Water Heater By Pass Tool

Good evening. Our 1999 Symbol has on board a Carver Cascade GE Water Heater. The instructions for this unit refer to a "water heater by pass tool (aluminium rod) which can be attached to the drain plug and inserted to the heater to prevent the hot water tank filling. As usual there are no pictures in the AS manual - which does not help! Is anyone familiar with this tool and know where I could get hold of one? As always you help is appreciated. Cheers, Rob

Modelman made some up some time ago, you could ask him nicely if he still has the dimensions.  I haven't seen mine for a while, or I might have measured it for you if I knew where it was.

Frank

What is the point in this tool?

The point is to allow the use of the water system with the heater boiler drained. This means that you can use the van in the deep midwinter without the risk of frost damage to the expensive to replace Carver water heater. Inserting the rod into the lower drain point and replacing the drain screw allows the water system, minus the hot water tank, to be filled and used as normal.

But quite frankly, if you're going out in weather which makes you decide to block off the water heating boiler, the odds are high that your underslung fresh water tank, and its probably-unlagged pipes, will also be vulnerable.

I had a Carver Cascade for 17 years. I always drained the water system (fresh tank, WC cistern tank, grey water tank, and Carver heater) completely in winter, and carried enough water in containers within the warmth of the van for use on trips.

I suspect that for temps down to about -2 you'd get away with using the water system. Below that, and unless you kept the inside air temp adequately high, you'd be at risk.

Never used the rod!

I am interested in having the rod so that I can save the weight of 11 litres of water in the tank when I am not intending to use the water heater on a trip.

I fitted a quarter turn valve to isolate the heater. Cheap and easy.
Our heater sprang a leak on a trip to Spain and we had to keep turning the pump on and off.
Why was such a simple item not fitted by the builder?

Speaking of aluminium, the problem with our heater was the aluminium draw bolt that pulls the heater cylinder onto the O ring seal. This was bottomed and snapped when I tried to tighten it. I made a replacement form stainless steel, with a bolt with a smooth shank ( that is not a fully threaded machine screw). I fitted a Dowty washer under the bolt head and this has proved a perfect seal.

Pity that the gas heater is not as reliable!