Winterizing tip.
Just a quick tip for a few new folks out there to help with winterizing. When you are draining your water heater, after removing the drain plug, or opening drains, raise the lever on the safety valve...
Forum Discussion
3oaks wrote:
Opening any hot water tap inside the RV will do the same. I never found a need to mess with a safety valve. I also open a hot water tap in our TT when filling the hot water tank.
Not necessarily, at least with my trailer anyway. I have always drained the system completely between trips and in my old trailer opening the taps would ensure the hot water tank drained out through the low point drains. Emptying that way took a good 10 minutes, at least.
In my new trailer, even with the taps open the low point drains would stop after about a minute. I knew the tank was not draining completely, but couldn't figure out why. I finally realized there was a check valve in the hot out side of the tank (for winterizing). This actually prevented air from entering the top (hot side) of the tank and allowing the water to exit the cold side and out the low point.
The ONLY way mine will drain using the low points is by cracking the pressure relief valve to allow air in. I have to do the same when using the tank plug or it takes quite a while as it struggles for replacement air.
