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Old 10-02-2014, 10:25 PM   #1
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Hot Water Heater Question

Hello everyone, I winterized my TT today and when I went to drain the hot water heater, I was surprised that no water drained out of it. It appears empty! We just got back from our last camping trip of the season and used the water heater everyday with dishes, showers etc.

I was expecting it to be full since we haven't used it since we got back from our trip two weeks ago. Does this sound normal, and if so where did the water that was in it when we were camping go to???? This one has me stumped so any help would be great. Thanks!
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Old 10-03-2014, 04:21 AM   #2
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what were your steps?

maybe the plug was leaking

or sludge in tank but unlikely as it is so new

should have one of these




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Old 10-03-2014, 05:42 AM   #3
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Did you possibly open the pressure relief valve to drain it? Or did you remove the drain plug at the bottom?
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Old 10-03-2014, 07:10 AM   #4
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Old 10-03-2014, 08:16 AM   #5
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Even if you don't open the pressure relief valve, it should still gurgle out. It's REALLY slow, but it comes out. You could stick your finger into the drain hole (or some other "device") to see if there's something obstructing the drain. Obviously, make sure the WH is off and cooled down. It's not uncommon for construction debris to be found in holding tanks and what not, but it doesn't seem like anything big enough to block the drain could get into the WH... But you never know I guess...

Interesting issue, I wonder where the water went too...
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Old 10-03-2014, 09:29 AM   #6
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Thanks for the replies. I did check for obstruction when nothing came out and it appears its all clear. Laying awake last night trying to figure out the steps I took and where the water could have gone, it dawned on me, ( no pun intended) I drained the two Low Point drains that sit just to the right of the hot water heater before I pulled the hot water heater drain.

Would one of those drains, drain the hot water heater as well???
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Old 10-03-2014, 09:31 AM   #7
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Thanks for the replies. I did check for obstruction when nothing came out and it appears its all clear. Laying awake last night trying to figure out the steps I took and where the water could have gone, it dawned on me, ( no pun intended) I drained the two Low Point drains that sit just to the right of the hot water heater before I pulled the hot water heater drain.

Would one of those drains, drain the hot water heater as well???
unlikely as the cold side should have a check valve so hot water doesn't bleed into the lines and the hot water output is at the top of the tank
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:00 AM   #8
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Thanks for the replies. I did check for obstruction when nothing came out and it appears its all clear. Laying awake last night trying to figure out the steps I took and where the water could have gone, it dawned on me, ( no pun intended) I drained the two Low Point drains that sit just to the right of the hot water heater before I pulled the hot water heater drain.

Would one of those drains, drain the hot water heater as well???
Your low point drains should drain nearly all of the water out of your system - including the hot water tank.
- shut your water heater bypass valve
- open your water heater inlet and outlet valves.
- open both hot and cold low point drain valves.
- open all faucet valves, including outside shower (I remove the hose on mine)
- cycle the toliet valve to drain that line.

go inside and enjoy a cup of coffee while gravity does the work.
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:09 AM   #9
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Your low point drains should drain nearly all of the water out of your system - including the hot water tank.
- shut your water heater bypass valve
- open your water heater inlet and outlet valves.
- open both hot and cold low point drain valves.
- open all faucet valves, including outside shower (I remove the hose on mine)
- cycle the toliet valve to drain that line.

go inside and enjoy a cup of coffee while gravity does the work.
I disagree as stated above
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:11 AM   #10
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Your low point drains should drain nearly all of the water out of your system - including the hot water tank.
- shut your water heater bypass valve
- open your water heater inlet and outlet valves.
- open both hot and cold low point drain valves.
- open all faucet valves, including outside shower (I remove the hose on mine)
- cycle the toliet valve to drain that line.

go inside and enjoy a cup of coffee while gravity does the work.
That's how I drain my system. Because of where I live, I blow my system down with compressed air (vice antifreeze) to winterize it.

Blowdown involves:
- shut all faucets and low point drains.
- pressurize the system with 50# of compressed air (compressor or tire pump).
- open the water heater bypass valve. (allows compressed air from the water heater to blow the cold water lines).
- starting with the low point drains and working up, open one valve at a time until only air comes out.
- repressurize system to 50# as needed until all faucets and drains are just blowing air.

