# Hot Water Drain Valve



## Phantazm2b

I was tired of cutting my hand on the sheet metal above the plastic drain plug, so I made a water heater drain valve with parts from Home Depot for under $20.

*****MAKE SURE THE GAS IS OFF*****and then bleed the gas lines by lighting your stove with the gas off letting the flame burn out.
You will need to remove the burner unit, but it's very easy. Just undo the brass compression nut around the incoming gas line, and remove the three 1/4 screws holding the gas unit in place. 
I used the 1/2 X 1/2 inch brass pipe nipple out of the water heater to the ball valve then the 1/2 X 2 inch brass pipe nipple out of the ball valve. Use white PTFE water thread seal tape on all the brass threads on the the new water drain valve, only two wraps needed.
When putting the burner unit back in place use yellow PTFE gas thread tape on the threads going into the brass compression nut, only two wraps needed.

Parts...
1/2 inch Proline lead free ball valve
1/2 X 1/2 inch Mip brass nipple
1/2 X 2 inch Mip brass nipple 
PTFE water seal tape
PTFE gas seal tape


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## Oregon_Camper

love the idea!! Nice work.

However, how do you attach the anode rod to this setup?


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## Phantazm2b

Don't laugh...I bought this Outback used last year and it never had one and I never thought about it needed one...that is until you asked about it.
It came with plastic plug and never had the rod in it.
Well that raises a question, is a rod needed? I drain the hot water tank after every camping trip just like I drain the remander of freash water. Water is only in the tank for a about 5 days at the most, and I also filter my water as I fill my freash water tank.


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## Oregon_Camper

All depends on which hot water heater you have. You will need to verify, but typically a heater with a metal plug is a Suburban and a plastic plug is a Atwood.

Suburban uses glass enamel over a steel tank. If the enamel was applied perfectly and stays in perfect condition, water never contacts the steel and all is good. But any pinhole exposes the steel to water,so the anode is needed for protection.

Atwood uses an aluminum tank. Aluminum doesn't corrode, so in theory there's no reason to use an anode.


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## CamperAndy

Based on the photos,I would say this is the Aluminum tank.


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## Phantazm2b

I checked today and it's a Atwood water heater, so am I ok without having an anode ?


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## Oregon_Camper

Phantazm2b said:


> I checked today and it's a Atwood water heater, so am I ok without having an anode ?


Yep....you're good...


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## W5CI

Seems like an awful lot of work for nothing, I just take a scoket and remove anode rod, very easy for anyone to do.


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## Phantazm2b

An awful lot of work for nothing you say....

Yes, the kit took me about 1/2 hr to build but I don't rebuild it every time I drain my tank, after every camping trip, about 2 to 3 times a month. And having the ability to drain my tank without needing tools at any time and or in an emergency is worth it to me.

So now that's it's built let's compare the times it takes us both to drain our tanks...

You'll need to go to your tool box, get your socket, your socket wrench, and your socket extender. Then go to your Rv open the heater, remove your anode rod (as water poors all over your hands and hopefully not hot water) then once drained you'll need to replace your anode rod, retighting your rod, then go back to your tool box and put away your socket wrench, put away your socket and then put away your socket extension. I'd say it takes you, a minimum of 15 mins not including the actual water drain time.

Now for me. I go to my Rv, open my water heater door, open my new water heater drain valve (hot water or not), then close it, and close my water heater door. I'd say this takes me about 10 seconds not including water drain time.

So...do you'll still think it's a lot work for nothing?


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## OutbackerTim

I've cut my hands on the metal as well as burned them a few times with hot water while draining the tank.
I don't care if it took you an hour to put it in, I think it's worth it! Great job!


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## Boomer

Looks good, I've been thinking about doing this as well. Have not checked yet, but you may not have had to take apart the gas line and stuff. Could you have just temporarily removed the valve handle, screwed in the valve and replaced the handle later?

Boomer


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## Oregon_Camper

I'd do this mod in a heartbeat if I had the Atwood hot water heater.


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## Phantazm2b

Mr. Boomer, I tried to do it with the handle off if it first, but it was to tight and I couldn't twist the valve in, plus it was easier to work with the burner out. Removing it was easy, just make sure the gas is off or you'll be in for quite a shock.


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## Phantazm2b

Thank ya, OutbacketTim, Boomer and Oregon Camper.


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## Phantazm2b

Oregon Camper, what if you used a 3 way T fitting, using the straight part of the T fitting to hold the anode rod in the tank, then the other side of the valve to attach the ball valve?
Something like this...

http://t.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-3-8-in-x-3-8-in-x-3-8-in-Compression-x-Compression-T-fitting-CT2-666X-P/202495893/


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## Oregon_Camper

Phantazm2b said:


> Oregon Camper, what if you used a 3 way T fitting, using the straight part of the T fitting to hold the anode rod in the tank, then the other side of the valve to attach the ball valve?
> Something like this...
> 
> http://t.homedepot.c...6X-P/202495893/


problem would be how to attach the rod. The replacement rod comes attached to a new plug, so I'm not sure how to go about changing that.

I'll just have "hot water drain plug" envy....


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## Phantazm2b

If the hole in the hot water tank is 1/2 inch female then the rod would be 1/2 male so get a T that's 1/2 inch female and that should work.


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