Frozen hot water tank

It is a drain plug that goes in the drain for water heater tank i order to drain the tank so that it isn't full of water when comes winter and freezes.

That drain plug will stay in place when water freezes and tank bursts.

It is not there for freeze protection.

I always thought that plug was a freeze plug. The guys who work on it in Whitehorse called it that. I though that was because if it froze it was the weak link and it would come out. It is the original hot water heater (99 camper) so it has lasted along time. We warmed up to 29 yesterday but are back down to 25 and snowing. I will check what type of hot water heater I have. Thank you for all your help.

You keep using the term 'freeze plug' so I am going to assume you are talking about the 'nylon' plug in the 'drain hole' of the water heater tank???

If so then you have an Atwood aluminum tank.
The propane combustion/exhaust 'U' tube is diagonal ----goes from bottom right to top left diagonally across tank

Turning on and using the propane will provide cross-sectional heating and will quickly melt the ice W/O harm to tank.

If tank is harmed it is because of the expansion of the water when it froze.
Melting the ice will let you know IF harm has been done. Using the propane will not be an issue.

Caveat: although the cross-section 'U' tube will distribute the heat more evenly within the tank, the t-stat for heat cycle control is against the tank wall and will take more time to sense the warming then normal so 10 minute heating then off for 5 minutes then back on for 10 etc.
This will provide heat throughout tank w/o overheating. Won't take but a few heat cycles to complete.



IF you have a SUBURBAN.....no heat---electric or propane due to the glass-lining. It will CRACK due to any rapid change in internal temps.
Let it melt 'naturally'

I would have done the propane on in short sessions but now that you opened the plug I would not do that as you could have drained the water around the heat pipe and created a air gap.

DO not leave it till spring to melt, empty it as much as you can. Open the cover, get a halogen light or two (300 or 500 watts) and aim them at the water heater - NOT really close!! The extra warmth from the outside will slowly help the inside RV heat to warm it even if the air temps are low and also will allow the water to flow away and not freeze as soon as it leaves the heater.

turkey baster full of hot water, and squirt it in or use a super soaker full of hot water and do the same. It will rapidly melt most of the ice

If it does have a leak after you get it thawed and tested, it not that hard to remove. I removed mine a few years back because of a hair line crack and took it to a friend to fix it. He made it as good as new. The hardest part was taking the Styrofoam off without damaging it.

Thank you for all the ideas. I have left the freeze plug out. I looked at it a few minutes ago and I think it is slowly melting. I have the inside of the camper pretty warm. It is slowly draining out I think. We are suppose to warm up in the next day or two. It did have some water in it when I originally opened it.

I would think just turning the heat on inside the rig, and open the cabinet where the water heater is would melt it over night.

I would use the gas heater a few minutes at a time which will let the warm water melt the ice . If you just let it run it might over heat the little water that has melted which will make it expand . It shouldn't take too long, water is a great equalizer . Just because there is ice at the plug doesn't mean it is frozen solid . The plug is the most exposed place . Good luck

Can you get it inside anywhere for the night?
A friend with a shop and high enough door(my camper needs a twelve foot door)
If not get one of those yellow shop lights and aim it close enough to not burn anything I use a five hundred watt for that quite often....