Low point drains

[Jim in Florida]

Today I installed a pair of ball valves on the hot and cold low point drains located near the entry door on the curb side. It will be easier and more reliable than unscrewing the pipe plug when I need to drain the lines.

I noticed on the street side of the unit, just behind the tires, another blue pex line with a plug. Does anyone have an idea what that drain is for? I'll likely put another ball valve on that.

What about draining the water heater? I'm surprised that the only way to drain that is to remove the anode rod. Is there a valve available that contains and anode rod? I see them on Amazon for Atwood heaters.

Jim
2019 33IK

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

Today I installed a pair of ball valves on the hot and cold low point drains located near the entry door on the curb side. It will be easier and more reliable than unscrewing the pipe plug when I need to drain the lines.

I noticed on the street side of the unit, just behind the tires, another blue pex line with a plug. Does anyone have an idea what that drain is for? I'll likely put another ball valve on that.

What about draining the water heater? I'm surprised that the only way to drain that is to remove the anode rod. Is there a valve available that contains and anode rod? I see them on Amazon for Atwood heaters.

Jim
2019 33IK

Yep, lots of folks get tired of removing the caps/plugs from the low point drains and install valves. I put valves with garden hose ends on so I can use them as an additional connection if necessary.

The other blue line might be the fresh tank drain or overflow. (the overflow typically wouldn't be capped unless someone had an issue with the fresh tank siphoning empty while traveling) Can't say for sure? Did your dealer go over those things with you?

As for draining the water heater... if you have an anode, you have a Suburban WH and they do make an anode with a petcock on the end. There have been some negative reports on its use as the tank doesn't drain as completely as removing the anode and you lose a little bit of anode material. I never drain my WH once filled in the spring, until it's time to winterize. (or my low point drains)

If you do decide to regularly drain from your low point drains, be sure to put the WH in bypass before draining so any buildup in the WH doesn't get sucked back into the plumbing when draining at the low point drains.

[CHICKDOE]

only thing i can think of would be fresh water tank drain. the fresh water overflow would not have a plug on it.

[Jim in Florida]

Not the overflow, it is uncapped.
Not the drain, dealer had shown me that one two years ago and I've used it.

It is in the slide section, so my only other thought would be a drain for the ice maker line. I'll have to look a the ice maker line and see if it looks feasible.

Jim

[CHICKDOE]

but a drain wouldn't have a cap on it, would it?

[Thomas ho]

You need to pull the anode rod every once in a while. White flakey scale needs to come out. Keeps faucets clear. and tank from premature failure. I put a piece of plastic tubing on my shop vac ,,via duct tape and suck out the flakes. A dab of antisieze on top of teflon tape on rod threads , and its a 5 minute job.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by Thomas ho

You need to pull the anode rod every once in a while. White flakey scale needs to come out. Keeps faucets clear, pump diagrams from getting chewed up. and tank from premature failure. I put a piece of plastic tubing on my shop vac ,,via duct tape and suck out the flakes. A dab of antisieze on top of teflon tape on rod threads , and its a 5 minute job.

How would it affect the pump diaphragm? The water heater should be on the outlet side of the water pump with both a check valve and filter in between the pump and water heater (on standard setups). Low point drains are also on the discharge side of the pump, so even when draining, it does not get sucked through the water pump.

[Jim in Florida]

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

but a drain wouldn't have a cap on it, would it?

Well, living in south Florida, I really don't have to worry about it, but if the ice maker line had water in it and it froze, that would be bad. That is why I think it would/should have the ability for it to be drained.

[sdelam]

Could it be for winterizing the system? My antifreeze suction line is near my low loint drains, which is directly under the water pump location.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

How would it affect the pump diaphragm? The water heater should be on the outlet side of the water pump with both a check valve and filter in between the pump and water heater (on standard setups). Low point drains are also on the discharge side of the pump, so even when draining, it does not get sucked through the water pump.

It wouldn't. You are absolutely correct.

