262LHS Water Heater

RVDad · 11-01-2019, 02:57 PM

I am in desperate need of finding where in the heck the by-pass valve is located for the water heater. I read through the manual, but it doesn't tell me where the valve is located or how to access it. There is a ton of great information everywhere about how to by-pass the heater and how to winterize the camper, but I can't find anything about where the valve is. I would love some insight on this. Please!!

**JRTJH** · 11-01-2019, 03:10 PM

It's on the back side of your water heater. Here's a photo of a couple of "typical installations". The valve is a "one handle, 1/4 turn valve" and is usually installed so that the handle is on the "inside, closest to the water heater and difficult to see"... It usually "appears to be just a 90 degree fitting" so look carefully.....

RVDad · 11-01-2019, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

It's on the back side of your water heater. Here's a photo of a couple of "typical installations". The valve is a "one handle, 1/4 turn valve" and is usually installed so that the handle is on the "inside, closest to the water heater and difficult to see"... It usually "appears to be just a 90 degree fitting" so look carefully.....

Wait, is your photo of where the valve is located on the 262LHS? I looked behind all the compartments and drawers, but didn't find a valve. My water heater is in the back of the camper under the bottom bunk, but I can't seem to get to it.

nied · 11-01-2019, 03:56 PM

Don't have a 262 but my Trail-Lite has an access hatch under the mattress in the lower bunk platform

**JRTJH** · 11-01-2019, 05:05 PM

You may have to remove the mattress base to access the water heater. Before you do that though, look carefully for an access panel. It may be inside a cabinet adjacent to the bunk base.

skids · 11-01-2019, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

You may have to remove the mattress base to access the water heater. Before you do that though, look carefully for an access panel. It may be inside a cabinet adjacent to the bunk base.

The access panel would have screws — probably the most screws (4) in the whole trailer LOL.

RVDad · 11-03-2019, 03:12 PM

Ok. Looks like I have to crawl into the back storage area to get to the valve, which seems strange that there isn't an easier way.

ctbruce · 11-03-2019, 05:22 PM

Start planning a mod for next year. Add an easy to get to access panel.

**JRTJH** · 11-03-2019, 05:46 PM

Access panels do make it easier to get to a "hard to reach" water heater. Here's one solution

RVDad · 11-03-2019, 06:12 PM

This is what I have. Can anyone tell me if this is correct?

**JRTJH** · 11-03-2019, 06:49 PM

That is the bypass valve. It appears to be in the "normal operation" position, to be in bypass, it needs to be pointed toward the vertical tube that goes up toward the hot water outlet....

And, if you're going to store your trailer outside for the winter, you might want to take that grill out and store it somewhere other than in your trailer. Chances are very VERY good that mice will smell the grease in the grill, make a "determined effort" to get to it and you'll find "mouse droppings" in your storage compartment, probably in your trailer and definitely inside the grill..... I wash mine, store it in a plastic trash bag, inside a plastic tote in the pole barn behind the house. That's about a mile or so from the pole barn the trailer is in, and sometimes I think it might be "too close to the trailer"....

RVDad · 11-03-2019, 07:04 PM

Good to hear I finally found the valve. Also, the Coleman case you see is not a grill, it's an outdoor kitchen. It's pretty awesome. All the cooking equipment will be moved to the shed at the house.

Coleman Pack-Away Portable Kitchen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00339912S..._St5VDb7CXCWCX

skids · 11-04-2019, 05:43 AM

You know, you can test the HW tank bypass valve position. I drain the tank and leave the plug out. Turn the valve(s) to bypass position. Turn on the water pump with water still in the FW tank. There should be no water coming from the HW tank. Then you can begin winterizing the rest of the system.

blubuckaroo · 11-10-2019, 06:34 PM

Some trailers don't have that bypass valve at all. In some cases it has to be added.
I ended up just draining and blowing everything down, with compressed air, like my dealer recommended for our region.

**chuckster57** · 11-10-2019, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blubuckaroo

Some trailers don't have that bypass valve at all. In some cases it has to be added.
I ended up just draining and blowing everything down, with compressed air, like my dealer recommended for our region.

I’d like to know which ones. I haven’t seen one without some type of bypass.

**flybouy** · 11-10-2019, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I’d like to know which ones. I haven’t seen one without some type of bypass.

At least not built in the past 3 or 4 decades. Maybe in a very old camper that's survived in a warm climate.

pitman44 · 11-11-2019, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I’d like to know which ones. I haven’t seen one without some type of bypass.

My parents had a 7s something Jayco 5er we bought from them way back when. That one didn't have a bypass valve. I bent and flared a piece of 3/8" copper so I could connect the hot and cold lines together to winterize it.

Sold the camper and saw the guy I sold it to about a month later. I asked him how the camper was working out. He said everything was okay, but they couldn't get any hot water. Opps

Old Mustanger · 11-11-2019, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I’d like to know which ones. I haven’t seen one without some type of bypass.

Our first TT was a 2008 Nomad and I had to add the HW bypass and winterizing kit for the pink stuff.

Walnuts · 11-12-2019, 01:54 PM

I have a Hideout 262LHS, the bypass valve is on the rear of the heater. To access it, you need to open the rear storage compartment from outside, climb in, reach into the 6" diameter hole and with the power of dislocating your hand and wrist bones turn the valve.

Not exactly easy, but can be done. I'm 44 and hardly athletic.

Top tip, take a torch (flashlight).

When winterising (my first time ever), I noticed there isn't an anti-freeze siphon feed into the waterpump.

Huey79 · 11-12-2019, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walnuts

I have a Hideout 262LHS, the bypass valve is on the rear of the heater. To access it, you need to open the rear storage compartment from outside, climb in, reach into the 6" diameter hole and with the power of dislocating your hand and wrist bones turn the valve.

Not exactly easy, but can be done. I'm 44 and hardly athletic.

Top tip, take a torch (flashlight).

When winterising (my first time ever), I noticed there isn't an anti-freeze siphon feed into the waterpump.

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36543-Co...=07f45928-df4e
This is what I used in my 2020 Hideout DFS. Wasn't that hard to install and will make future winterizations a breeze.

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