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11-12-2016, 03:03 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Hemphill
Posts: 24
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Atwood Water Heater drain
I had a small leak inside the trailer on the water heater, that required draining the tank to fix. I have an Atwood heater and pulling the drain plug is somewhat difficult due the the gas line routing. I decided to make it better. I bought a 1/2" male and female CPVC fitting and a short piece of pipe. Note that the female fitting comes with a gasket, pipe dope or tape is not required for a reseal ! It is now located in a much easier to access location.
__________________
2016 Whitehawk 27DSRL with most of the goodies
2017 Ram 2500 CTD
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2015 Whitehawk 24RKS (sold)
2013 Ram 1500 (traded)
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11-14-2016, 09:26 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Missouri City, The Republic of Texas
Posts: 5,063
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Hmmm, looks like a trip to the local "big box" is in my future.
__________________
Cheers,
T_
2013 F-350 CC SB 2WD 6.7PS
2013 Eagle Premier 351 RLTS
-SOLD- 2012 X23B
-SOLD- 2003 Ford Expedition 5.4, Bilstein shocks
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11-14-2016, 09:30 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Mansfield, MA
Posts: 411
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That is exactly what I need to do. It is in thew worst possible location to drain
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11-14-2016, 09:32 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: SW Washington
Posts: 1,024
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Nice little mod. I think I will do that one as well. The factory setup isn't impossible with a socket and extension but it isn't as convenient as it could be.
Since we are on the subject of water heaters. Is there a hidden switch on the unit to turn off the electric element so that it cannot be turned on from inside the RV by accident with the unit drained.
My Old RV had a switch inside to turn the electric on from the inside but also had a secondary master switch on the heater itself so that when it was winterized (drained) you could not accidentally trip the inside switch and burn it up.
__________________
2009 F350 CC LB 4WD
2017 Jayco 355MBQS
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11-14-2016, 09:38 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: NW AR (God's Country)
Posts: 2,051
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Hemi, I think you've got something there! 
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Skip
2012 Eagle Super Lite HT 26.5RKS
2005 GMC 2500 SLT HD D/A
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11-14-2016, 10:26 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,844
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I have seen a armored flexible hose also with a valve on the end that can be folded inside when not in use.
Anything that works will save some time when draining.
__________________
 Moderator
2011- 351RLTS Eagle, MorRyde suspension/pin box,
2017- F350 6.7 PSD Lariat FX4,SRW, SB,CC
Hughes PWD SP-50A, TST TPMS
Gator roll-up bed cover
B&W Turnover ball, Companion Std hitch
Can't find what you're looking on JOF? Try Jayco Owners Forum Custom Google Search
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11-14-2016, 10:54 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Way down here........FL
Posts: 2,097
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Camco has a brass fitting for water heater and a peacock on the end for easy draining of water heater.
Amazon has them
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
Jack
2016 Pinnacle 36 KPTS 
2016 F350 Lariat CC LB dually 6.7
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11-14-2016, 11:03 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Akron
Posts: 3,207
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rustysocket
Since we are on the subject of water heaters. Is there a hidden switch on the unit to turn off the electric element so that it cannot be turned on from inside the RV by accident with the unit drained.
My Old RV had a switch inside to turn the electric on from the inside but also had a secondary master switch on the heater itself so that when it was winterized (drained) you could not accidentally trip the inside switch and burn it up.
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My former motorhome's Atwood did have the secondary switch you refer to on the back of the heater, but my current Atwood XT does not. The newer Atwoods have a relay to energize the element with 120-volts, this relay is controlled by my wall panel where both the electric and gas switches use 12-volts to make things work.
Since I don't have that second switch I now turn off the water heater breaker to provide protection in case someone accidentally turns on the regular wall control.
__________________
Rob R.
Akron, OH
2014 Seneca 37TS
Toads: 2019 Ford Edge ST or 2013 Ford Focus ST
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11-14-2016, 11:14 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: SW Washington
Posts: 1,024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robbbyr
My former motorhome's Atwood did have the secondary switch you refer to on the back of the heater, but my current Atwood XT does not. The newer Atwoods have a relay to energize the element with 120-volts, this relay is controlled by my wall panel where both the electric and gas switches use 12-volts to make things work.
