How do I drain hot water heater on Casita? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 02-14-2018, 04:19 PM   #1
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Name: K
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How do I drain hot water heater on Casita?

I'm trying to prep my Casita for sitting for 4 months, unhooked from everything. It is in a warm place, nothing will freeze.

Do I just pull out the anode?

I drained the fresh water tank using the plug on the bottom.
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Old 02-14-2018, 04:36 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by whoot View Post
I'm trying to prep my Casita for sitting for 4 months, unhooked from everything. It is in a warm place, nothing will freeze.

Do I just pull out the anode?

I drained the fresh water tank using the plug on the bottom.
1) Turn the 120 VAC power to the water heater off
2) Turn the switch inside that controls the gas off
3) Let the water in the heater cool off
4) Depressurize the water heater tank
5 Remove the Anode
6 ) Drain and rinse out water heater tank.
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Old 02-14-2018, 06:59 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
1) Turn the 120 VAC power to the water heater off
2) Turn the switch inside that controls the gas off
3) Let the water in the heater cool off
4) Depressurize the water heater tank
5 Remove the Anode
6 ) Drain and rinse out water heater tank.
How to I depressurize the water tank?

I have been using gas heat, and turned it off a few days ago.

Is the anode just like a hex nut? I watched a YT video and there was some wire connected to it. I can certainly use a crescent wrench and unscrew it.
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Old 02-14-2018, 07:18 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by whoot View Post
How to I depressurize the water tank?

I have been using gas heat, and turned it off a few days ago.

Is the anode just like a hex nut? I watched a YT video and there was some wire connected to it. I can certainly use a crescent wrench and unscrew it.
To Depressurize the water heater tank , disconnect the trailer from city water pressure, shut off the water pump , open a hot water faucet or open the over pressure / temperature valve on the water heater and release the pressure
To remove / unscrew the Anode you will need a 1 1/16" 6 point socket , an extension and a ratchet or breaker bar
The anode is in the lower right hand corner of the water heater
and there are NO wires connected to the anode.
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Old 02-14-2018, 07:34 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by steve dunham View Post
To Depressurize the water heater tank , disconnect the trailer from city water pressure, shut off the water pump , open a hot water faucet or open the over pressure / temperature valve on the water heater and release the pressure
To remove / unscrew the Anode you will need a 1 1/16" 6 point socket , an extension and a ratchet or breaker bar
The anode is in the lower right hand corner of the water heater
and there are NO wires connected to the anode.
This all sounds simple enough. I think I had read about the "over-pressure valve button" some time ago, and had in the back of mind that there was some tricky thing I had to activate, or the anode would shoot out and knock out a tooth. Opening the hot water faucet is easy.

I will let the water out the anode hole, and put it back in. It probably needs replacing. I used it for 6 months, then switched to gas for 2.5 years.

I will try this tomorrow.

Thank you!
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Old 02-14-2018, 08:09 PM   #6
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Name: bob
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How about the water heaters that have the electric option. I installed the Hot Rod modification, which goes in where the anode rod was, so now there is wires attached there. Where is the heat element on a factory installed water heater that has the electric option.
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Old 02-14-2018, 08:16 PM   #7
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My Boler HWT has a plug at the bottom under the gas thermostat/control, I replaced the plug with a reducer and a small ball valve, to drain I just turn off gas & elec and open the valve, while out of the way of the stream, easy and no need to remember where I put the wrench.
PS, we never connect to "city" water, too easy to fill tanks and the anode does not live as long.
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Old 02-15-2018, 05:28 PM   #8
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Why would you need to heat hot water?

You have a WATER HEATER !!!!
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Old 02-15-2018, 09:24 PM   #9
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Wayne, I do not understand your post, what am I missing?
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Old 02-16-2018, 01:01 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Eggie View Post
Wayne, I do not understand your post, what am I missing?
It's a joke Tony that comes up during water heater posts. You have a water heater to heat up cold water, not hot water being supplied to the heater .
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Old 02-16-2018, 07:13 AM   #11
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It's a joke Tony that comes up during water heater posts. You have a water heater to heat up cold water, not hot water being supplied to the heater .
It's NOT a joke. It points out the ambiguity of american english.

Why do we drive on a Parkway, and park on a Driveway?
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Old 02-16-2018, 08:43 AM   #12
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Semantics

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne Collins View Post
It's NOT a joke. It points out the ambiguity of american english.

Why do we drive on a Parkway, and park on a Driveway?
My trailer has a " Water Heater"
My cabin has a " Hot Water Heater "
Both terms can be correct literally and gramatically plus in my case factually correct.
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Old 02-16-2018, 01:34 PM   #13
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How do I drain hot water heater on Casita?

There is nothing inherently nonsensical about naming a machine according to its output; i.e., a "hot water heater" is a heater that produces hot water. A bit redundant, perhaps...

Would you call it a bread heater or a toaster? A batter cooker or a waffle maker?

Ain't English fun?!!
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Old 02-16-2018, 01:43 PM   #14
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If you have a Suburban water heater maybe this will help.
Turn off the gas water heater switch and if you have it the 120V switch inside the water heater door.
Release the pressure by toggling the pressure relief . I leave it open so the water flows out faster when the anode is removed. Make sure you do this or the anode could launch when you remove it. Newer Escapes have a one way valve behind the water heater and the tank can stay pressurized. I do not know if other trailer manufactures are doing this or not. It helps to empty the tank faster so consider doing it anyways.
Unscrew the anode, remember righty tighty lefty loosy.
If more than 2 1/2 inches or so of bare wire is showing instead of the thicker anode consider replacing it. Make sure you flush the tank to remove sediment. Camco makes a little wand but you can stick a piece of water hose in if you cut the end off. If you close the pressure relief now it will help when you flush the tank.
Wrap Teflon tape on the anodes threads, you will be turning it right to install it so wrap your tape the same direction so it does not bunch up on you.
Start it by hand and once you are sure it is not cross threaded you can finish with the tool. If you have a torque wrench the torque setting for the anode is 8 foot pounds. If you do not just slightly snug. If it weeps tighten it slightly more. Remember to close the pressure relief if you did not do it before and you are done.

Remember to fill the tank before you try to heat water. If you have the 120V option you will hear a POP when you plug in and get to replace the heater element if you forget. Gas will give you a wee bit more time.
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Old 02-23-2018, 11:37 AM   #15
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Wayne's 'hot water heater' comment whooshed right over my head.

Will I get reported to the department of redundancy department?.
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:21 PM   #16
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FWIW; Some people leave their anode out of the heater during storage. If I did this I'd probably make a trip to the big box store to find a pvc plug to fill the anode hole (finger tight only) to keep the critters out. I suggest using Teflon tape when returning the actual anode to make the next removal easier.


I'm not clear there would be any difference in electrolysis between water from the campsite spigot, or the spigot I used to fill the fresh water tank. Either way, I wouldn't take the anode out of the loop while camping. Just me, I suppose, YMMV.
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Old 02-23-2018, 12:29 PM   #17
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Careful with tape, there must be continuity between the anode and the tank for the anode to work.
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Old 02-23-2018, 01:02 PM   #18
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Teflon tape abrades to bare metal with the first tightening. It does keep/hinder rust/corrosion from filling in the roots of the threading which is principally what binds up the joint. It the same thing (but different) as Loctite. Loctite gets wiped off of the contact surfaces of the thread but it gums up all the non contact areas adding friction. It's different in that Teflon lubes rather than gums up but both do their thing in the non contact areas.
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