HW bypass T2553

janetpowell · 11-03-2007, 05:01 PM

We are attempting to winterize out T2553. Last year we didn't do very well and we lost the shower head. We don't think we have a hot water bypass, but are not sure. What we see under the bed are two valves. One blue line which seems to drain water and a red line that seems to fill the hot water tank. If we don't have a hot water bypass we need 10 gallons of antifreeze. If we do, we only need 4-6. Can anyone tell us if we do have a bypass? Or if there is a better way with the T2553 to winterize? We live in western PA and need to take very precaution to prevent freezing. Thanks!

Steve Collins · 11-03-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janetpowell

We are attempting to winterize out T2553. Last year we didn't do very well and we lost the shower head. We don't think we have a hot water bypass, but are not sure. What we see under the bed are two valves. One blue line which seems to drain water and a red line that seems to fill the hot water tank. If we don't have a hot water bypass we need 10 gallons of antifreeze. If we do, we only need 4-6. Can anyone tell us if we do have a bypass? Or if there is a better way with the T2553 to winterize? We live in western PA and need to take very precaution to prevent freezing. Thanks!

Janet, look at the back (interior) side of your hot water heater. If there is at least one valve by the inlet or outlet of the heater, you have a by-pass. Some by-passes have a valve at both the inlet and the outlet; others have just one valve.

If memory serves (and Sunline Fan will hopefully confirm this), the by-passes became standard on newer Sunlines, beginning sometime in the early 2000's.

Check Sunline Fan's complete winterizing instructions in the Repairs & Maintenance section. There are lots of pictures to help. This will take you right to the message:

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/ph...pic.php?t=1343

BTW, if you have a by-pass, and have properly drained the hot water tank, you should be able to winterize the whole rig with 2 gallons of RV antifreeze (maybe 3 gallons if you have one of the 35' rigs). I used only about 1.3 gallons this year because I not only used the air method of first clearing all the water lines, but also used my shop-vac set on "blow" to clear all the s-traps of water before starting with antifreeze. And I wasted a bit of antifreeze because I forgot to first close the low point drains before pumping antifreeze into the system.

mbart5fan · 11-03-2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

I forgot to first close the low point drains before pumping antifreeze into the system.

Steve, I did the same thing. The valves were confusing as they point in opposite directions for the same function and I had them both turned the same way, so one of them was always open. They're labeled now so that wont happen again. I like your idea of blowing out the traps before adding antifreeze.

Mike

Hematite · 11-03-2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbart5fan

Quote:

I forgot to first close the low point drains before pumping antifreeze into the system.

Steve, I did the same thing. The valves were confusing as they point in opposite directions for the same function and I had them both turned the same way, so one of them was always open. They're labeled now so that wont happen again. I like your idea of blowing out the traps before adding antifreeze.

Mike

Yup, I did the same thing with the valves! What's that sound, oh antifreeze coming out one of the lines!

janetpowell · 11-03-2007, 07:46 PM

Thanks for your replies. I think from what I saw and read that the bypass valve is next to the low point valve. While attempting to winterize prior to posting the question we left the low point valve open and lost 4 gallons of antifreeze. Tomorrow we shall try again and will add blowing out the traps with the shop vac. We like that idea---thanks! I think we were looking for more than the simple valve and complicated the whole issue way too much!

**Sunline Fan** · 11-03-2007, 10:11 PM

Unfortunately, I don't have a pic of the bypass valves. I hope to take one soon to add to that post.

I also forgot to close the low points when blowing out, but all I lost was air pressure. Here I go blaming it on my help already having a faucet open!

Jon

partimcmpr · 11-04-2007, 08:51 AM

I can check if I need to, but if I am not mistaken, the bypass on the hotwater heater are right behind the heater. On my 2553, looking into the storage area standing behind the trailer, there is a board on the left blocking the heater from the contents stored under the bed. I believe the valves are behind the board. The low point valves are further in and located under the foot of the bed, further away from the hotwater heater.

Let me know if you would like for me to try to take some pics.

Hope this helps.
David

Steve Collins · 11-04-2007, 09:21 AM

Here's a pic of the backside of my hot water heater:

You can see the valves for the bypass right next to the HOT and COLD fittings on the top and bottom of the heater. Right now, mine are in By-Pass position as I have fully winterized the water system. (Keep in mind that my trailer is a '99 and has the two-valve by-pass.)

