What good is the HW tank bypass valve on the Anderson docking station?

[rockfordroo]

It's an Atwood feature. You super-heat the water in the tank. Then you mix it with cold water to get the temp down to "normal hot" as it comes out of the tank. This means that you're drawing way less water out of the tank, so it appears to have more capacity. An actual 10-gallon tank on an Atwood delivers 16 gallons of hot water. Very nice.

"I see," said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw!

[BBBlue]

Very interesting read. I have a 2013 Sanibel 3500 and am completely lost as to how to winterize the unit with the antifreeze RV solution. I do understand draining all tanks including the HW tank and blowing out with air via the city water connection. What I don't understand is how to get the antifreeze solution into the system. My last unit has a hose connected to the water pump that could be used to suck out the solution from the bottle by opening a valve and closing the suction to the potable water tank. Is there such a setup on the Sanibel 3500 or do I install a kit??

[BarryD0706]

Greg, it's very easy on your Sanibel. Put a short length of hose into your antifreeze bottle and attach it to the city water connection point. Set the water heater bypass valve in the convenience center to "Bypass". Set the Water Function valve (also in the Convenience Center) to Sanitize/Winterize (I think that's the label). Turn on the pump inside. Open each water spigot until pink comes out. (This will take about two gallons.) Don't forget the toilet, outside "shower" connection, and Washer connections!

Drain your fresh water tank.

I like to blow out or drain the P-traps in sink and shower, but some just pour pink into them as well.

[BBBlue]

As I understand, the connection of the short hose to the city water connection and into the antifreeze bottle will be sucked out when the pump is turn on. Do I need to do anything with the bypass valve behind the HW tank?

[BarryD0706]

Originally Posted by BBBlue

As I understand, the connection of the short hose to the city water connection and into the antifreeze bottle will be sucked out when the pump is turn on. Do I need to do anything with the bypass valve behind the HW tank?

No

[BarryD0706]

There are a couple of things I forgot to mention on the winterization.
-Be sure to drain the water heater! Take the plug out of the tank on the outside near the bottom. (Open the over-temp pressure valve to let air in so it will drain.)

- I think, before you add the pink stuff, you need to blow out the city water connection line. I don't think the pump will be able to push pink stuff back up to the valve where that is shutoff during the process. (I blow out everything anyway myself.)

Edit: Ya know, the more I think about it, I think just opening the low-point drains while the valve is still on "City" will drain the water out of that piece of line that I was worried about. Blowout probably not necessary.

[07 ThunderRoad]

Completed winterizing the coach. As I stated before, when you change the position of the valve on the back of the hot water tank, the antifreeze flows through the bypass line and through the hot water line to the hot water valve at the sinks. No antifreeze goes into the hot water tank. When you use the Anderson docking station hot water by pass valve, you by pass the lines to the tank also. No freeze protection for the lines to and from the tank.

[BBBlue]

Makes sense to me 07 ThunderRoad

[BBBlue]

How many gallons of antifreeze did you use to winterize your Sanibel?

[07 ThunderRoad]

Originally Posted by BBBlue

How many gallons of antifreeze did you use to winterize your Sanibel?

3.5 gal. Includes filling traps.
We do not have the washer/dryer in our coach.

[eileent]

Originally Posted by BBBlue

How many gallons of antifreeze did you use to winterize your Sanibel?

I used 2.5 gals to do my Crusader today including the traps.

[BarryD0706]

I blow out my traps (like with a shop vac). I use a gallon of pink for the pipes.

[BBBlue]

Winterized mine yesterday and used 2 gals of antifreeze. I need to go back, for I did not put anything in the shower trap.

[jbrostek]

Have not winterized yet, but I always plan on 3-4 gallons based on the old bus. I will probably winterize in the next week or two since I think my thanksgiving trip is no longer going to happen.