Being empty and bypassed may just be from being "winterized" for outside storage over winter freezing conditions...
It may be that the over-temperature protections may have saved you for the short times you were trying to start the empty water heater...so reconnect it and fill it and see if it functions correctly with no leaks. What have you got to loose?
Chuck
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2007 Tour Master T40C
Acura MDX toad
"It takes a great deal of time to recover from any improvement..."
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