Drain Everything - Or Just Fresh and Black?

[Huck]

When you are leaving on a trip or getting ready to return from one, do you drain just fresh water and gray/black water, or do you drain the pipes and hot water tank too?

ETA: I realized after I posted that this was one of my dumber questions.

Thanks for not embarrassing me!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Huck

When you are leaving on a trip or getting ready to return from one, do you drain just fresh water and gray/black water, or do you drain the pipes and hot water tank too?

It depends on how you use your trailer and how you load it.
Weather permitting, we carry about 1/2 tank of fresh water and full hot water tank for use while traveling. we start with a charged empty black water and an empty gray water tank.
Keep in mind when loading the trailer that fresh and hot water tank content can affect tongue weight.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Huck

When you are leaving on a trip or getting ready to return from one, do you drain just fresh water and gray/black water, or do you drain the pipes and hot water tank too?

ETA: I realized after I posted that this was one of my dumber questions.

Thanks for not embarrassing me!

Keep in mind that water = weight so it can result in a heavier trailer if that is a concern for your tug or if you are concerned about mpg's.

Something I learned the hard way - as always!! is that not all water is equal in quality. Depending on where you last filled the tanks it may not be a good idea to leave water sitting in tanks for any length of time in really warm weather if the water has a high sulphur content. Of course you may not know if it does or it doesnt until after it has sat in an enclosed tank in hot weather for a time. When you next go to use the trailer and turn on the tap you will as I did find it stinks! Have had to flush out the whole system to get rid of the smell more than once. I now make it a habit of draining the tanks before parking the trailer for more than a few days.

[papa-t]

If I'm on a long trip; it's nice to clean and dump everything. If I'm on a short weekend trip I will wait until I get home. But; I have a dump station at my home that goes directly into the sewer. I usually leave some water in the fresh holding tank in case a bathroom break is needed on the way home. However, If I didn't have my dump at home I would dump and clean gray and black tank before I leave. That makes me wonder if someone doesn't have the dump at home and their staying where there isn't a dumping station. What do people do in that case????? Also, the only stupid question, is the one you don't ask!
P.S. After I get home I dump and drain all lines and tanks period for reasons that Carol mentioned.

[Carol H]

I have a portable tote that I can drain off to and dump it just as someone who has a cassette toilet or porta potty would at a gas station bathroom if need be or most state parks will allow you just stop and use their dump faculties for a small fee even if you do not camp there.

There are also websites that will show you where the nearest dump station is at highway rest stops etc.

[J.R.]

Originally Posted by Huck

When you are leaving on a trip or getting ready to return from one, do you drain just fresh water and gray/black water, or do you drain the pipes and hot water tank too?

ETA: I realized after I posted that this was one of my dumber questions.

Thanks for not embarrassing me!

As I told my students while teaching classes, "The only dumb question is the one not asked!"

[Huck]

Originally Posted by J.R.

As I told my students while teaching classes, "The only dumb question is the one not asked!"

No, this was really dumb. For some reason I was thinking I had to pull the water heater anode to drain the hot water tank when all I had to do was to let the hot water run until the tank was empty.

The question didn't seem dumb because you didn't know the weird logic behind it.

[SilverGhost]

I never travel with a partially full tank. I have first hand knowledge, on a much larger scale, as we had a 8000 gallon tank for filling weed sprayers and wetting down dusty roads. Without baffles a half full tank would shove a semi around pretty well. I realize I am talking about a much larger volume, but we also talk about the same water when discussing traveling weight.

So depending on where I'm heading I like to be prepared with water for potty breaks or run empty.

Jason

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Huck

No, this was really dumb. For some reason I was thinking I had to pull the water heater anode to drain the hot water tank when all I had to do was to let the hot water run until the tank was empty.

The question didn't seem dumb because you didn't know the weird logic behind it.

Actually you are better to pull the anode and buy yourself a hot water tank rinser wand that fits on the end of a hose for flushing the tank out completely. If yours is like mine it does not actually drain out completely and as a result holds onto all the sediment etc in the bottom of the tank resulting some pretty ucky hot water over time.

[deryk]

I travel with a full water and hot water tank and usually a 7 (or is it 9) gallon blue jug... might add a 2nd for 4 or more days cause I like taking a shower before bed and don't use paper plates...so dishwashing is being done. I know my parents well water tastes good and is safe to drink. Weight isn't an issue.

[J.R.]

I still say no question is dumb because that is the best way to learn about something we either don't know about or do not understand. LOL

Originally Posted by Huck

No, this was really dumb. For some reason I was thinking I had to pull the water heater anode to drain the hot water tank when all I had to do was to let the hot water run until the tank was empty.

The question didn't seem dumb because you didn't know the weird logic behind it.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by J.R.

I still say no question is dumb because that is the best way to learn about something we either don't know about or do not understand. LOL

yup Way better to ask no matter how silly you feel asking a question rather than going down the "I did" something silly road and then having to ask how to fix it....

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Huck

No, this was really dumb. For some reason I was thinking I had to pull the water heater anode to drain the hot water tank when all I had to do was to let the hot water run until the tank was empty.

The question didn't seem dumb because you didn't know the weird logic behind it.

The hot water heater on every trailer I have seen works from input water pressure which pushes the water to the sink and shower by displacing the water in the tank. No input, no flow...
When the fresh water tank runs empty or you disconnect the shore water, then there is no input water pressure...Then the full hot water tank can't provide any pressure to the sink or shower.
It just sits there full, waiting for you to pull the drain plug.

[Jared J]

I fill up before I leave. I have twin 20 gallon tanks, so I don't have to fill with unknown water at the destination.

I don't use the black water, and I dump the gray in my flower beds when I get home.