How do you drain the water heater?

06-11-2003, 03:05 AM

I searched the site and could not find anything specifically talking about this.  Do I just take out the "big bolt" and is that where the water drains out?  What happens when it is hot?  I am also not sure what the valve is for above the drainage bolt.  I am not sure how do describe it.  I started the hot water heater last night and it works fine, and I did not touch this valve.

My last question would be what are the two drainage hoses that sit behind the black and water tank valves?  When do I open those?

By the way, I have a 97' 3023.

**Bill** · 06-11-2003, 07:20 AM

TC has got it right. Click HERE to see some more detail.

By the way, the "valve above the drain bolt" - the one with the long skinny trigger - is the temperature and pressure relief valve. If the heater overheats for some reason, this valve releases the excess pressure. You can open it manually by lifting the trigger - but it won't drain the water heater.

Bill

06-11-2003, 10:15 AM

First crack open a hot water faucet or the external hot water drain and then open either of the the cold water drains [not the fresh water tank] and you will drain down most of the water in the heater through it's cold water inlet which is at the bottom of the tank.

More simply: if you open all of the external drain valves you will drain everything.

If your water is already hot in the heater, hot water "draining" out of a particular valve as described is not necessarily the "hot water" side drain side.  Hot water should reverse flow out its cold water side due to gravity once water pressure is no longer present and an air break is made in the hot water side of the system.  

I apologize if this all sounds confusing.

06-13-2003, 11:35 AM

Hey, Bill. Thanks for the diagram. I open the faucets and use the provided TM front and rear drains.

However, you should probably check your annode rod in the WH while you're draining your system... That's the BIG nut on the outside at the water heater tank.

Gregg

06-17-2003, 02:13 AM

I believe someone in the past wrote about first attaching the city water connection, and doing it with the drain plugs all open.  Once you turn on the water at the faucet, it will quickly come through the first drain at the front near the fresh water tank.  It takes a bit longer to get the water to drain through the hot water tank and the cold water drain behind that, but once you turn on the water inside, there's a lot less air in the lines.  That&#8217;s also how I figured out which drain empties the hot water heater.

**Civil_War_Buff** · 09-02-2003, 12:39 PM

I decided to drain my water heater so that I can eliminate the sulfur smelling situation that I had this past weekend.....I think I will need to replace my anode rod as well, but I opened all 4 valves under the trailer and no way did it drain the water heater. I got a little trickle of warm water (about a cup) from the back valve, but the front one only drained the fresh water tank. I figured that I would not have to open any upper faucets, etc. seeing as I didn't want to have to open the trailer, but maybe you need to in order to create the required force.

Larry

09-02-2003, 01:28 PM

Larry:
I replaced my annode rod earlier this summer. Once you remove that, it'll drain your water heater...

BTW, go buy the water heater hose attachment if you don't already have one. Man it works great and cleans out the water heater well too!

Gregg

**Civil_War_Buff** · 09-02-2003, 02:13 PM

[quote author=2619PDX link=board=1;threadid=94;start=msg8733#msg8733 date=1062527336]
Larry:
I replaced my annode rod earlier this summer. Once you remove that, it'll drain your water heater...

BTW, go buy the water heater hose attachment if you don't already have one. Man it works great and cleans out the water heater well too!

Gregg
[/quote]

Gregg,

Where did you get the attachment? I didn't see anything on the Camping World website.

Larry

09-02-2003, 02:47 PM

Larry:
I found the water heater wand hose attachment at CW up here in Wilsonville, OR.

It attaches to your hose, and is a long thin wand that goes up inside the water heater.

Man did it flush out my tank!! I don't think it was all that expensive either. I found em near the annode rods.

Best,

Gregg

**Bill** · 09-02-2003, 07:03 PM

[quote author=Civil_War_Buff link=board=1;threadid=94;start=msg8729#msg8729 date=1062524387]
I decided to drain my water heater ..... I opened all 4 valves under the trailer and no way did it drain the water heater. I got a little trickle of warm water (about a cup) from the back valve, but the front one only drained the fresh water tank. I figured that I would not have to open any upper faucets, etc. seeing as I didn't want to have to open the trailer, but maybe you need to in order to create the required force.
Larry[/quote]
CWB -

A cup of water from the rear drains is about right. But to do a full system drain, you're right, you need to open a couple faucets inside. Or pull the trigger on the T&P valve. Or be prepared to wait a LONG time for the WH to drain. I don't know how long it would take, but it is a poor situation 'cause you're never sure when it is done. I suggest you just bite the bullet, open up, and do it right. The water should just whoosh out all over your feet.

Changing the anode rod every couple years is a good idea, too.

Bill