"Bypass valve"???

[JimM68]

In this pic of the wet bay in my 99 pace arrow, there is a valve labelled "Bypass valve." It is below the water pump switch and up and to the right of the city water inlet.

I've had the coach for 2 years, and I've been unable to determine what it does, it doesn't seem to do anything.

It's not mentioned in the manual.

[Ottawa]

It is to be used when winterizing your plumbing system. It allows the antifreeze to bypass the Water Heater saving on 6 gallons of fluid.

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

It's probably the valve that fills the onboard fresh water tank via the city water connection. By the way, it needs to be closed when running the water pump, or the pump may run all the time.

How have you been filling your fresh water tank, with the gravity fill?

With the city water line connected and the city water turned on at the faucet, open the "Bypass Valve" and you should hear water running. This means it's going into (filling) the fresh water tank.

[JimM68]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

It is to be used when winterizing your plumbing system. It allows the antifreeze to bypass the Water Heater saving on 6 gallons of fluid.

Thanks, but nope. The bypass valve for the water heater is in the bedroom closet, under the water heater. That one is in the manual.

[JimM68]

Originally Posted by Bob (WA0MQE)

It's probably the valve that fills the onboard fresh water tank via the city water connection. By the way, it needs to be closed when running the water pump, or the pump may run all the time.

How have you been filling your fresh water tank, with the gravity fill?

With the city water line connected and the city water turned on at the faucet, open the "Bypass Valve" and you should hear water running. This means it's going into (filling) the fresh water tank.

The could be it. I was hoping it would make the system suck thru the city water inlet, that would be my winterizing, but when I hook it up like that the pump runs continuous but it don't suck.

Yes, I normally fill thru the gravity fill.

[Ottawa]

I had a second look at the picture and Bob is right. On my 99 Southwind that valve would fill the fresh water tank when I had the city water hooked up. I never filled my tank by the gravity feed.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Yeap. On a Fleetwood, they term the city water tank fill valve "bypass". It does indeed bypass the usual function of the city inlet, but it's a poor choice given the universal meaning of "bypass valve" for the water heater plumbing bypass.

The creativity of the factory engineers is endless. And too often to no good end.

[JimM68]

Looking at that piece of !@@!%$ bypass valve I gave camping world $15 for, I think I'm just gonna throw it on a box somewhere. It has a 1/4" hole, and the valve opens less than half of it. So whenever we were running on the water pump, it would be sucking thru something the size of a swizzle stick! Water pressure is low enough, not gonna do it.
the inlet to the pump is right out in the open, with a fitting meant to be removed by hand. I'll just remove it and screw on a winterizing hose when the time comes.

[HMXDave]

Originally Posted by JimM68

The could be it. I was hoping it would make the system suck thru the city water inlet, that would be my winterizing, but when I hook it up like that the pump runs continuous but it don't suck.

Yes, I normally fill thru the gravity fill.

If you put a length of hose into the winterizing antifreeze hooked to the city water inlet, turn the bypass valve, AND turn off the valve from your fresh water tank to the pump....the pump should draw fluid through that hose. This is how I winterize my Safari....

[nbounder]

Too many %%$#***s for me. It's been a while since something as inert as a BYPASS VALVE caused such a fuss. Someone (or oneS) should intake a slightly greater quantity of calmative beverage before getting on this forum. Thus the term "OFFICIAL CAMPING BEVERAGE" OCB came about.

[ken vp]

When filling your water tank when using the bypass valve be sure to open the gravity cap to let the air out when filling or you can, and probably well blow a hole in your tank. you need to re-lees the pressure.

[mfolsom]

Originally Posted by JimM68

The could be it. I was hoping it would make the system suck thru the city water inlet, that would be my winterizing, but when I hook it up like that the pump runs continuous but it don't suck.

Yes, I normally fill thru the gravity fill.

JimM
It is much easier to fill your tank from the "bypass" valve. I do it all the time on my 99 Pace Arrow.

For winterizing you have the water heater bypass located already. Mine has two valves behind the flap in the back of the large compartment left of the coach entrance door. They are on the suction line for the water pump. One isolates the fresh water tank and the other opens the line with a hose attached. I put the hose in a gallon of RV antifreeze and turn on the pump. Then I go around to the faucets and toilet and run them until pink stuff comes out. Keep an eye on the gallon of antifreeze and add more if necessary.

Don't forget to remove the plastic plug in the water heater and drain the water. It's a good time to rinse out the water heater while the plug is out.

Mark

[mfolsom]

Originally Posted by ken vp

When filling your water tank when using the bypass valve be sure to open the gravity cap to let the air out when filling or you can, and probably well blow a hole in your tank. you need to re-lees the pressure.

His coach has an open vent next to the gravity fill valve. No need to worry about it.

[Lakeman1]

Book says to remove the cap, vent is too small to release all the pressure. I read somewhere about using this bypass. This water will have gone thru the filter and would remove the chlorine. Will this filter remove the chlorine? If so I would not fill the tank this way.