The low point drains are fastened to the floor of the trailer at the other end of the bed from the hot water heater. They are easily located and identified if you look under the trailer where you can see two tubes about 3" long sticking straight down from the membrane.

janetpowell · 11-04-2007, 01:54 PM

My husband and I were out again attempting to complete the winterization process. We put two more gallons of antifreeze onto the ground opening and closing the valves under the bed. Then I said, can we get to the back of the hot water tank? Well indeed as the last post states (should have read it before we started again) on the T2553 one must crawl into the back storage area and loosen or remove a board to access the shut off valve. Once we did that it looked exactly like the pictures you guys had posted!!!! We kept fiddling with what we now know to be the low water release valves under the bed. Soooo, hubby is off to purchase more antifreeze and I believe we will very simply complete this process. I am writing this all down in our manual so next year when we forget this whole thing I can refer back to my notes!!!
We will be taking a mid winter trip to St. Louis for the NCAA Wrestling Championships and will have to dewinterize and then rewinterzie again for the remainder of our cold season. It should go quite smoothly now!!!! And no more expense of replacing fixtures like last year. Ahhhhh, we love camping!!! Always learning something and chatting with nice people, thanks!

Janalee · 11-04-2007, 04:51 PM

Janet...there really is no need to de-winterize for a mid winter trip if you truly love 'camping'....simply take along milk jugs of water,enough for your immediate needs, refilling them when you need to. We take up to a week going to and from Fl. with our rig winterized, and don't suffer at all. We use an empty dish detergent squeeze bottle for flushing(great for stubborn 'spots') and heat our water in a coffee pot for dishes and washups. Of course if it an extended time you will be gone, you may want to rethink...Anyway,all you have to do is dump your tanks and put some more antifreeze down your drains when you return...we don't like to travel with our water tanks full anyway keeping in mind how much a tank of water weighs!!!

janetpowell · 11-04-2007, 05:06 PM

Thanks for the mid winter tip. We'll be gone almost a week, but you certainly got us thinking. Last year we went to Nationals in Michigan and enjoyed some winter camping including snow. We learned a lot on that trip! We meant to insulate the underside of the camper this summer, but it didn't get done. Thank goodness there's always next season!

mbart5fan · 11-05-2007, 06:16 AM

Janet,

Here's a picture of my system.

As it's a newer model it has only one bypass valve. I'm fortunate that there is a door below the kitchen range for easy access to this area.

Mike

Jim · 11-06-2007, 12:05 PM

Hi everyone, Janet, Just lift up the corner of the mattress and reach down the hole that was cut out of the plywood to turn the bypass valve opened and closed. Found that nice little surprise when we did ours the first winter.

partimcmpr · 11-08-2007, 02:57 PM

When we first got our 2553, I saw that hole but did not know what it was for. I had since forgotten about it. After you mentioned it, I went back and checked, sure enough it was there. I would have reached in from the back because I had forgotten about it.

Thanks!
David

Al in PA · 11-09-2007, 05:32 PM

Janet:

As Jim said, there is an access hole beside the streetside wardrobe closet once you raise the bed. If you want to see what you are doing, remove the drawer below the wardrobe closet.

If you have a hot water bypass, I'd bet you also have bypass on your fresh water tank (under the sofa) with a hose that will extend to your antifreeze jug if you set it in front of the sofa. This keeps the antifreeze out of your fresh water tank and drastically reduces the amount needed to winterize the trailer. In an earlier post, I mentioned that I had blown my lines with a compressor which allowed me to winterize all of the traps with one gallon of antifreeze. Just to be on the safe side, I have purchased a second gallon to add more fluid to the drain traps: I will also use the shop vac tip to blow the traps before adding fluid.

This whole process sounds much worse than it is in reality.

partimcmpr · 11-09-2007, 07:07 PM

My 2553 has the hot water bypass, but does not have the pump converter winterizing kit. Guess you never know which options each unit has. I hear some even have a tin roof!

I have purchased a kit to install but have not had time to do it yet. My lines are dry at the moment as we were close to freezing earlier this week. Maybe that will be a good project for Saturday!

Later,
David

kanyonkitty · 11-09-2007, 07:11 PM

Whats that Song ?

Kitty on a Tin Roof