To make it easy to get to your water heater to open or close the bypass valves when winterizing, to adjust the thermostat or to replace the heating element it is easy to make a door in the back of the under sink cabinet.
PICTURES
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The panel was cut out with a saber saw. A piano hinge was pop riveted to one side and a 1" wide strip of aluminum was pop riveted to the other side. A thumbscrew was fastened to the door and held in place with a small "E" clip on the back of the door. The aluminum strip was threaded for the thumbscrew.
I had previously installed a 1/4" pipe thread ball valve to make it
easier to drain my water heater tank but had installed it horizontally
under the tank using a brass elbow in the bottom of the tank. The
exit of the valve was attached to the existing drain hose. I have found
that the elbow on the bottom of the tank would collect scale and clog
the
drain and also that the small diameter of the drain hose would cause
very
slow draining. I changed the ball valve so that it goes straight
down from the water tank. I located where the center of the
downpipe
would enter the wheel well. I used a 1/8" diameter, 6" long drill
bit to drill a pilot hole. I then drilled a 1/2" hole from below the
wheel
well and filed it a little to clear the pipe nipple. It was
necessary
to bend about 3/8" of the handle of the 1/4" pipe ball valve before
installing
it so that it will clear the top of the wheel well. After installing
the
ball valve, I used a 1" short pipe nipple to thread up from the wheel
well
into the bottom of the valve. I sealed the pipe to the wheelwell
with some Permatex silicone sealant. Now it drains much faster
and
if the pipe gets clogged I can easily push a wire up into the tank to
unclog
it.
--
PROCEDURE
I had been requested to give more details on winterizing the GMC water
system.
No taking off of panels or pulling drawers to get at drain
valves.
No need
to get out the air compressor and hope that the lines are blown dry.
First let me recommend a couple of products that will help
immensely.
Get a
hot water heater bypass valve. Camping World (15717 $19.99) has
one they
call a Quick Turn Permanent Water Heater By-Pass Kit Features Single
Valve
Operation. I installed this last year to replace a three valve
bypass that I
previously had. I used the 3 valve bypass beneath the kitchen
sink so that I
could bypass my water filter. When installing the new water tank
bypass I
drilled a small hole in the handle and fashioned a push/pull wire of
about
1/8" dia. so that I could open the right hand door and turn the bypass
on and
off without taking out the cabinet. (side bath - wet model).
This bypass kit
also comes with a check valve that is installed in the water heater
output
(top). This check valve will also prevent some of you from
getting
hot water
out of your cold water faucets when you are using the water heater.
The second thing you want is Camping World's Permanent Pump
Converter
which
lets your pump draw RV antifreeze directly from the bottle. (6279
$13.98).
Once these are in place you can begin.
Here's what I do.
1. Open the water tank drain
2. Rotate antifreeze winterizing valve, remove cap and attach
hose
3. Put hose into the antifreeze jug (use water line antifreeze
available
from Walmart, K-Mart or an RV store). The bottle will indicate
that it is
safe for drinking water contact. It should also show that it
is propylene
glycol. NEVER use ethylene glycol. It is toxic.
4. Kitchen -- remove water filter and close bypass valves.
5. Bath room -- close water heater bypass valve. Open drain
on bottom of
water heater tank. Open lever of temp/pressure release valve
to allow air to
enter tank.
6. Turn on water pump.
7. Open bathroom cold water faucet until you get pink antifreeze
out of it.
Close faucet.
8. Open bathroom hot water faucet until you get pink
antifreeze.
Close it.
9. Flush toilet until you see pink.
10. Turn on shower while running water into toilet. Run
till pink and close
it.
11. Open kitchen cold water faucet until you get pink
antifreeze.
Close it.
12. Open kitchen hot water faucet until you get pink
antifreeze.
Close it.
13. Take hose out of antifreeze jug. Remove hose from valve
and put cap on
valve.
14. Pour a little bit of antifreeze into the shower drain to
freeze proof
the trap.
15. Disconnect electrical wire connector at pump to prevent it
running when tank is empty".
You are done. I just timed it and it took me 10 minutes.
I often do this
about 4 times in the winter because I use the GMC year
around.
I used
approximately 7/8 gallon of antifreeze. I have used less in the
past but I
let the faucets run a bit more to make sure that I had enough
antifreeze
in
the drains.
Couldn't be much simpler and I've never had any lines, traps, etc.
freeze
even in well below 0 degree weather. Emery Stora