Water Heater Plug - Page 2

TWP723 · 10-03-2015, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donedroolin

You should never replace the plastic plug with a brass or metal one. That plug did exactly what it was suppose to do. If your relief valve fails that plastic plug is the secondary back up made to fail. Never put a metal plug in place. I have seen a hot water heater where the tank failed due to this, lucky no one got hurt . But the water in the camper , not good.

I second that...

**norty1** · 10-03-2015, 07:31 AM

Another tip: they always blow when it's cold or raining. Make sure you have a spare on hand.

mohok1 · 10-03-2015, 07:35 AM

Thanks for to all. Great information. I have ordered a Easy Out Retractor Set and a Electronic Thermostat. Will try the saw method 1st.

TCNashville · 10-03-2015, 09:58 AM

I just replaced the thermostats on my 10 gal Atwood. Last trip out the pressure relief valve was abnormally leaking so I shut the heater down. Found out that one of the contacts on the primary thermostat was loose so the control board wasn't receiving the shut down signal when the water reached temp. Luckily the plastic plug remained intact and the PRV did it's job.

NVGun40 · 10-03-2015, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrentB

Is that just a rubber hose clamped over the plastic cap? And if so, does it seal ok?

It is a nylon plug with a male outlet for the water heater, then I use common heater hose and hose clamps. The valve is a common shut off valve for RV's.

I purchased the tank end and the shut off valve from a trailer supply company (SixRobblees: Six Robblees' Inc. | Since 1913).
The heater hose I picked up from an auto supply store. All parts handle the heat and pressure without any worries or trouble.

Even still I carry an extra plug in the TT tool bag.

Also, I want to echo another comment. DO NOT replace the nylon plug with a brass plug on the aluminum tank atwoods. The brass with the aluminum and the heating and cooling causes a reaction inside the tank which will erode the lining.
For those who have the tanks which utilize the Anode rod, the tank itself is slightly different makeup, plus the Anode rod cancels the interaction.

mohok1 · 10-04-2015, 06:54 PM

Hey Norty1, do you remember what you used to cut it down to the threads? I spent a couple of hrs this PM using a small hack saw blade without any success.

**norty1** · 10-05-2015, 09:06 AM

I used a small hack saw blade down to the threads, then picked at it with a small screwdriver and a awl until I could pull on it with needle nose pliers.

mohok1 · 10-05-2015, 05:01 PM

I was able to get the threads out by using a small hack saw blade, small screw driver and needle nose pliers. However, I did damage the threads a bit as my replacement plug is cross threading. I'm meeting a couple of Canadian friends at Huntington Beach State Park tomorrow for a weeks camping, weather permitting

. They are GM retired Tool and Die Makers and hopefully they can help me. Thanks to all
for the replies. Worse case, Amazon has my model W/H for $346.00.

**norty1** · 10-05-2015, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mohok1

I was able to get the threads out by using a small hack saw blade, small screw driver and needle nose pliers. However, I did damage the threads a bit as my replacement plug is cross threading. I'm meeting a couple of Canadian friends at Huntington Beach State Park tomorrow for a weeks camping, weather permitting

. They are GM retired Tool and Die Makers and hopefully they can help me. Thanks to all
for the replies. Worse case, Amazon has my model W/H for $346.00.

You should not have damaged the threads. It is very easy to cross thread that plug. Get another and try again, I have messed up a few from cross threads. My money is the wh is not damaged.

Scurvy · 10-06-2015, 10:08 PM

Interesting find the other day when I was draining the water lines... before placing my water heater in bypass, with the low point drains open, I lifted the pressure relief valve and the water heater tank completely drained out the hot side low point drain. I verified it was empty by removing the plug, but in the future I'm thinking that won't be necessary.

**norty1** · 10-07-2015, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scurvy

Interesting find the other day when I was draining the water lines... before placing my water heater in bypass, with the low point drains open, I lifted the pressure relief valve and the water heater tank completely drained out the hot side low point drain. I verified it was empty by removing the plug, but in the future I'm thinking that won't be necessary.

