320 Bypassing Hot Water Heater

[skolbe]

On my 260 my boat had the quick disconnect fittings on the hot water heater - on the 320 it appears that they are threaded on the hot water heater. I could be wrong. How do you all bypass the hot water heater. I see there is a distrubution block that will shut off the cold water line to the Hot water heater and I also see some fittings on the distribution area for the water where it appears I can maybe hookup the water lines - Just figuring out winterization on the 320.

 

[CJ Martin]

I use a short section of bronze pipe that is threaded at both ends, it's probably 4" or so. I also picked up a couple of bronze end caps I used to keep crap out of the water heater inlet/outlets. The caps and the pipe were probably $5 total at the hardware store.

-CJ

 

[skolbe]

Great idea - what size are the threads? I believe they are 1/2"?

 

[thunderbird1]

I realize it is relatively inexpensive to buy a few parts and easy to bipass the water heater, but why not just pay the $20 bucks for 8 gals of antifreeze and fill the water heater? Aside from wasting antifreeze, is there a risk associated with putting pink in the water heater?

 

[wkearney99]

Many water heaters use plain old 1/2" plumbing fittings. If you can get to the hoses easily and don't mind the work you can just use a section of pipe with threads on both ends; a plumbing nipple.

If it's not easy to get to then you may want to consider a by-pass valve kit. Camco makes a couple of them. They basically re-route the cold water going to the heater back over to the output. One style of kit uses two three way valves, another uses just a single three way valve and backflow preventer on the output line. The single valve type is a little more 'foolproof' in that you only have one to turn.

 

[wkearney99]

The downside to antifreeze in the heater, besides the hassle, is the stink. It really tends to get nastier when it's been in the hot water tank.

And if you have inline water filters make sure you either remove, bypass or be prepared to replace them.

 

[Sundancer]

You can put the 8 gallons in, but I want to know where you can buy 8 gallons for $20!!! That's a steal! It also takes longer to pour the 8 gallons in, than it does to bypass the tank! The new RV antifreeze has a mint flavor and it will be tough to remove that taste in the spring. You'll feel like you just brushed your teeth when you drink it. It's not bad in hot chocolate since you get a chocolately mint taste!

 

[Sundancer]

Oops! Double post somehow.....

 

[aprilfools63]

The 05' 320 has a "Water Manifold" (page 160 [section 7.4] of the owners manual, and page 85 of the parts manual) that will allow you to bypass the water heater by just moving one hose to a different manifold connection. You can take the cold-water feed hose from the hot water heater and connect it to the manifolds hot water feed connection. The cold water feed hose supplies water to the hot water heater and should be the second hose from the right. The hot water feed connection on the manifold (supplies hot water from the heater) should be the 4th hose from the left.

 

[skolbe]

Cool - I have that same manifold. I was thinking there was an easy way to do that.

 

[Sea Gull]

The problem with doing that is that you still have water in the line from the manifold to the water heater and back. Most of the water would end up in the bilge as you disconnect from the manifold. I don't know where your manifold is located, but in the extreme - on my boat this is about a 20' run in each way. That's a lot of water! (or at least that's what a NASA engineer once told me!). It's much cleaner and easier to by-pass at the heater.

 

[aprilfools63]

The "Water Manifold" on is actually designed to work as a bypass. The "Water Manifold" is forward (< 1 ft.) and above the water heater on the 320 Sundancer. The cold water line is removed from the water heater and connected to the (hot) opposite side of the "Water Manifold". You can turn off the cold water line from the "Water Manifold" before you disconnect it (notice the two circles on the prior picture, these are shut-off valves), then turn it back on once you move it to the hot water side. When you disconnect the line from the "Water Manifold", on the water heater output side, any water in this line will drain back into the hot water heater. The connections on the “Water Manifold” and the hot water heater are all hand turn fittings. This job should take about 2 minutes. There is a drain valve on the hot water heater, that you will need to open to drain out the water in the heater. You can connect a hose to the drain valve or just drain the water into the bilge and let the sump pump flush it out. During winterization, I manually lift the float switch on the bilge pump and pour a gallon or so of Antifreeze into the bilge until pink comes out of the thru-hull fitting.

Location of the "Water Manifold":

 

[jg300da]

No need to move or remove the hose, just close the cold water supply valve (pictured), and drain the water heater. Remember to remove the brass end caps on the manifold to drain any water trapped in there. That also drains all the water from the lines being fed from above the manifold. Had the same setup on my 300, worked perfectly.

 

[aprilfools63]

The problem with doing that is that you still have water in the line from the manifold to the water heater and back. Most of the water would end up in the bilge as you disconnect from the manifold. I don't know where your manifold is located, but in the extreme - on my boat this is about a 20' run in each way. That's a lot of water! (or at least that's what a NASA engineer once told me!). It's much cleaner and easier to by-pass at the heater.

Sea Gull,
I looked at the schematics on your 58', and you are correct, the water heater is long way from the "Water Manifold" and it would be much better to add a bypass at the hot water heater for your situation. The suggestion I gave was for 2003' and later 320 and 340 Sundancers models. All you need is two of these:

and some 3/4" marine grade hose

and you can disconnect both sides of the hot water heater and wing-nut (hand fittings used on later model Sea Ray's) them onto these things and you will have a bypass.

 

[aprilfools63]

jg300da,

The reason that I disconnect the hose on the "Water Manifold", and bypass the water heater is so that I can run antifreeze through the hot water side of the water system (hot water lines that run to each of the faucets). If you have an air compressor, you could always "blow" all of the water out of the system and not worry about antifreeze, but I feel more comfortable filling the system with antifreeze.

 

[Hacman]

Why not just drain the system, blow it out with an air compressor and save all your money using no antifreeze??

 

[wkearney99]

IF you managed to remove ALL the air from the system you'd certainly manage to save a few bucks on antifreeze. But given that just about any ONE single part of the system would probably cost more to replace than the winterizing, why take the risk? Of course, given the highway robbery some dealers are gouging for winterizing it's certainly worth considering DIY.

 

[chef_doctor]

I don't byass. I just run antifreeze thru the system, then use a hose on the water drain valve to collect the 6 or so gallons of antifreeze that was in heater back into the containe for reuse next year. Once empty leave the drain OPEN. Worked every year since 1997. No stink, no freeze...

 

[aprilfools63]

I don't byass. I just run antifreeze thru the system, then use a hose on the water drain valve to collect the 6 or so gallons of antifreeze that was in heater back into the containe for reuse next year. Once empty leave the drain OPEN.

chef doctor

Now that's an idea I have never thought of! I dump a gallon or so in the bilge anyway, so I could siphon out 3 gallons, drain a gallon or so into the bilge and leave a small amount in the water heater just for safety sake.

Thanks for the input. :smt038

 

[chef_doctor]

chef doctor

Now that's an idea I have never thought of! I dump a gallon or so in the bilge anyway, so I could siphon out 3 gallons, drain a gallon or so into the bilge and leave a small amount in the water heater just for safety sake.

Thanks for the input. :smt038

It's really easy. The antifreeze runs right out. I use a three foot hose and line up the empty bottles. BTW I would leave anything in the heater, just drain and leave the drain valve OPEN.