buying 1 1/16 socket for water heater drain removal?

[Grimble27]

I need to get a 1 and 1/16 socket to drain my water heater (Suburban SW6D). I THOUGHT I ordered the right one from Amazon but it ended up being the Camco socket for residential water heaters at 1 1/2

Where did you get your 1 1/16 socket, and does it really matter as long as I get the right size? (6pt vs 12pt, deep vs regular)

[Big Sky KLX]

Got mine at harbor freight. Use a coupon.

It is a 6 point impact deep socket

[MR.M]

Originally Posted by Grimble27

I need to get a 1 and 1/16 socket to drain my water heater (Suburban SW6D). I THOUGHT I ordered the right one from Amazon but it ended up being the Camco socket for residential water heaters at 1 1/2

Where did you get your 1 1/16 socket, and does it really matter as long as I get the right size? (6pt vs 12pt, deep vs regular)

That 1.5" socket should work for the element should you ever have to replace that . so store it with the other .

[frank4711]

Originally Posted by Big Sky KLX

Got mine at harbor freight. Use a coupon.

It is a 6 point impact deep socket

yep did it x2

[Cdj1990]

I got mine at Lowe's.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Menards.

Home Depot, Lowes, ACE, any hardware/Lumber store should have what you need.

[Oaklevel]

Just about any store that sells tools.

[KyDan]

My LP line runs right in front of the drain plug so I have to use a box end wrench.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by KyDan

My LP line runs right in front of the drain plug so I have to use a box end wrench.

Just a plug...not Anode ? Old TT with just a plug was same way. Box wrench only. New TT with Anode I remove with a socket.

[Flybob]

6 pt or 12 pt kind of depends on how firmly it is in.

[Scrapper]

If it's the first time removing the drain plug always use a 6 point socket. On my brand new trailer the first time I removed my drain/anode it took me and my neighbor on a 18 inch breaker bar just to get it loose. One to hold the bar + 6 inch extension + socket on the plug and the other to pull on the breaker bar. The plug was overly tight without teflon tape or pipe dope.

[jimmarako]

I've never removed mine yet, but my 2 cents would be to get a 6 point socket. I can't remember the last time I needed a 12 point socket. I think those are for square bolts/nuts. When have you seen a square nut (recently).

Jim M.

[jimmoore13]

Harbor Freight. I bought a 1/2" impact socket set for dirt since I have an air compressor, but anything will do for this job.

[jjuscg]

Originally Posted by Grimble27

I THOUGHT I ordered the right one from Amazon but it ended up being the Camco socket for residential water heaters at 1 1/2

Same thing happened to me. I don't think we ordered wrong. Ended going to Harbor Freight. Six point will work better and possibly avoid trouble with the bolt head on your water plug.



When my home water heater needed a new element, I put the Camco that I had received by mistake to use, and it was WORTHLESS - stamped piece of sheet metal tubing instead of a manufactured socket - so I bought another one of THOSE, also..

[Oldbears]

Lowes. There are a set of drawers in the tool department where you find individual sockets. Got a 1 1/16" six point for $5 and change.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Grimble27

I need to get a 1 and 1/16 socket to drain my water heater (Suburban SW6D). I THOUGHT I ordered the right one from Amazon but it ended up being the Camco socket for residential water heaters at 1 1/2

Where did you get your 1 1/16 socket, and does it really matter as long as I get the right size? (6pt vs 12pt, deep vs regular)

Home Depot sells individual sockets and has that size for $4-5. Everyplace else wants to sell you a whole set. (Too bad Sears has closed.)

A regular depth socket is fine, although you will need a short extender bar. A deep-well socket is handy because the drain plug/anode rod is heavy at the far end. If you hand-start it using the deep-well socket, you can direct the plug in at the correct angle so it doesn't "droop" and cross-thread (easy to do).

These plugs are generally not very tight, so a 12-point socket is fine. But they are tapered pipe thread and occasionally some gorilla tightens them too tight.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GearWren...0770/204344399

https://www.homedepot.com/p/URREA-1-...7434/202797137

https://www.homedepot.com/p/URREA-1-...5434/202796601

All three of these are either stocked in stores or free ship-to-store.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by jimmarako

I've never removed mine yet, but my 2 cents would be to get a 6 point socket. I can't remember the last time I needed a 12 point socket. I think those are for square bolts/nuts. When have you seen a square nut (recently).

Jim M.

Jim, square nuts take 4-point or 8-point sockets. Hex nuts take 6-point or 12-point sockets. It's easier to get a 12-point socket or wrench onto the nut or bolt-head, but it's also easier to round off the nut/bolt since there's less contact area.

I have actually had occasion to use an 8-point socket on a really stubborn square-head set screw on an impeller fan.

[Luke Moseley]

I've got the right socket. The real trick is getting that plug back in once you drain the tank. What a PITA!

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Just a plug...not Anode ? Old TT with just a plug was same way. Box wrench only. New TT with Anode I remove with a socket.

Aluminum tank plastic plug no anode.

[dward51]

Get the 6 point if you have the normal plastic plug. It's easier to round the corners of the plug over with a 12 pt than the 6 pt.

And if you have an impact wrench socket set, you probably already have a socket that will work.