Water Heater Drain

[bikeman911]

Sanitizing my FW system for the first time. When you do this, do you drain the WH? Is it the big nut in the WH access? I assume I'll have to drain when winterizing next fall.

Thanks! rick

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by bikeman911

Sanitizing my FW system for the first time. When you do this, do you drain the WH? Is it the big nut in the WH access? I assume I'll have to drain when winterizing next fall.

Thanks! rick

Your HWH should be drained and bypassed during winterization. You would drain by removing the anode (big nut). It's a good opportunity to inspect the anode at the same time.

You can just replace the old water that may be in there with chlorinated water by opening a hot water faucet and pumping the solution until you smell bleach coming out of the faucet. Probably about 6 gls so let it run awhile.

[bikeman911]

the hwh is filled with chlorinated water. do you drain or just flush through the faucet?

[Triguy]

Either way will do the job but I drain because its quicker. After I drain, I flush the system until I don't smell bleach and then drain again unless I plan to camp shortly.

[TURBS]

I drain my hw heater after each use .

[bikeman911]

I don't have a socket that size and it's tight. The low point drains by the galley seem to drain the tank, cause it seems like it takes time for the hwh to fill up after draining the system.

[LadyWindrider]

The low point drains, may drain the tank. To find out for sure, put a bucket under them, and open. Measure the amount of water caught. It should be over 6 gallons. Would also help to open the faucet in the kitchen, hot and cold. Might want to open the "pop off" valve on the water heater also.

[TURBS]

Use a crescent wrench straight on to nut
Then take a screw driver to turn crescent
This WORKS

[MtnGuy]

It is probably not necessary to sanitize the water heater. The high temperatures should keep the microorganisms at bay.

That being said, I do sanitize mine.....people say that I am anal.

1 think that you need to consider is the water heater is a holding tank.....there is no way to flow all of the chlorine/water molecules in and out of the tank. Start with an empty tank to make sure it gets filled with the chlorine solution, and drain the tank before the fresh water flush.....again, there is no way to flush all of the chlorine solution out of the tank without draining before the flush.

[campnqueen]

We drain our water heater after each trip as well. Why leave water just sitting in there for a few weeks? Wouldn't it get slimy and smelly? We do not run chlorine thru the wh.

[18CrewDually]

Water heater anode nut is 1 - 1/8" 6 point socket.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by 87CrewDually

Water heater anode nut is 1 - 1/8" 6 point socket.

Hmmm....mine is 1 1/16th on my Suburban.

[18CrewDually]

You are correct. 1 1/16" 6 point socket. Same as my lugnuts on my tv. My mistake.