Tim
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:16 AM   #11
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Yes ....using compressed air will force water out of the tank but that is not what was stated. The op didn't say he used any air. It will not drain IMO
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:45 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by tjpolsin View Post
Your low point drains should drain nearly all of the water out of your system - including the hot water tank.
- shut your water heater bypass valve
- open your water heater inlet and outlet valves.
- open both hot and cold low point drain valves.
- open all faucet valves, including outside shower (I remove the hose on mine)
- cycle the toliet valve to drain that line.

go inside and enjoy a cup of coffee while gravity does the work.
Agreed. My hot water tank drains as well when opening both low point drains.
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:48 AM   #13
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Yes, I believe the LP drains will drain your water heater. nbhybrid may be correct in that the outbound side of the WH (for hot water) is at the top, but the inbound side is at the bottom (to fill the tank). If you pull your low points (I have 2, one for hot water, one for cold) all the water will drain from your system, including from the water heater, through the fill side if nothing else.

I can tell you for a fact, and from experience that when I'm draining my system, I will go and pull the LP drains, a bunch of water comes out and then stops. Then I'll go and take out the drain plug in my water heater, and flip the pressure relief valve, and the water heater drains, and at the same time, more water comes from the LP drains. It continues this way for about 5 minutes before it stops.
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Old 10-03-2014, 11:04 AM   #14
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except my understanding of the system is that there is a check valve on the inlet to prevent the hot water in the tank from draining back into the cold water line. maybe I am wrong on this.

With no check valve what would stop you from heating up the cold water intake and if there is a valve the water shouldn't drain out.
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Old 10-03-2014, 11:08 AM   #15
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I can tell you for a fact, and from experience that when I'm draining my system, I will go and pull the LP drains, a bunch of water comes out and then stops. Then I'll go and take out the drain plug in my water heater, and flip the pressure relief valve, and the water heater drains, and at the same time, more water comes from the LP drains. It continues this way for about 5 minutes before it stops.
so it isn't draining your hot water heater from your above post. more water comes out of your drains because the water from the hot side has air behind it now that you opened the HW heater
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Old 10-03-2014, 11:35 AM   #16
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When I started to drain the LP lines, I put a 5 gallon bucket under them because I didn't want water to drain all over my RV covered area. About 5 gallons came out. Right after I closed the LP valves, that is when I unscrewed the plug int he hot water heater and just got a couple of drops that came out enough to wet my finger. I went out this morning and checked everywhere and there is no water leaks under the TT.

So I'm thinking that one of the LP drains probably drains the hot water tank.
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Old 10-03-2014, 03:27 PM   #17
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so it isn't draining your hot water heater from your above post. more water comes out of your drains because the water from the hot side has air behind it now that you opened the HW heater

Good points, but that's A LOT of water in the lines. No, I truly believe that one way or another, the LP drains empty ALL the water including the water heater. I don't have access to my trailer, so I can't go look or test... But I will conduct some tests when I get my trailer back.
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Old 10-03-2014, 03:31 PM   #18
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I will test mine when I come back from camping next weekend but I can't see it.

Why would the winterizing process involve pulling the plug in the heater if the water is gone through another step?
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Old 10-03-2014, 04:11 PM   #19
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Why would the winterizing process involve pulling the plug in the heater if the water is gone through another step?
Good question and I agree, but have to agree with Camper Bob too - if I open all of my LP drains the water heater drains too. I've pulled the plug on the WH and verified that it's empty and I can also hear it filling when I recharge the system. Two of the three drains appear to come from the water heater, but one seems like it's a pressure relief or something along those lines as water only drains from one of them. When I open the first valve water just dribbles out, but as soon as the second is open I get a steady stream.

Probably unlikely, but is it possible that Jayco sets things up differently on different models?
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Old 10-03-2014, 07:09 PM   #20
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I open both low point drains then open the faucets to begin draining the lines and then proceed to open the pressure relief valve on the water heater. It should drain the water out of the heater. If you are not sure if it does for you then I suggest doing this while there is still hot/warm water in the heater and feel if the water draining from the low point drains is hot (Using caution to avoid injury, of course). It should take about 15-20 minutes (at least on my camper) to drain the entire system.
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