I also cringe when I see folks mention putting 'antisieze' on the anode threads of potable water. Unless you use "food grade" antisieze, (which wasn't mentioned) many of them have toxic chemicals in their composition that I'd want nowhere near my water.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

It is in the slide section, so my only other thought would be a drain for the ice maker line. I'll have to look a the ice maker line and see if it looks feasible.

Jim

Could be the icemaker drain or a drain for the refrigerator itself. Our refrigerator automatically defrosts itself and there is a line for the excess water to drain out of the bottom.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

Not the overflow, it is uncapped.
Not the drain, dealer had shown me that one two years ago and I've used it.

It is in the slide section, so my only other thought would be a drain for the ice maker line. I'll have to look a the ice maker line and see if it looks feasible.

Jim

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

but a drain wouldn't have a cap on it, would it?

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

Well, living in south Florida, I really don't have to worry about it, but if the ice maker line had water in it and it froze, that would be bad. That is why I think it would/should have the ability for it to be drained.

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Could be the icemaker drain or a drain for the refrigerator itself. Our refrigerator automatically defrosts itself and there is a line for the excess water to drain out of the bottom.

Again, to point out for clarity... the OP says they know it is NOT the fresh tank overflow, it is NOT the fresh tank drain and as everyone has mentioned, if it is a drain for the ice maker or condensate from the refrigerator, it wouldn't be plugged. (which the OP has said it is)

It will be interesting to see what this plugged 'drain' in the slide-out really is.

What is above it inside the slide?

[cub22908]

On my 2018 34RL2 that is a third low point drain. You need a way to drain the water line to the ice maker, that's it.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by 5picker

if it is a drain for the ice maker or condensate from the refrigerator, it wouldn't be plugged. (which the OP has said it is)

Please reread post #4 again, the op says that it's UNplugged. That's why it's possible to be a refrigerator drain. Ours only drips when the refrigerator defrosts itself.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

Not the overflow, it is uncapped.
Not the drain, dealer had shown me that one two years ago and I've used it.

It is in the slide section, so my only other thought would be a drain for the ice maker line. I'll have to look a the ice maker line and see if it looks feasible.

Jim

Yes, I am almost positive like you are thinking, it is a drain to aid in draining the fridge ice maker. Also there should be a push-pull valve to by-pass the ice maker if you are not using it. Thus you don't have to winterize/de-winterize your fridge.

[Jim in Florida]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Please reread post #4 again, the op says that it's UNplugged. That's why it's possible to be a refrigerator drain. Ours only drips when the refrigerator defrosts itself.

I said in post #4 that 'Not the overflow, it is uncapped.' meaning that the fresh water tank overflow is not capped.

This 'unkown' blue pex line with a cap on it is likely the icemaker supply line drain.

Thanks for all of the input. If I find it to be anything other than that, I'll let you know.

Jim

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

Please reread post #4 again, the op says that it's UNplugged. That's why it's possible to be a refrigerator drain. Ours only drips when the refrigerator defrosts itself.

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

I said in post #4 that 'Not the overflow, it is uncapped.' meaning that the fresh water tank overflow is not capped.

This 'unkown' blue pex line with a cap on it is likely the icemaker supply line drain.

Thanks for all of the input. If I find it to be anything other than that, I'll let you know.

Jim

Well... I guess I can read after all.

If you find out for sure, please let us know.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Sorry. Guess I can't read.
If it's got a cap on it, you should be able to put a ball valve on it. Tis a puzzle. I wonder if it's a second low point drain for that island sink. Perhaps it was easier to run a second drain for the island faucets than run it to the bathroom drain.

[Chillaxin]

We have an early 2020 34IK. Our low point drains screw in 'plugs' started leaking out of the blue, so the dealer replaced them under warranty with valves. Stupid of CC to just use screw in plugs to begin with.

The blue pex line is the drain for the fresh water tank. Ours has a valve on that one.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Jim in Florida

Today I installed a pair of ball valves on the hot and cold low point drains located near the entry door on the curb side. It will be easier and more reliable than unscrewing the pipe plug when I need to drain the lines.

What ball valves did you use? Do you have a link for them? Thanks.

Does anyone know off hand (mine is in storage) what size thread the plug is that screws in?