Sanitizing the Fresh Water Tank with a Furrion Tankless Water Heater

[Timothy]

I just bought a Reflection 297RSTS travel trailer. It has the Nautilus P4 water system, but with only three handles. The RED handle to bypass the water heater (or at least I assume it is to bypass the water heater) is actually behind the Nautilus panel inside the pass through bay in the hidden plumbing area. It is very inaccessible. The manuals I received from Grand Design included a manual for the tankless heater and the Nautilus P1 system (not much help there). None of the manuals say anything about whether you need to bypass a tankless water heater. I hope I don't as it will make life easier for me.

Any thoughts? Do I need to bypass the tankless water heater to sanitize my fresh water tank? Getting ready to go out on my first adventure!

Thank you

[TedS]

I dont think you need to do the bypass. Sanitize the complete system.

[TucsonJim]

While sanitizing, you want the diluted bleach solution to go through all the plumbing, including the Furrion tankless. So no bypassing is needed. The main reason for the hidden bypass valve is in case you ever develop a leak or want to work on the system. When winterizing, make sure you don't bypass the water heater. You want antifreezed to run through it.

BTW, make sure when you sanitize that you don't use "splashless" bleach such as Clorox splashless. It is a different chemical and the very fine print says "Not for sanitization"

Jim

[reubenray]

I just bought a Reflection 297RSTS travel trailer. It has the Nautilus P4 water system, but with only three handles. The RED handle to bypass the water heater (or at least I assume it is to bypass the water heater) is actually behind the Nautilus panel inside the pass through bay in the hidden plumbing area. It is very inaccessible. The manuals I received from Grand Design included a manual for the tankless heater and the Nautilus P1 system (not much help there). None of the manuals say anything about whether you need to bypass a tankless water heater. I hope I don't as it will make life easier for me.

Any thoughts? Do I need to bypass the tankless water heater to sanitize my fresh water tank? Getting ready to go out on my first adventure!

Thank you

What was the outcome of your first sanitizing? I have the same Nautilus system that you have. As it is starting to get warmer I am researching how to de-winterize and sanitize my trailer. I have been traveling in RV's since 2013, but I have never had the need to winterize any of them. My trailer came winterized already when I bought it and I am hoping the dealer did it correctly. I can find tons of videos on how to winterize, but none on how to de-winterize and sanitize. From what I have read the Furrion tankless water heater is a PITA to winterize and de-winterize.

[Jlawles2]

when you go to sanitize, do not bypass the HWH. Run everything as normal, but exercise the press temp valve on the back of the HWH. The unit holds so little water that it's essentially just like another plumbing line in the camper. Once you finish with the sanitizing, blow out the lines again exercising the HWH press temp valve (AKA the MAGIC RED HANDLE). Then proceed to use as normal.

This is how I did ours the first time and it takes no time for the faint chlorine smell to disappear. By NOT bypassing the HWH you ensure that the tubes in the exchanger get flushed and all of the associated plumbing going to and from the HWH. You may want to flip the bypass valve and get the bypass lines at some point in the process also just for good measure.

[reubenray]

when you go to sanitize, do not bypass the HWH. Run everything as normal, but exercise the press temp valve on the back of the HWH. The unit holds so little water that it's essentially just like another plumbing line in the camper. Once you finish with the sanitizing, blow out the lines again exercising the HWH press temp valve (AKA the MAGIC RED HANDLE). Then proceed to use as normal.

This is how I did ours the first time and it takes no time for the faint chlorine smell to disappear. By NOT bypassing the HWH you ensure that the tubes in the exchanger get flushed and all of the associated plumbing going to and from the HWH. You may want to flip the bypass valve and get the bypass lines at some point in the process also just for good measure.

I will need to figure out how to access the back of the HWH. I also need to find the water pump. There is a lot of exploring I need to do next month prior to taking my first trip.

[Jlawles2]

If I'm seeing it correctly based on pictures of the outside of the unit, it appears the HWH may be under the drawers in the bedroom. If this is the case, pull out the drawer and look. The magic red knob will be on the back face mid way up away from you. Hope that description makes sense. If not let me know and if I have time I'll grab a pic to explain. It is mentioned in the Furrion HWH manual.

[reubenray]

If I'm seeing it correctly based on pictures of the outside of the unit, it appears the HWH may be under the drawers in the bedroom. If this is the case, pull out the drawer and look. The magic red knob will be on the back face mid way up away from you. Hope that description makes sense. If not let me know and if I have time I'll grab a pic to explain. It is mentioned in the Furrion HWH manual.

The back of the TWH is behind the bedroom drawers. I will be bringing the trailer home in two weeks to dewinterize and sanitize it before my trip. I will look at that time for the magic red knob. Will I need to open the two drains at the TWH to flush out the antifreeze before doing anything else?

[Jlawles2]

You can open them to speed up the process, but personally I am going to blow air through the system to get as much out as possible and keep it for next year. the air will push most of it out of the lines and HWH then flush with liberal amounts of water.

I'll be doing that process in May when I return from work trip.