Since I don't have that second switch I now turn off the water heater breaker to provide protection in case someone accidentally turns on the regular wall control.
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Excellent Idea, Did not even consider that there would be a water heater breaker in the lower panel. I will check for that and that is exactly what I will do. I did find the owners manual and see that it does reference a lockout switch near the element but that is on the back of the unit and impossible to access in it's current location.
For the most part it's a non issue, but we do have a teen who has friends over and occasionally buttons get pushed by accident or misunderstanding when deploying slides and awnings..etc.
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2009 F350 CC LB 4WD
2017 Jayco 355MBQS
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11-17-2016, 10:54 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: NW Chicago Burbs
Posts: 103
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I just picked up the Camco petcock that jasum mentioned above. Will install it in the Spring when the camper comes out of storage.
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11-18-2016, 08:05 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Near St Louis
Posts: 474
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Great idea!! Thanks for sharing.
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12-13-2016, 12:39 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Glenshaw
Posts: 283
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Can you provide a part number for this item? I need to do this as well...
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12-13-2016, 01:21 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,580
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This is the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-11703-W...0d547d70a02d81
I haven't found an extension hose for it yet, but stand alone it sure beats that plastic bolt they came with.
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2016 27BHS Elite
2012 F-150 EcoBoost / Max Tow (Sold)
2017 'Blue Jeans' 6.2 F-250 Lariat 4.3 gears.
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12-13-2016, 05:39 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Glenshaw
Posts: 283
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bansai
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Thanks...no dissimilar metals issues?
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12-13-2016, 05:52 PM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,844
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I used one on a previous rig with a Atwood wh. See how small the drain hole is? I found that scale and crud would stop it up enough that it would not drain fully. I would remove it and flush the scale out regularly.
I attended a Atwood seminar years ago and they recommended NOT to use metal plugs. They said that the lining in the tank would be compromised.
I don't know, but I did not use mine but a few seasons.
__________________
Moderator
2011- 351RLTS Eagle, MorRyde suspension/pin box,
2017- F350 6.7 PSD Lariat FX4,SRW, SB,CC
Hughes PWD SP-50A, TST TPMS
Gator roll-up bed cover
B&W Turnover ball, Companion Std hitch
Can't find what you're looking on JOF? Try Jayco Owners Forum Custom Google Search
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12-13-2016, 05:53 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,580
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Good question. No problems that I've seen so far, but it's too soon to give a long term report on it, in fact much too soon since I just installed it recently. Maybe ask the question on amazon. I didn't even think about that at all honestly.
__________________
2016 27BHS Elite
2012 F-150 EcoBoost / Max Tow (Sold)
2017 'Blue Jeans' 6.2 F-250 Lariat 4.3 gears.
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12-13-2016, 06:05 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,580
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You guys got me thinking now (didn't see Norty's reply at first).. Maybe the better approach is to just go to home depot and cobble together something out of a 1/2 inch threaded pvc adaptor into pex with a valve on the end. I don't like the idea of scale build up. I had to do something about that plastic plug arrangement.. little things like that drive me crazy.
__________________
2016 27BHS Elite
2012 F-150 EcoBoost / Max Tow (Sold)
2017 'Blue Jeans' 6.2 F-250 Lariat 4.3 gears.
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12-13-2016, 06:16 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Vienna
Posts: 2,044
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Quote:
Originally Posted by farnik78
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I can't imagine using that! Only a half turn and have to re-set. Plain old socket with extension works great on my unit without any problems.
__________________
Joe Hinson
2010 Jayco Quest G2(SOLD)
2014 Jayco Eagle 33.5RETS
2007 Ram 2500 5.9L Cummins(SOLD)
2015 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins 4WD
:)
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12-15-2016, 11:22 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: NW Chicago Burbs
Posts: 103
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As far as the electrolysis issue, wouldn't a couple wraps of the teflon tape help to minimize that?
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2016 Jayco 16XRB
2018 VW Atlas SEL AWD
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