De-winterizing my 2108DS

[Bhfromme]

Okay rookie questions. How do I access the bypass valve on my water heater? And do I even need to? It was winterized at a dealer. Couldn't get to a tech there so I stopped in and asked another dealer how to de-winterize my new 2108DS. She told me they always put the bypass valve back to the normal operating position when they winterize a unit. She said all I should need to do is make sure the plug is in and fill it with water.

Then I call the dealer that winterized it. She said I had to close the bypass valve and also put the plug in. I open the outside access panel and the plug is already in but there's another plug in the compartment just laying there. So two questions I guess. One, how do I access the bypass valve to make sure it's closed. And two, could there possibly be two drain plugs? I don't remember seeing that plug just laying there last summer inside the access panel.

The water heater must be under the bathroom sink but I can't see how to get to it. Maybe I don't even have to. Any help will be appreciated.

[Bhfromme]

Turns out the water heater is behind a panel under the bathroom sink. The panel must have swelled or something because it was extremely difficult to remove with damaging it. But I finally got it. Water heater valves are right in front of you when you get that panel off. Need to close the bypass valve and make sure inlet and outlet valves are open. Easy peasy. The plug is accessed from the exterior water heater access door. Again, very straight forward.

Two things I was told make sense. Hook up to city water or fill fresh water tank before doing anything. Before turning any valves run the antifreeze completely out of the system by opening hot and cold faucets at kitchen, bathroom sinks and shower. Then when everything is running clear shut the bypass and open up the water heater valves. Not sure how critical it is but keeping antifreeze out of the water heater seems to make sense. Secondly, and most important, DO NOT FIRE UP WATER HEATER UNTIL YOU MAKE SURE IT'S FULL OF WATER. CHECK IT BY OPENING THE RELIEF VALVE INSIDE THE EXTERIOR PANEL. Water should spray out with you open relief valve. That may seem like common sense but dealer tells me he sees burned out water heaters every year because people turn the burner on before filling it with water.

That's pretty much it. Pretty simple stuff. Now it's time to go sit in the woods somewhere with my cell phone turned off.

[Eagle5]

Great information Bhfromme; thanks! I also have noticed many videos on Winterizing listed on the Lichtsinn website, but nothing specific for your trailer:
https://www.lichtsinn.com/about-us/video-library

[TrailerDon]

Good advice,

[MainelyScott]

When I winterize mine I put a post it note over the water heater switch so I don’t forget. When I de-winterize I open each faucet one at a time and let it run until clear, then I close the bypass and fill the water heater until I get water at each hot water faucet. Then and only then do I switch the water heater to on.

[Jaeger]

The wood panel that covers my water heater, along with other panels, is held in place by four screws. Over torque the screws, and they'll push right through the thin plywood. A cheap and easy solution (that should be standard from the factory) are "finishing washers": https://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Hill...2906/204786322

[Blubugger]

Yes to the "finishing washers". And whenever I come across those nifty little square head screws.....I replace with good old phillips head screws, they do not cam out as the squares do.