How often do you drain hot water heater tank?

[stro1965]

Camping every other weekend or so, I've always drained the tank after every trip. Talking to my dad, he thinks I'm nuts and drains his once a year, when he winterizes. What do you weekend campers do?

[Cummins12V98]

Drained and flushed out the small amount of STUFF from the bottom the tank. The dealer 1.5 years earlier had replaced the anode not sure if he flushed at the time. The anode looked very good with just some spots all around.

I will proba bly flush again next year and see how the anode looks and if there is any STUFF!

[BiggestRon]

hotpepperkid wrote:
Well there is no winterizing and no end of season here, so never

X2

[et2]

After every trip. Saves on the anode rod and eliminates the smelly water. When empty and rod out whatever water is in the tank evaporates. We have never had a rust problem in the tank since we've been camping. It takes less then 30 seconds to pull that rod out. The piece of mind not hearing he wife complain about smelly water ... Priceless 😉

[alfresco]

Once a year, when I winterize.

[Slownsy]

Newer

[Jloucks]

Once or twice a year. Twice when I winterize twice because I travel twice when freezing outside.

[RCMAN46]

Farmer David wrote:
I do not winterize any more but I do drain and flush out water heater about 4 times a year. The water in south Texas and Arizona gives you a lot of white crude build up and needs to be flushed every couple months.

X2 on Arizona. I have a home in Yuma and I flush my hot water tank once a month. Each time I get a significant amount of sediment from the tank. I had to replace the hot water heater last winter and I hope this practice will extend the tank life of my new heater. In my mind it will.
I installed a ball valve both on my home and trailer tanks. It only takes a couple minutes to flush both tanks.

[allen8106]

I drain mine at the end of every trip right before I leave the campground.

[pcm1959]

3 dog nights wrote:
Over the years I've had a sulfer smell come from the hot water after it sits for a couple of weeks. Seems worse depending on which campgrounds I've frequented. After having to drain and back flush numerous times I've gotten in the habit of draining the tank. Takes two minutes. No smelly water since I've been doing it. Seems a no brainer for me.

Ditto. We used to get the same smelly water from our water heater. Started draining it between trips and no more smelly water. phillip

[Martyn]

When I winterize.

[Stefonius]

stro1965 wrote:

Stefonius wrote:

stro1965 wrote:
One follow-up question...

I think I know the answer to this but, when filling the fresh water tank through the city water connection (that's how my rig works anyway), does the water heater always automatically fill first? Or does it only fill on demand once I open a hot water faucet inside the camper?

I have found that the tank has to be "burped" via the pressure relief valve to allow the air out. Otherwise it takes a while to fill the heater and the faucets spit air for a while.

So you just relieve the pressure for a few seconds as you start to fill the tank?

I relieve the pressure while filling the tank until air stops coming out and water is flowing steadily. I make sure I'm wearing flip-flops or sandals when I do this, because wet feet are a near-certainty.

[Farmer_David]

I do not winterize any more but I do drain and flush out water heater about 4 times a year. The water in south Texas and Arizona gives you a lot of white crude build up and needs to be flushed every couple months.

[stro1965]

Stefonius wrote:

stro1965 wrote:
One follow-up question...

I think I know the answer to this but, when filling the fresh water tank through the city water connection (that's how my rig works anyway), does the water heater always automatically fill first? Or does it only fill on demand once I open a hot water faucet inside the camper?

I have found that the tank has to be "burped" via the pressure relief valve to allow the air out. Otherwise it takes a while to fill the heater and the faucets spit air for a while.

So you just relieve the pressure for a few seconds as you start to fill the tank?

[Stefonius]

stro1965 wrote:
One follow-up question...

I think I know the answer to this but, when filling the fresh water tank through the city water connection (that's how my rig works anyway), does the water heater always automatically fill first? Or does it only fill on demand once I open a hot water faucet inside the camper?

I have found that the tank has to be "burped" via the pressure relief valve to allow the air out. Otherwise it takes a while to fill the heater and the faucets spit air for a while.