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Old 01-02-2018, 01:41 PM   #1
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Suburban water heater back flow preventer

I just put in a new Suburban water heater the back flow preventer only lasted about a month or so, rusted a internally came apart,it is on the hot water side of waterline, it stopped all water flow. Is a back flow preventer necessary?
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Old 01-02-2018, 02:00 PM   #2
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The back flow prevent valve is used for several reasons in Rvs. One is winterizing. By using it, you can eliminate one valve in the normal three valve winterizing set up. It also prevents the crud in the bottom of the HW tank from being sucked into the cold water line should you open the low point drains with water in the WH. It also keeps antifreeze from entering the WH. If you add the third valve( so you can isolate WH from hot water line between bypass valve and hot water outlet and drain WH before opening low point drains, you can get away without it.
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Old 01-02-2018, 08:09 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flybob View Post
The back flow prevent valve is used for several reasons in Rvs. One is winterizing. By using it, you can eliminate one valve in the normal three valve winterizing set up. It also prevents the crud in the bottom of the HW tank from being sucked into the cold water line should you open the low point drains with water in the WH. It also keeps antifreeze from entering the WH. If you add the third valve( so you can isolate WH from hot water line between bypass valve and hot water outlet and drain WH before opening low point drains, you can get away without it.
My TT was pre-owned, l replaced the water heater a few months ago, the back flow preventer was on the top( hot water) outlet, made me wonder but there are many things different when it comes to TT's. It has the 2 bypass valves for hot and cold. I want be winterizing my water system, live in it full time, but when it's below 25 or so degree's l do drain the lines at the low point drains. I did take the back flow out and the spring assembly was damaged so l removed it and replaced the fitting so we could have hot water.
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Old 01-02-2018, 08:21 PM   #4
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Here are photos of the 2 valve ( with backflow) and three valve. If you are working on it, I would add the third valve just in case you ever need to travel up north.
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Old 01-02-2018, 09:11 PM   #5
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l can understand now why the backflow preventer was at the top, it caused them not to need a third valve, it served no other purpose (winterizing). Thank you for the insight. I will need a valve to bypass the water heater, which could be used for multiple purposes. Thank you
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Old 01-02-2018, 09:13 PM   #6
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Mine looks like this photo minus the top valve on the hot water line exiting water heater.
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