Scurvey, not doubting your experience. Mine does not do that. I can see how some could be pushed out by air pressure in the wh, but not all. Do you see a drain on the wh other than the one on front?

New one on me!

Scurvy · 10-09-2015, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

Scurvey, not doubting your experience. Mine does not do that. I can see how some could be pushed out by air pressure in the wh, but not all. Do you see a drain on the wh other than the one on front?

New one on me!

Nope, I'm thinking it's just siphoned out, sort of like draining a fuel tank or waterbed, once I break the vacuum of the water heater by lifting the relief valve it drained completely out the low point drain. I guess the outlet of the water heater must be at the very bottom since nothing came out of the drain plug when when I removed it.

Camper_bob · 10-09-2015, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scurvy

Interesting find the other day when I was draining the water lines... before placing my water heater in bypass, with the low point drains open, I lifted the pressure relief valve and the water heater tank completely drained out the hot side low point drain. I verified it was empty by removing the plug, but in the future I'm thinking that won't be necessary.

Mine does this too. Last time I posted about it (last year some time IIRC) they didn't believe me, swore it was something else. Last time I had the trailer, I proved it. I opened the low points and let them drain until they completely stopped, then about 10 minutes after they stopped, I went to the water heater and lifted the pressure relief, and the WH started draining out the hot LP drain. I know it was from the WH because that was the only water left in the entire trailer.

TCNashville · 10-10-2015, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scurvy

Nope, I'm thinking it's just siphoned out, sort of like draining a fuel tank or waterbed, once I break the vacuum of the water heater by lifting the relief valve it drained completely out the low point drain. I guess the outlet of the water heater must be at the very bottom since nothing came out of the drain plug when when I removed it.

Our 10 gallon Atwood does the same thing.

BigJohnD · 10-10-2015, 05:50 PM

One of our previous rigs did that. Didn't really notice it until I saw steam coming out of the bucket under the RV. I had the relief valve on the WH open and sure enough it siphoned it out. It was obvious when later opening the drain on the WH.

Scurvy · 10-14-2015, 10:14 PM

Well there you go. I'll never need to pull the drain plug on the water heater again.

Tunce the traveler · 10-14-2015, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scurvy

Well there you go. I'll never need to pull the drain plug on the water heater again.

Yes you will at the end of the season to remove the mineral deposits just like your WH at home. The low point drain does not empty the tank fast enough to remove those deposits.

Scurvy · 10-19-2015, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler

Yes you will at the end of the season to remove the mineral deposits just like your WH at home. The low point drain does not empty the tank fast enough to remove those deposits.

drats, foiled again!

SkyBound · 10-20-2015, 06:00 AM

I always drain my water heater in between trips by opening the pressure relief valve and letting it flow out the low point drains. I don't remove the plug until the end of the season. I let the trailer sit all winter with the plug installed loosely to prevent any bugs or critters from entering, then in the spring when I de-winterize the plug comes out. I leave the plug out and push fresh water through the heater and let it flow for a few minutes out the drain plug hole to flush it out, re-install the plug tight, done and done.

Camper_bob · 10-20-2015, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyBound

I always drain my water heater in between trips by opening the pressure relief valve and letting it flow out the low point drains. I don't remove the plug until the end of the season. I let the trailer sit all winter with the plug installed loosely to prevent any bugs or critters from entering, then in the spring when I de-winterize the plug comes out. I leave the plug out and push fresh water through the heater and let it flow for a few minutes out the drain plug hole to flush it out, re-install the plug tight, done and done.

I was just going to mention that you could/should (?) flush the WH once a season. I just connect the city water, remove the plug in the bottom of the WH and let 'er rip. Do that for a few minutes to flush out any deposits, then I'm GTG for the season. I also empty the WH (actually the whole water system) for storage if more than a week at a time.

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