Remove Water Heater Plug

It depends on how badly you want the plug out. If you want it out use the more powerful impact, or a really long breaker bar. Also use a 4 point socket if you can. It could have been put in and then tightened until it stopped seeping. Which could have been really tight if the threads were cruddy.

Before you put it back in clean the threads with a tap, and use a new plug.

Is this a Suburban water heater? If so, the drain plug is also the anode rod. And it should be replaced when depleted, typically every couple years, or sooner if using a magnesium rod.

I would use a 6 point 1 1/16" socket with a long breaker bar to try to get it out. The 6 point socket will reduce likelihood of rounding out the hex head. Apply force in the loosening direction, then apply force in the tightening direction. Keep repeating until it finally gives way. Brute force, whether with the breaker bar or impact, should be the last option.

And when you put it or a new one back in, do not over tighten it. Those are pipe threads and do not need to be screwed down very tight to seal.

I guess you have a suburban heater with the metal plug and anode rod attached? If so, Teflon tape is probably counter-productive as you need to have electrical contact between the plug and the tank for the anode to work properly.

At any rate, a long enough breaker bar will not infrequently work wonders where an impact wrench fails.

On Atwood heaters, with the nylon plug inconveniently located behind the gas piping, the only tools I can imagine working are a 15/16" offset box-end wrench (which is virtually impossible to find) or some sort of channel lock or vice grip pliers type tool (which work, but tend to leave the plug worse for the wear and tear). I think it's telling that Atwood sells the replacement plugs in packs of two.

My plug is plastic and easy to put in and take out. May want to consider a replacement once you get the other one out.

Suburban water heaters have a steel tank and use a steel plug with an anode rod.
Atwood heaters have an aluminum tank and use a plastic plug.
Siggy

I prefer using an impact rather than a long lever. The impact doesn't cause the whole WH to want to shift and rotate.

Could it be possible that someone installed a metal plug in drain hole instead of the proper nylon plug? Without knowing what type of water heater it is we only have conjecture.

Another thing is the heating of the plug to ease removal. Steel tank is okay but with an aluminum tank, not a good idea.

Finally, Teflon tape is a sealant, it is not an insulator. I'm of new at this game, I've only been RVing since 1998 and I have only been in the construction trades since 1954 and a General Contractor since 1980 and I have never seen or heard of a pipe plug or threaded connection that did not cut through the Teflon tape and make metal to metal contact. If it were true that it is an insulator, we wouldn't need dielectric couplings.

Not trying to criticize, just trying to clear up a couple of wives tales.

Pb Blaster the plug every day for 7 days before trying again

On my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer I never did want to use the pink stuff inside the water tank. I just drained all of the water I could from the low drain point with both HOT and COLD spigots opened up when draining. It doesn't get all the water our of the hot water heater for me but i suspect just a small inch of water or so in the very bottom of the water out-flow pipe fitting... Should be plenty of room inside the tank to expand when freezing. I also pop open the hot water relief vale on top of the water heater when I do this... This also helps draining all of the water out using the low drain point.

My water system is small so I only use the blow-out method and only add the pink stuff to the two P traps I have. I also drain my one and only fresh water tank too... Everything else is either drained through the low drain port or blowned out down the sink using compressed air at the city water port. I use one of those 12V TANKLESS portable compressors which is slow building up pressure and I can hook it up and walk inside and open the values etc...

The beauty for me is we like to camp anytime Summer, Fall, or winter and using the blow out method is best for us to use. Just add fresh water the next and we are back in water business again... Only takes a few minutes to drain everything and then use the 12V small tankless compressor to blow out the lines...

Roy Ken

DrewE wrote:


On Atwood heaters, with the nylon plug inconveniently located behind the gas piping, the only tools I can imagine working are a 15/16" offset box-end wrench (which is virtually impossible to find) or some sort of channel lock or vice grip pliers type tool (which work, but tend to leave the plug worse for the wear and tear). I think it's telling that Atwood sells the replacement plugs in packs of two.

I had a nifty craftsman 7/8 offset ratchet box end that worked great until the b888888s changed to 15/16 and can't find one anywhere. got a "kit" with two plugs and a cheap flat wrench that works but bought a separate 15/16 also.
bumpy