Hot Water Tank Drain

[Tamid]

I drain my hot water tank after each camping trip. The problem is the plug needs to be unscrewed then have mylar tape wrapped around it and screwed back in. Also the floor of the unit below the drain and the tank door is rusting. I was thinking of putting a short hose attached to the drain with a spigot on the other end for quick and painless draining and I could also capture some of that water if I wanted. Anyone else tried something like this?

[pbraunton]

you should screw in a Fumoto valve: Google Image Result for http://www.merchant-automotive.com/images/products/detail/fumoto.jpg

they are used primarily in place of the oil drain plug for cars, but you can get them in all sizes, then you can just attach a hose when your ready to drain it, ..........then take the hose off when your not draining.......

[Ken C]

if the Fumoto valve won't fit this type will

[ThomasE]

Go on ebay and search on "rv water heater drain", you can find versions with and without anodes, valves that you can open and shut by hand. I have a section of plastic gutter I use as a sewer hose support, when I drain the hot water heater I hold the gutter in the water stream and direct away from the trailer.

[Joe Z]

They also have vinyl plugs .... i use a brass one with a petcock and also drain after each use but it's much slower.
Joe

Atwood RV Water Heater Drain Plug 91857 2pack

[BobB]

Tamid,

The original owner of our Bigfoot installed a drain petcock which was too slow and awkward to use because of the gas line. Now I use a brass plug with teflon tape on the threads. I have a deep socket with thin walls that barely clears the gas line and works great for removing the plug. I don't worry about where the water goes when I drain the tank, as I usually pull the plug before I get home. The brass plug I am using happens to have a sacrificial anode, but I don't think you need one for an Atwood WH.

[Baj]

Good ideas in here! Anyone find any other good valves or fittings to work well lately? My vinyl atwood plug was dripping on the outside...I tried tightening it yesterday and it stopped for awhile but I noticed this morning that it started to drip slowly again... So I took it out drained the tank and cleaned the plug up...gonna try to use some teflon tape on it and see it that will stop the drip...but as mentioned in here I would like to use a valve with a hose connection.
Also I think my slow drip(been dripping for about a week, but didn't worry about it since it was on the outside, wouldn't find its way back in but I think it did since my insulation and cardboard surround was totally saturated wet this morning I ripped all that outta there and am about to fill it back up to see if it was the drip or if my tank or fittings inside are leaking. Is it possible for the the water to run back in from around the outside drain plug?

[cpaharley2008]

One has to be careful here, depending on the type of water heater. Atwood has an aluminum tank and the only plug used should be plastic, otherwise you will have corrosion caused by mixing 2 different types of metal. Plastic is the safest type for any heater, just purchase a couple of extras.

[Baj]

Thanks for this heads up! Anyone seen a plastic valve fitting that a hose would screw onto that would work on this?

[Chris Z]

Originally Posted by Baj

Thanks for this heads up! Anyone seen a plastic valve fitting that a hose would screw onto that would work on this?

When I'm not using mine, I take the rod out and install a pvc plastic tube with threads. I put a hose washer in it that has a screen to keep the critters out. I'm sure you could find a pvc pipe in any hardare store that screws in and glue an extension on it if you wanted to go beyond the outer edge.

[Bill K]

That's fine as long as the burner tube is not in the way like mine is.
I can get a 6" extension for a 1/2" socket in there but not a nipple.

Bill K

Originally Posted by Chris Z

When I'm not using mine, I take the rod out and install a pvc plastic tube with threads. I put a hose washer in it that has a screen to keep the critters out. I'm sure you could find a pvc pipe in any hardare store that screws in and glue an extension on it if you wanted to go beyond the outer edge.

[Chris Z]

I can get a 6" extension for a 1/2" socket in there but not a nipple. I don't understand. What do you mean by nipple?
How do you remove the drain - with a wrench rather than a socket?

[Carol H]

In the intreast of keeping my trailer weight down by not carrying to many items that are not multi use I purchased a small tire iron that has different size sockets on it - it works on the trailer wheel nuts should I need to change a tire and it also fits the nylon plug on the water heater. If I only tighten the nut by hand it will leak.

When I empty ithe tank & Im not at a dump station I have a piece of flex hose about a foot long that I just stick in and hold at the opening to direct the water away from the trailer into a bucket - but mostly I drain it at a dump station so I just open it and let it go - it washes down the drain area at the station and then I wipe out the housing area after.

[Bill K]

1. That should have been 1/2" DRIVE socket ( I forget what size the socket is )
2. Nipple is a pipe nipple in place of the plug and then a valve.

3. I don't remember saying anything about using a wrench.

Bill K

Originally Posted by Chris Z

I can get a 6" extension for a 1/2" socket in there but not a nipple. I don't understand. What do you mean by nipple?
How do you remove the drain - with a wrench rather than a socket?