Water heater bypass valve busted fitting

tinkerreknit · 03-30-2018, 01:22 PM

I de-winterized today and had a leak at the water bypass valve. The black fitting in the picture is cracked. I know it's not pipe thread, so can I get it locally? Our 1st trip is in a few days, so can I fix this quickly? Maybe delete the bypass valve altogether for now?
https://pix.sfly.com/VcRMcP

**ependydad** · 03-30-2018, 03:34 PM

That looks a lot like a check valve. Can you just buy a brass one from an RV place?

DAISY BOYKIN · 03-30-2018, 03:56 PM

You may have to take it to your local camping world (hate recommend it) to see what they have a fitting. Or a local RV dealer to see if they have a duplicate maybe out of an old Hot Water tank.

Harbor Freight has a box of SS clamps in lew of PEX CLAMPS.

tinkerreknit · 03-30-2018, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ependydad

That looks a lot like a check valve. Can you just buy a brass one from an RV place?

Thanks for the response! Not a check valve, but a fitting into the water heater bypass valve.

DAISY BOYKIN · 03-30-2018, 04:16 PM

I was just on several RV water fittings web site, It appears to be a reducer from the water tank (NPT) to PEX threads for the PEX 90° elbow. Appears to
be pretty common fitting. This is the reason I suggested CAMPING WORLD PARTS DEPARTMENT or a local RV sales with a repair department for a fitting source.

Look on the side of the white PEX fitting for the size? Appears the black fitting is a
NPT (National pipe thread) or the threads could be straight with a "O" ring for a sealer at the tank.

tinkerreknit · 03-30-2018, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAISY BOYKIN

I was just on several RV water fittings web site, It appears to be a reducer from the water tank (NPT) to PEX threads for the PEX 90° elbow. Appears to
be pretty common fitting. This is the reason I suggested CAMPING WORLD PARTS DEPARTMENT or a local RV sales with a repair department for a fitting source.

Look on the side of the white PEX fitting for the size? Appears the black fitting is a
NPT (National pipe thread) or the threads could be straight with a "O" ring for a sealer at the tank.

Not a pipe thread, and no "O" ring. it's a 1/2" ID elbow in
to the unknown male thread.

tinkerreknit · 03-30-2018, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ependydad

That looks a lot like a check valve. Can you just buy a brass one from an RV place?

Not a check valve, but an elbow.

Steve-W · 03-30-2018, 07:17 PM

How about a picture of the mating end. You may have half of a check valve assy. Most supply line threaded fittings in a RV are 1/2” NPT.

tinkerreknit · 03-30-2018, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve-W

How about a picture of the mating end. You may have half of a check valve assy. Most supply line threaded fittings in a RV are 1/2” NPT.

I will get a picture of the fitting tomorrow. It is not 1/2" NPT, as I have stated and it is not a check valve. as I have stated. It is a water heater by-pass valve. It is a finer thread.

Steve-W · 03-30-2018, 08:00 PM

Looks like it might be a B&B DVH-1-A bypass valve. Looks like the only solution will be to obtain a complete new valve assy and replace or use the needed parts from it. If you can not find one fast enough for your upcomming trip the only solution would be to remove the complete valve and hard plumb the lines together in the normal flow configuration.

tinkerreknit · 03-31-2018, 11:46 AM

The black part that is split and leaking goes to the water heater by-pass valve. My local RV dealer had the valve in stock. That was great, although it was $47! Still, the savings with my own labor is more than enough to off-set that cost. Plus, I didn't have to take it to a shop and get in line with the springtime rush and I didn't have to cancel our first trip.
The new valve is molded in one piece, and the little part I needed isn't available separately. I would guess that there were problems with the original, and the design was changed. The elbows from the valve have to be pointed a certain way to meet the tubing, and with the original setup it was hard to get the fitting tight enough but not too tight. I suspect that is why one failed. The new valve has a very thick gasket that is forgiving as far as the number of turns you have to do to line it up.
The picture shows the old valve (left side was leaking and is removed in pic).
Thanks to you all for the support!

https://pix.sfly.com/HVYvU5

tinkerreknit · 03-31-2018, 06:50 PM

[QUOTE=Steve-W;1768485]Looks like it might be a B&B DVH-1-A bypass valve. Looks like the only solution will be to obtain a complete new valve assy and replace or use the needed parts from it. If you can not find one fast enough for your upcomming trip the only solution would be to remove the complete valve and hard plumb the lines together in the normal flow configuration.[/QUOT

Thanks Seve- W, you were right on!

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