# How Often Do You Drain?



## 4ME

How often do you drain your Hot water heater and what is the proper way to do it.
I drained the fresh water tank completely since it has sat for 2 weeks.I pulled up on the lever inside the hot water heater cover and only a little water came out. I don't think I drained it. Should I do more?
Do you drain after each trip or just when it sits for a while?Do you have to run the water through the system before turning on the heat after you empty it?

Thanks,
Ed


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## Rollrs45

The lever only releases the pressure. Down towards the lower left corner you should see a plastic plug that is screwed into the water heater panel. Unscrew this plug and that will drain all the water out of the tank. I usually drain mine after each trip, others do not. I"ll unscrew the plug just before leaving the CG and leave it out until I return home. The movement of the TT in tow allows for the residual water that is below the drain line to slosh out. I figure the more I can keep the sediments out of the tank, the longer it will last.

......... Yes, make sure the water fills the tank back up before you turn the heater on or you will burn out the element in the tank. You can usually hear the tank filling up when you connect to the city water. I normally turn on a faucet after connecting to city water and allow the trapped air to evacuate the system. Once I'm sure the tank is filled, then I flip on the switch.

Make sure you release the pressure on the tank before unscrewing the plug or it will act like a hot radiator and shoot out. Also, don't forget to insert the plug once you get home so no critters find their way into your tank.

Not sure what anyone else will tell you, but this is how I do it. Hope this helps!

Mike


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## 4ME

The plug is pretty sealed with plumbers putty.
Is the hexagonal one at the the bottom left the one?
Why seal it so good if you should remove it routinely?
How long until rust?
I have never touched any of my water heaters in my houses so I am curious.


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## Insomniak

The plug isn't sealed all that well. Just make sure you have the right size socket (either 3/4 or 7/8 - I can't remember which), or you'll round off the head. I drain mine after every couple trips.


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## Rollrs45

3ME said:


> The plug is pretty sealed with plumbers putty.
> Is the hexagonal one at the the bottom left the one?
> Why seal it so good if you should remove it routinely?
> How long until rust?
> I have never touched any of my water heaters in my houses so I am curious.


I've removed mine several times and it's never leaked while camping. Yes, it's the hexagon looking plug and it can be difficult to remove the first time. In fact, I recently purchased another plug from my RV dealer that has a "T" type handle attached for easy removal. Haven't installed it yet, but I'll be doing that on my next outing. Rust times can vary. ......... It depends on the type of water in your area. City water, like any other has a lot of minerals that can deteriorate the bottom of your heater in the TT, just like the water heater in your home. They even make special nozzles that you can stick inside the opening to spray out all the sediments from below the drain line. Instead of doing that, I just let it drain after each trip. Like I said, others may not go to this extreme but it's quick and easy to do.

Maybe others will chime in soon and let you know what they do.

Mike


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## GarethsDad

The hot water heater in the TT will not rust it's made from aluminum and it will oxidize. The water heater in your house is a glass lined steel tank and will start to rust when the glass lining develops cracks from thermal expansion. Most municipality's add chlorine to kill of bacteria in the water but as chlorine heats up it becomes corrosive eating at the tank's coating. The normal life expectancy for a water heater in my area is 12 to 15 years for a tank that cycles on and off several times a day to maintain the waters temperature. James


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## GoVols

Go to CW and get the combo anode rod/petcock valve. Take out the stock plastic plug and replace it with the new rod/valve. Now it is easy to drain your tank each trip! That tank full of water weighs 50 lbs, and is needless weight to tow.


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## kyoutback

Apparently I'm the different one on this issue. I only drain the tank when it's going to be sitting for long time. Can you say winterize?


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## Castle Rock Outbackers

I drain all tanks after each trip.

I do not remove the hot water heater plug until I de-winterize. I have found, as often as we camp, constant removal and re-insert of the nylon drain plug eventually wears it down allowing drips or even degrades the plug head to the point where it twists off the threads (it happened).

Instead, I do the following after dumping the black and grey tanks and arriving home to unpack.

1. Remove all drain caps under the camper (for me, that is the low-point, water heater, and fresh tank).
2. Open pressure release valve on water heater. Water will stream out below.
3. Open all interior faucets (you'll hear the water exiting the lines).
4. After water stops running from the water heater drain, close the pressure release valve.
5. Drive to the storage lot. More water will exit the drains as you drive.
6. Just before the storage lot, replace all the drain caps.

Randy


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## Thor

I drain my tank if the trailer is going to sit around more than 2-3 weeks. The fresh water gets drained after every camping trip.

Thor


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## CamperAndy

I drain when I winterize. Otherwise the trailer is locked and loaded and ready to camp. We have very good water here and never have a problem with algae or with smells.


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## Justman

I drain mine before I get out on the road. The only weight I want in the camper is what we came to the campground with (no water!).

I put together a drain valve made out of C-PVC that is very easy to pen and close. I put it in the drain hole because I wanted to drain every trip and the idea of trying to get a wrench in a tight space to twist out a nylon plug that easily rounds off didn't really appeal to me. It's a tight fit in the space, but it works. Of course, this was all well BEFORE I found out you could buy a drain cock that does the exact same thing!!!









When the water starts draining, I flip open the pressure relief valve to let air flow into the top of the tank to allow the water to drain easier.

Since we keep the camper at the house, I usually put some water in the fresh water tank when we get there to help out with cleaning up. I'll leave it in there until we get ready to go camping again and then drain the night before we leave.


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## Nathan

I draing the WH when winterizing. The plug stays in the rest of the year. Never had a problem.


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## ProEdge

I drain the water-heater only when winterizing..
(I really do not see any reason to drain the water heater other than that..
I drain the fresh water tank after each trip and load up prior to heading out..


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## wtscl

I drain my water heater when leaving the CG so I don't carry the extra weight. It only take a couple of minutes for it to full up when we arrive that the CG. I also carry some fresh water in the holding tank while traveling in case we need it (like bathroom stops on the side of the road). Plus, I figure if I need water for ANYTHING along the way, I'll have it. I only put between 1/3-2/3 for driving.


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