Does anyone have a good solution to avoid the water marks on the side of the RV when draining the Hot Water tank? I would love to not have the water running down the side of the rig.

Since you haven't filled out a signature line and didn't mention what type of RV you have, I have to make some assumptions. On my motorhome I've got a low point drain along with fresh water and water heater valves near my black/grey dump valves.

I hold a bucket up to catch most of it. (6 gallon heater) While winterizing or any other water heavy activity I always have a towel to immediately wipe up the inevitable spillage.

I have never really checked but when I hook up my 12VDC non-tank Compressor to the trailer city water inlet to blow out the water lines I empty the water heater pretty much as well by opening the hot water valves at the sinks. My hot water cold water input is on the bottom of the water heater. If there is any water left inside the hot water heater it will have alot of expansion room if things freeze up. After I drain out all of the water at the low point and blow out the lines then I add some pink stuff to the P-TRAPS.Note this typical water flow chart for the trailers.I probably am flirting with death but I have never drained my water heater at the bottom port for winterizing. I have done some maintenance of flushing the water heater by removing the bottom port and also removing the water heater rod anode for inspection. I do sometimes here at the house open the top spring loaded pressure relief valve over the winter months.Our winter months here in Northern Neck VA are very mild. We probably have only had a couple of nights of freezing overnight and it always warms up above freezing the next day. This year may prove different since the whole country is experiencing strange weather patterns...Roy Ken

Shouldn't be that hard or expensive to put some aluminum foil down the side of the trailer before you start draining the water. Learned this trick for draining the oil on the motorcycle. Only way to keep the oil off the exhaust pipes.

I have a Winnebago Aspect. When i take the plug out of the water heater, it drains down the side of the RV. I am awaiting delivery of my new Itasca Sunstar 30T and I would like to find a way to avoid that on the new rig.. I'm sure someone smarter than me has figured that out

Draining Hot Water Tank | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

robsouth
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2013
"Much Ado About Nothing". W. Shakespeare.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 29, 2013
super_camper wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
super_camper wrote:
I have never actually removed the plug in my water heater.

To drain I just open the low point valve and turn on the taps. Doesn't every RV with a water system have a low point drain?

IF you have never removed the drain plug then you have never removed the scale/crud that accumulates....which remains in tank even if water drains out via low point drains.
So.......
When you do try to remove drain plug don't be surprised that it doesn't come out and the bottom of tank is a solid chunk of crud.........probably will have difficulty getting electric element out also if you have a combo unit.

After posting this yesterday it made me wonder about my water heater as I have never drained it using the plug. I removed the plug this morning and the tank was empty and clean.

7 year old rig......you must have a really good quality water source.

Lucky you :B
super_camper
Explorer
Oct 28, 2013
Old-Biscuit wrote:
super_camper wrote:
I have never actually removed the plug in my water heater.

To drain I just open the low point valve and turn on the taps. Doesn't every RV with a water system have a low point drain?

IF you have never removed the drain plug then you have never removed the scale/crud that accumulates....which remains in tank even if water drains out via low point drains.
So.......
When you do try to remove drain plug don't be surprised that it doesn't come out and the bottom of tank is a solid chunk of crud.........probably will have difficulty getting electric element out also if you have a combo unit.

After posting this yesterday it made me wonder about my water heater as I have never drained it using the plug. I removed the plug this morning and the tank was empty and clean.
Horsedoc
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2013
apply a coat of wax on the area where the water runs down. Rinse with clear water after the drain is finished, wipe down with a soft towel.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 28, 2013
super_camper wrote:
I have never actually removed the plug in my water heater.

To drain I just open the low point valve and turn on the taps. Doesn't every RV with a water system have a low point drain?

IF you have never removed the drain plug then you have never removed the scale/crud that accumulates....which remains in tank even if water drains out via low point drains.
So.......
When you do try to remove drain plug don't be surprised that it doesn't come out and the bottom of tank is a solid chunk of crud.........probably will have difficulty getting electric element out also if you have a combo unit.
MeanderMan
Explorer
Oct 28, 2013
I take a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil, double it, and form a "chute" under the water heater drain. It's enough to keep the water off the side, and I like having an unrestricted flow to flush out the calcium flakes/crud.
Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Oct 28, 2013
My water heater never fully drains with just the low point drains. Must be the check valve in the output side of the tank that doesn't let air in, I always have to open the relief valve to fully drain the water heater.
super_camper
Explorer
Oct 27, 2013
I have never actually removed the plug in my water heater.

To drain I just open the low point valve and turn on the taps. Doesn't every RV with a water system have a low point drain?
GaryUT
Explorer II
Oct 26, 2013
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Previous posts with hose.......
How do you guys flush the crud out of tank with the restrictions of hose/fittings/valve?

I have a hard enough time getting the scale out thru the OEM 1/2 drain hole.

If I am not going to use the trailer for 2 weeks or more close the bypass valves and drain the tank before heading home. When I fill the tank I fill it half way and then open the drain hose for a few minutes to flush the crud out.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 26, 2013
Gene&Ginny wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Previous posts with hose.......
How do you guys flush the crud out of tank with the restrictions of hose/fittings/valve?...
So far I do a few "fill and drain" cycles between camping trips. With pressure in the system the flow starts out quite fast so maybe that flushes the little bit that is there. I started doing the fill and drain when I first owned the camper because of the sulpher smell/taste that Atwood tanks suffer from. When I did that mod a few years ago there wasn't any crud in the tank that I noticed.

OK....flushing with pressure ON.

"sulpher smell/taste that Atwood tanks suffer from"

That sulfur smell/taste is a result of the microbes in the water supply not the Atwood tank. Suburbans suffer also...maybe more so do to use of anode rod such as magnesium.