize lever back to the normal positionl With city water turned off, turn on the pump, open a faucet and see if you get water. Try the same thing with the valve in the winterize position.

You should be able to pump water from the tank in the normal position, but not in the winterize position.

If you have the pump exposed, you might check the filter bowl for cracks. Also check that the connections to the pump are hand tight.

HI Dan,
Happy 4th,
I will try that tomorrow, I am taking the day off from working on the rig today. When the tech last fall removed some lines in order to get antifreeze through the system, I was gone for a few minutes so I didn't see what lines he removed. He labeled them and wrote a note explaining where to re attach them. It was my fault that I didn't take a picture of what he did. When I got back this spring I just re hooked the lines per his notes and everything has been working fine. I could kick myself for not thinking to take a pic.

Bobby

 

[Bobby A]

Bobby,

There are several possibilities.

• As the tech said, the valve could be bad.
• There could be a problem with the pump not being able to move water
• When the tech disconnected fittings from the valves, he may not have put them back the same way.

I'd suggest the next thing to do would be to add 10-15 gallons of water to the fresh tank, turn the winterize lever back to the normal positionl With city water turned off, turn on the pump, open a faucet and see if you get water. Try the same thing with the valve in the winterize position.

You should be able to pump water from the tank in the normal position, but not in the winterize position.

If you have the pump exposed, you might check the filter bowl for cracks. Also check that the connections to the pump are hand tight.

In my continued quest to get to the bottom of my issue, I noticed that the water heater by pass valve and the Winterize valve are identical from the back of the UDC both are 3 way valves and look exactly the same. The only difference from the front is the name plate. With that said, can you switch the valves ?? as long as you connect the hoses exactly how you took them off. I was on both web sites and the Swan web site and B&B web site has different part numbers for each, I don't understand what the difference would be if they look identical from the rear, again the only visual difference is the name plate on the front. If they are the same which one should I replace first ?? I want to fill the fresh tank and run bleach through my lines but as I said the pump keeps running and no suction doing the tests you suggested. Thanks very much, obviously I don't know plumbing, but I can remove and replace.

 

[danemayer]

If the problem you're trying to fix is that you cannot pump water out of the fresh tank or out of a bucket with the antifreeze valve in either position, it may not be a valve problem.

Verify the pump is working.

If you look on the suction side of the pump, where the filter bowl is located (by the way, inspect for cracks), find the hose that goes to the antifreeze valve. Disconnect it from the valve and use the bucket of water with that hose. There should be nothing in between bucket and pump except the strainer bowl and a tee where the PEX from the fresh tank comes in.

If you still can't pump water, you either have an air leak somewhere, or a bad pump.

 

[Bobby A]

If the problem you're trying to fix is that you cannot pump water out of the fresh tank or out of a bucket with the antifreeze valve in either position, it may not be a valve problem.

Verify the pump is working.

If you look on the suction side of the pump, where the filter bowl is located (by the way, inspect for cracks), find the hose that goes to the antifreeze valve. Disconnect it from the valve and use the bucket of water with that hose. There should be nothing in between bucket and pump except the strainer bowl and a tee where the PEX from the fresh tank comes in.

If you still can't pump water, you either have an air leak somewhere, or a bad pump.

O.k., going out now to try that, same method ad before, put hose in bucket turn on pump and open cold water knob on out side shower and press the handle, correct ?? but, I still would like to know if those valves are interchangeable ?? My gut is telling me yes, but I want to verify with you.