Hot Water Heater
 

First of all I have never used the water heater in my unit, last june I hooked up the hose to see if I had any leaks in the system and everything was good, so I opened the valves in the fw tank and the hot water heater, the fw tank did drain out but after 4 months there is still water draining from the heater, I want to put some RV antifreeze in the unit today but not sure what to do with the heater, I have angle the unit all the way down so the water can drain but it's still not empty, any suggestions?

My water heater has it's own drain, it's a plastic plug near and below the gas valve. After removing this plug I never had a problem with water still in the tank. I live in a warm climate so I never used rv antifreeze. I drain the water heater and open the plumbing lines drain valves located in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. They sale a water heater by-pass kit to use with rv antifreeze so the anti freeze stays in the plumbing lines.

I live where it does freeze and I do what CamptheWestCoast said. The heater plug is nylon/plastic remove it to drain, then replace. Drain the lines under the sink and drain the tank, as stated. I have a bypass kit so I put RV antifreeze in my lines and put it in the sink and shower drains. Make sure it is RV antifreeze for potable water systems. I know people that use an air pressure plug that goes into the water intake and blow out their lines. They have not had frozen lines either.

I took out the blocks I had underneath the tongue jack and I did drain the water out of the HW tank today, the camper is setup to pull the rv antifreeze from the bottle which is underneath the front seat, I need to get this thing ready as it will start cooling off this week ;)

You did pull the plug from the water heater to drain it right? My main concern during freezing is the toilet. I would hate to have to replace that for several reasons. Next spring I am going to flush the hot water heater really well before I run water into the lines. This year it had a weird taste from sitting that took a lot of water to remove from the lines.

Just out of curiosity, what do you see as problematic in the toilet? Mine is a straight pipe from the bowl into the black tank, which is closed off by the toilet valve so there's no odor. I honestly cannot see anything freezing there except maybe the inlet valve and line, which is rather easily cleared.

To me, the biggest sources of worry are the U-traps under the kitchen and bathroom sinks (and possibly one under the shower drain, but I haven't checked to see if there's one there for sure.)

There are drain valves in all the supply lines in my trailer, so none of these should ever hold water if they are all open.

The water heater should be drained though, as you said. You can get a replacement plug with a finger valve in it to make this job a bit easier. And, you can even get these with an anode rod included to help prolong the life of the heater.

- Jack

J&J as you said the inlet valve on the toilet. I only mean I am extra cautious with the toilet. Faucets are cheap toilets are not and replacing one would be unpleasant precisely because it is a straight pipe into the black tank.
I think I will do as you said and get an anode with a finger valve, $15 at the local store. . A few years ago on very cold day I unscrewed the plug without releasing the pressure in the line first. The wrench and plug went flying, I got soaked and the neighbor having a smoke on his porch got a good laugh.

Been there, done that! :D Fortunately, the day was not cold and no one was watching. I installed the finger valve with anode shortly afterwards.

- Jack

Rolff, there is a pet cock that installed on the HW heater, I just opened it and tilted the trailer all the way down in front.

My unit has drain valves for the cold and hot water lines near my water pump. I open both of them and turn on the kitchen faucet handles to vent the system. This also drains my hot water tank. I then remove the petcock/anode rod from the hot water tank drain hole and flip open the pressure relief valve to vent the tank. I then flush the tank with a water hose and an attachment for flushing. This removes any mineral deposits or whatever that might have settled in the bottom of the tank. I then go inside and make sure all faucets are closed and the hot water tank bypass valves are closed. My unit is set up to pump directly out of the antifreeze jug. I turn on my water pump and pressurize the water lines with antifreeze. Now I turn on each faucet until it runs pink. This means the kitchen & bathroom faucets, inside & outside showers. I flush the toilet until it runs pink. I pour antifreeze into the sink & shower drains. Now I turn off the water pump and I know I'm good to go for the winter.

Retired camper - Well stated and thorough - It does get cold there in Ohio. It rarely gets below 20 in SLC, the mountains can get much colder, I always use the antifreeze for safety. I didn't know there was a HW flush attachment. Did you make it or is it available at Camperworld?

Camping World sells a tube that screws on the end of a hose. It has a curve at the end. You stick the curved end of that tube up into the HW heater through the drain plug hole and just spray things out.

It's made of plastic and costs less than $2 I think.

- Jack

I can afford $2. I'd make my own if it was $3.

I bought an anode with a finger valve today at the local trailer shop $15. I realized I had an adapter for hose to RV pipe and an old piece of pipe. So I won't have spend that $2. Thanks for the tips.

Rolff,

Here is what the hot water tank flush tool looks like.

Bob

Attachment 1068

Thanks Bob. I would have bought one it they had one, so I will improvise. Maybe I'll ues the blackwater tank sprayer? Get double duty out of it. Ha!

What a great idea! ;) The "backsplash" inside the water heater will probably get the sprayer nice and clean, too. *thumbsup*

- Jack

Rolff,

If you want "double duty", you could possibly use the fresh water tank fill attachment. The flexible fill tube would fit into the hwt but you wouldn't get enough water pressure from it to do a proper job. I've seen them at Wally World (Walmart) in their rv section.

Bob

J&J -very good point! LOL.
I grew up watching Gilligan's Island I love to jury rig stuff. I have a hose adapter that fits a flexible supply line for bathrooms. I will give it a try and see how it works. Not sure if we are thru for the year. If I can get a job we are, if not, It stays nice in Zion NP until Tjhanksgiving.

A trip to the hardware store could get you a short length of 1/4" copper tubing, a compression to pipe thread fitting, and a pipe thread to hose thread adapter. Add a hose shut off valve and you will have it. The copper tubing can be bent to the shape you need to get around inside the tank.