Water heater plug

Thanks guys, ill give it a shot.

opnspaces wrote:
If the original plug was plastic (nylon) then you have an Atwood heater and it can only use the nylon plug. Yes some fool designed that water heated with a pipe right in the way of getting at the plug and they probably laugh themselves to sleep every night picturing us cursing at them as we try to thread the plug in. :R

The plugs do not screw in very tight and they do not have to be very tight. Here's what I do with my plug.

Hand start a new plug with you fingers bent at an uncomfortable angle while you silently mutter curses under your breath at the designer.

Get a 7/8 socket and a 6 inch extension. Slide the socket up behind the pipe and start it on the plug. Then bring the extension up from under the pipe and snap it into the socket. The socket might not be square on the plug, but it really doesn't have to be.

Now using just your fingers (no ratchet wrench)screw the plug in until it starts to get tight. It should not be bottomed out in the hole at this point and again it doesn't need to be.

Now use a ratchet wrench and give the plug an additional 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Fill the tank with water and turn on the heater. If the plug seeps then tighten it a tiny bit more, it doesn't take much to seal it.

Remember this isn't an engine or a wheel that needs a super tight bolt or it will fall off. Just snug the plug down by finger and give it a tiny bit more with a wrench and it will be fine. In fact I've read of people on this board that just leave the bolt finger tight and never have a problem with it.

Exactly what I do, just add that I clean the threads out with an old toothbrush before installing the plug.

Beverley and Ken

From your description (plastic plug etc.) I will assume your have an Atwood Brand water heater.
The tank is made of aluminum alloy and does NOT use an anode rod of any type (as suggested). The drain plug is nylon for a reason....so that it will get damaged vs the tank drain hole threads.

As suggested.......chase the threads with a 1/2" NPT tap. You may need to temporarily remove burner tube (which is easy to do and could probably use a cleaning anyway).
When chasing the threads with tap visually inspect area around threads for any cracks.

After chasing the threads a new nylon plug should screw in easily.....finger tight. Then tighten 1/2 half turn with socket.
Should seal...no leaks

If the original plug was plastic (nylon) then you have an Atwood heater and it can only use the nylon plug. Yes some fool designed that water heated with a pipe right in the way of getting at the plug and they probably laugh themselves to sleep every night picturing us cursing at them as we try to thread the plug in. :R

The plugs do not screw in very tight and they do not have to be very tight. Here's what I do with my plug.

Hand start a new plug with you fingers bent at an uncomfortable angle while you silently mutter curses under your breath at the designer.

Get a 7/8 socket and a 6 inch extension. Slide the socket up behind the pipe and start it on the plug. Then bring the extension up from under the pipe and snap it into the socket. The socket might not be square on the plug, but it really doesn't have to be.

Now using just your fingers (no ratchet wrench)screw the plug in until it starts to get tight. It should not be bottomed out in the hole at this point and again it doesn't need to be.

Now use a ratchet wrench and give the plug an additional 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Fill the tank with water and turn on the heater. If the plug seeps then tighten it a tiny bit more, it doesn't take much to seal it.

Remember this isn't an engine or a wheel that needs a super tight bolt or it will fall off. Just snug the plug down by finger and give it a tiny bit more with a wrench and it will be fine. In fact I've read of people on this board that just leave the bolt finger tight and never have a problem with it.

I installed a 1/2"npt boiler drain ball valve with a small round lever/knob from menards, I had to remove the lever to get it installed but It works good and I don't have to mess with the plastic plug....but chase threads first... makes it very easy to drain every time.

Attwood requires a nylon plug. Nylon plugs don't mess up the threads on the heater and won't corrode. If you use a metal plug you create electrolisis that results in galvanic corrosion and you might not be able to remove the plug without messing things up.

I put a reducer and a petcock in mine. It just takes a little longer to drain.

I've fixed at least 15, maybe 20 of these in the past several years. After you removed the old plug the lead thread was damaged. Buy, borrow or find a buddy who has a 1/2 NPT tap; carefully start the tap in the threads and gently chase the threads. Be careful not to start cutting new threads and you'll be able to screw a new plug into the fitting.. Be sure to use Teflon tape.

I actually keep a couple of 1/2 NPT Nylon plugs and a tap in my tool box, I had to fix a neighbors for him on my last trip.

I'd just get an anode... It acts as a plug, and it saves the water heater in the process