Keystone RV Forums - View Single Post - Hot Water Heater Bypass

Flyboy446 · 10-07-2014, 04:03 PM

Here is my follow up with narrative and pictures. Hope this helps anyone else out there looking for these items.

Locating the Hot Water Heater (HW) by-pass valve on a 2014 Keystone Cougar 28RBS Travel Trailer.

1. Locate your hot water heater exterior combustion chamber. This is where the gas heats up your HWH and exhausts it outside the trailer. It looks like this on my rig.  

2. Open the panel to see the burner, igniter, HWH relief valve (top) and verify drain plug (below gold burner tube).  

3. Close up view of burner tube, HWH drain plug on the right and exterior electrical shut-off switch on the left.  

4. Ok so now that we know where the HWH Drain Plug is, we can go inside the trailer and locate where the access panel is to the HWH and hopefully the HWH by-pass valve.  On my trailer it was easy to see that an access panel was located next to the refrigerator which was approximately the location inside, where the HWH drain plug was found on the outside of the trailer. The two screws on the access panel also helped point the away.   

5. Unscrew the screws and gently pull the panel away to reveal the HWH and plumbing.  

6. Upon closer inspection I could see that Keystone factory had indeed installed a By-Pass Valve for the HWH. The valve as shown is in the normal operating position, not in By-Pass mode.  

7. I talked to the Service Manager at the Keystone Dealer where I purchased this trailer regarding the potential need to install another valve up at the top, between the HWH and the the By-Pass tubing to completely isolate the HWH from any potential liquid, such as antifreeze, from getting back into the tank through the hot water line when the valve is in By-Pass mode and he stated that it was not possible. He said that all modern RV hot water heaters have been designed with a one-way valve on the hot water side so there is no chance of antifreeze getting into the HWH through that path.   So now I am ready to sanitize the Fresh Water (FW) system of my trailer and in a month or so Winterize the system. Hope this helps those out there with inquiring minds.

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2014 Cougar RBS
2014 Ford F250 Gas-SRW

10-07-2014, 04:03 PM	#5
Flyboy446 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Lewisville, TX Posts: 5	Final Follow-Up with Pictures for Inquiring Minds Here is my follow up with narrative and pictures. Hope this helps anyone else out there looking for these items. Locating the Hot Water Heater (HW) by-pass valve on a 2014 Keystone Cougar 28RBS Travel Trailer. 1. Locate your hot water heater exterior combustion chamber. This is where the gas heats up your HWH and exhausts it outside the trailer. It looks like this on my rig.   2. Open the panel to see the burner, igniter, HWH relief valve (top) and verify drain plug (below gold burner tube).   3. Close up view of burner tube, HWH drain plug on the right and exterior electrical shut-off switch on the left.   4. Ok so now that we know where the HWH Drain Plug is, we can go inside the trailer and locate where the access panel is to the HWH and hopefully the HWH by-pass valve.  On my trailer it was easy to see that an access panel was located next to the refrigerator which was approximately the location inside, where the HWH drain plug was found on the outside of the trailer. The two screws on the access panel also helped point the away.    5. Unscrew the screws and gently pull the panel away to reveal the HWH and plumbing.   6. Upon closer inspection I could see that Keystone factory had indeed installed a By-Pass Valve for the HWH. The valve as shown is in the normal operating position, not in By-Pass mode.   7. I talked to the Service Manager at the Keystone Dealer where I purchased this trailer regarding the potential need to install another valve up at the top, between the HWH and the the By-Pass tubing to completely isolate the HWH from any potential liquid, such as antifreeze, from getting back into the tank through the hot water line when the valve is in By-Pass mode and he stated that it was not possible. He said that all modern RV hot water heaters have been designed with a one-way valve on the hot water side so there is no chance of antifreeze getting into the HWH through that path.   So now I am ready to sanitize the Fresh Water (FW) system of my trailer and in a month or so Winterize the system. Hope this helps those out there with inquiring minds. _________________________ 2014 Cougar RBS 2014 Ford F250 Gas-SRW Attached Thumbnails Attached Images