center Valve busted and sprayed water inside the storage bay beside the water heater. can I replace it with a straight piece? why is the center Valve even there?

dogedude81:

It’s to bypass the heater tank for when you winterize the RV.

It allows you to empty your heater tank and run antifreeze through the cold water lines.

Internal_Text_8860:

The center valve is part of the water heater isolation system. Without it your hot water will be mixed with the cold and vice versa. You need it

maximumredwhiteblue:

You can easily replace it with a 1/2″ Flair-It shut off valve with pretty common tools . It can be used with the gray pipe . We have a 93 Fleetwood Jamboree with same pipe and have not replaced it .

By the way the middle fitting should be closed for normal use of the water heater . In the picture provided it is in the open position which will mix your hot water with cold water .

Avery_Thorn:

This is your hot water tank bypass valves. If you don’t have the center valve, your hot water heater would not work, since water could still bypass it.

HammondXX:

What year is your rv that gray maybe before 1995 so it’s not pex it’s polybutene hose

South_Lake_Garage:

Replace every single one of the fittings/elbows with brass and get a pex crimper. Short work.

EVoltage1:

Looks like water heater bypass. If you remove the valve you won’t get hot water.
Go to the hardware store and get a sharkbite 1/2″ ball valve. Rip the broken one out and replace it.

Source: center Valve busted and sprayed water inside the storage bay beside the water heater. can I replace it with a straight piece? why is the center Valve even there?