In the essence of time, I will go out on a limb here and guess what you have based on the words you used based on other Sunline friends I have helped with their 1996 camper.
In the 1996 camper I helped a buddy with, Sunline used clear/translucent PEX tubing and white Flair-IT brand 90-degree quarter turn and 180-degree turn valves that look like this.
There were 3 different types depending on the purpose needed.
When you stated
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" I've replaced both and now I'm trying to figure out how to orient the 3-way bypass valves to refill the water heater. I have two valves, each of which can turn all 3 ways. Both of the valves are able to dump water out below. But, I don't know which way to position them to refill the tank and allow hot water circulation."
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You mentioned 2 valves that can turn 3 ways and let water out below. Those 2 valves "sound" like the low point drains. They are not part of the water water heater bypass, but they can be part of how to drain water out of the piping to allow the safety relief valve to be changed.
See this pic. In this case, Sunline uses blue and red PEX piping for hot and cold water but still the white Flair-It valves.
You are referring to this low-point drain setup. These valves will turn 180 degrees and feel like. They have 3 positions. Technically they are called a 3 position valve as you can select the water flow 3 ways. The short blue tubes go through the floor and drain under the camper.
While the white nuts are off the valves, this is a top shot of the valves' hot and cold low-point drains in the pic that show the pipe going through the floor.
Sunline also created low point drains, again pending floor plan, using the 3-position valve (rotated 180 degrees). See the blue piping. And a 2-position valve that only had on/off, a 90-degree turn valve, and the drain tube went down through the floor. See the red pipe
Now, on the 3 positions, 180-degree low point drain valve, which way is normal flow?
See this write up that is part of a winterizing file I created for a Sunline friend that has the combo of valves.
The blue arrow is the normal water flow direction in the bottom picture with the blue piping—the white valve lever points in the opposite direction of the normal flow. Normal flow means that water comes from the pump or city water inlet (the source) to the inlet port of the valve and leaves (flows through) the valve to go to the outlet port on the valve to supply water to faucets, water heater etc.
You will have to look at your piping and figure out which end of the piping is coming from the water pump or city water feed, as that is the source of the normal water flow. Then, flip the white lever, which seems to be pointing backward to the source of the flow. That lever position allows water to go straight through the valve and shuts off the water to go out the bottom of the camper.
Here is the semi standard way Sunline in the mid 90's did the water heater bypass and all the way up through the 2007 campers.
Please take a look at the yellow arrow. That is the bypass valve, which only turns 90 degrees. The white handle is pointing parallel to the blue water supply pipe and to the water supply from the pump, etc. That is the heater's normal position to allow water to fill the heater.
To bypass the heater, flip the white lever straight up vertically, and the lever will point towards the top. That switches the water to bypass the water supply to fill the water heater.
If your camper has those valves, the above will get you going. If, for some reason, your water is pouring out on the ground from the low-point drains, then flip the one valve the water is coming out of 180 degrees. Sometimes, the valve can be installed backward.
Let us know how you make out.
John
Linear Mode
