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Old 09-15-2016, 01:42 PM   #1
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Where the heck?????

Hi all, I just purchased a 2014 Thor 22E and unfortunately I live in Upstate New York and winter is fast approaching. Can someone tell me how to access the water heater bypass valves? The manual is so generic that I am left scratching my head.

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Old 09-15-2016, 01:55 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by stevesdogs3 View Post
Hi all, I just purchased a 2014 Thor 22E and unfortunately I live in Upstate New York and winter is fast approaching. Can someone tell me how to access the water heater bypass valves? The manual is so generic that I am left scratching my head.
Ed has provided all of us with a Manual which includes much information regarding Thor Axis/Vegas and more...much of the information seems to be the same across the board.
Check with him..he will send you a link to his manual or answer your question.

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Old 09-15-2016, 01:57 PM   #3
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Best advice form someone not having that specific model is to determine where the water heater is located and then inside the coach look for a drawer or access panel around that general location. Remove the drawer or access panel and look for the back of the water heater and you should find the valves.

In my case I have to remove two bedroom drawers and the valves are about two feet back.
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Old 09-15-2016, 01:58 PM   #4
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Usually they are on the "front" of the water heater. Find an access panel on the inside where the heater is and unscrew it..

Looking at pictures and your floorplan: See if you can remove the cold-air cover below the closet--I bet you find them in there.
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Old 09-15-2016, 02:18 PM   #5
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Thanks

That gets me on the hunt. I appreciate the fast response.
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Old 09-15-2016, 04:38 PM   #6
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The attached picture is from my 2015 Vegas 24.1. On the backside of the water heater (inside the RV) in the hallway below and to the rear of the refrigerator is an air vent/grill. When you remove that grill, the attached picture is what you see.

To find your bypass valves, they will be somewhere on the back side of the water heater. Look at the exterior of your RV. Find the water heater and go inside the RV in that general area. It will be behind drawers, an access panel, under a closet, behind a grill -- not sure how your RV is configured but just look in that area at the back of the water heater and you should find them.

The three valves comprise the water heater by pass. You would close the hot water valve on the top (red line) and the cold water valve on the bottom (blue line). That isolates the water heater tank. Then open the valve in the middle connecting the blue cold water line to the red hot water line. When you winterize the antifreeze will be sucked into the cold water line and flow through this "bypass" valve into the hot water lines so that you don't fill up the hot water heater tank with 6 additional gallons of anti freeze when you winterize.

Also, in winterizing you need to be sure to drain the hot water heater tank. Do that by removing the Teflon threaded plug on the bottom and depress the pressure relief valve on the top to vent the tank so it drains faster. Be sure you have positioned the bypass valves as described above before trying to drain the tank.

When you then take the RV out of storage in the spring and "de-winterize" you need to be sure to put these 3 valves in their original position.

I know you do not have a Vegas or Axis; however, the manual I compiled is relevant to other models in describing system operations since many of them are compatible. The manual has a checklist for winterizing you might find useful. Here is a link to my manual:
https://1drv.ms/w/s!AiYx6DLSeiiP53x246awlGrg8B-I
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Name:	Water Heater Bypass.jpg
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Old 09-15-2016, 04:50 PM   #7
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Very, very informative. Thank you so much
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:12 PM   #8
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I am not a big fan of "the pink stuff." I prefer to hook a blowout plug to the fresh water inlet and blow out the water. Word of caution, use an "oiless" air compressor to prevent contamination of your water lines. Set the pressure regulator to 50 psi to prevent damage to your lines and then open one valve at a time until water is out. Don't forget outside showers!

Use about one cup of pink stuff in your drains and you are done!
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Old 09-15-2016, 09:40 PM   #9
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I am not a big fan of "the pink stuff." I prefer to hook a blowout plug to the fresh water inlet and blow out the water. Word of caution, use an "oiless" air compressor to prevent contamination of your water lines. Set the pressure regulator to 50 psi to prevent damage to your lines and then open one valve at a time until water is out. Don't forget outside showers!

Use about one cup of pink stuff in your drains and you are done!
I did it just like this, for many years in Colorado where -20 can be expected. Never had a problem. Make sure you run your water pump dry. I always disconnect the inlet and outlet ports and let it run the water out into a beach towel.

Ken
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Old 09-15-2016, 10:05 PM   #10
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That seems to confirm the manuals preferred method. Thanks. It does get very cold up here. Thank you much.
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Old 09-16-2016, 02:22 AM   #11
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The water heater bypass is behind a panel directly below the cloths closet. 2 screws hold the panel on and if its anything like mine it looked like they put it on several times boring separate holes each time. I figured out exactly where I wanted it and bored thru holes and used Tee nuts so I could use bolts instead of screws. This keeps it more secure and you can remove and install it without the screw holes loosening up.
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Old 09-16-2016, 04:07 AM   #12
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The water heater bypass is behind a panel directly below the cloths closet. 2 screws hold the panel on and if its anything like mine it looked like they put it on several times boring separate holes each time. I figured out exactly where I wanted it and bored thru holes and used Tee nuts so I could use bolts instead of screws. This keeps it more secure and you can remove and install it without the screw holes loosening up.
Thanks for the info, fellow 22E guy.

Ken
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Old 09-16-2016, 08:23 AM   #13
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That's what I figured after all the other information. You are right on! I think I am good to go. Thanks all.
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Old 09-16-2016, 02:53 PM   #14
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I took those screws out and and replaced them with hinges and a knob. Keep using these screws with eventually wear out the holes. plus it's a nice place to store small items.
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Old 09-16-2016, 08:32 PM   #15
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Figured those buggers were back there behind the panel.
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Old 09-16-2016, 11:35 PM   #16
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You guys are nuts. I mean that in a nice way enjoy!
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