GeorgeTown water heater by-pass

[F and E Damp]

In our rig, there's a cupboard door underneath the larder cupboard. Inside it's placarded "Not for storage". The plumbing from the water supplies come to a hand-valve just below the water heater.

The hand-valve will connect the supply line directly to the rest of the rig in one position and will include the water heater when at 90-degrees. When I used compressed air to blow the lines clear last fall, I figured out the required valve handle positions. I'll be doing the blow-down again shortly, as we've decided there won't be any more trips this year due to other commitments. I'll' take photos then and post them.

BTW, I only use the pink-stuff in the various P-traps as I'm confident in the blow-through from the air compressor. I don't have the very harsh climate some of you guys do. It's very rare here for daytime highs not to get up to about 38F,even in Jan and Feb, so I'm not looking at prolonged soaks in the minus numbers all day and night (thank goodness).

As SnowBird9 said, I also leave the anode rod out for the winter (on the bench in the garage!). I do include the crapper in the blow-out procedure.

Note that "Crapper" is actually a trade-marked name for the company (Thomas Crapper and Son) that invented the flush toilet. Thomas' biography is titled "Flushed with Success".

[shorty]

Originally Posted by tomandles

We have a Georgetown 373, 2009.
There are shut off valves but I'm not sure they can be used
to bypass the water heater and winterize the rig.
I filled up the heater with antifreeze and pumped it thru the system including
the washer ( another challenge ).
HELP does any have info to bypass the waterheater

Thanks

I have a 373 and all you need to do is get on the ground right under your propane tank and look for a white screw cap. Screw that off and take a flash light and look in there you see the knob turn in opposite direction and you will now be in bypass mode! Right now you are wasting a lot of antifreeze to
fill the hot water tank. I use one and a half gallons.

[tomandles]

Originally Posted by RVGuy9

Where is the water heater by-pass located on 2009 38 ft George Town motorhome?

Look under the pod the water heater is in. On my 2009 373 it is on the
bottom. You can only reach 2 valves by hand. Use a tool to reach the
upper one.

[copsuno]

Just like OAIR, my valve is located in compartment to rear of wheels on passernger side, you can either unscrew access port and work blind or use a power screwdriver and remove the 9 screws for black panel and see the pump and hot water bypass, and the fresh water tank. Had to do all this to hot glue the bottom fitting on fresh water tank,which was leaking. 2011 360ds

[F and E Damp]

On our 02 rig, there's a valve in the cabinet under the larder cupboard that appears to connect the city water line either to the water heater or to the rest of the RV's plumbing. If I shut this valve, things in the city water line don't go into the WH.

Maybe there's a check valve someplace that stops back feed into the WH. When I winterised for the first time last fall, I firstly drained the potable systrem. Then I hooked up an air compressor to the city water inlet and fed 40 psi air into the RV plumbing. I opened faucets in order of thier height above the water inlet and eventually got all lines blowing air, including the toilet and the outside shower.
I then poured the pink stuff into all the P-traps, including the bathroom shower.

We don't get really gruesome low temps here in Anacortes - maybe overnight lows in the mid-20's and it's rare the daytime highs are below about 38F. My winterising procedure worked fine.

[stevep62]

Originally Posted by shorty

I have a 373 and all you need to do is get on the ground right under your propane tank and look for a white screw cap. Screw that off and take a flash light and look in there you see the knob turn in opposite direction and you will now be in bypass mode! Right now you are wasting a lot of antifreeze to
fill the hot water tank. I use one and a half gallons.

New Question:
On the 2008 Georgetown Model 357 can anyone advise me where the water heater by-pass valves are located? The posts here have revealed that the Georgetown locations vary according to year and model.

[tomandles]

Originally Posted by tomandles

We have a Georgetown 373, 2009.
There are shut off valves but I'm not sure they can be used
to bypass the water heater and winterize the rig.
I filled up the heater with antifreeze and pumped it thru the system including
the washer ( another challenge ).
HELP does any have info to bypass the waterheater

Thanks

Thanks for the help with the bypass. I'll have to make up something to reach
in that far, but it save a lot of anti freeze
tomandles

[Sandra Clay]

We have a Forest River Georgetown 2007 VP Series 373 D5Ford RV. We just purchased it this summer and need to winterize. Where are the bypass valves for the water heater located?

[F and E Damp]

OOPS! Sorry I double-posted. My original post was back in Sept and I didn't read far enough back in the thread.