To drain or not to drain

[Campnjoe]

Does everyone drain there hot water heater in between trips or just leave the water in it until next trip. I drain my tanks but always seem to forget the water heater. Is this hurting anything?

[Aluminum_Siding]

I've left my water heater on by accident for a couple of days when I got home. Thank goodness it was not drained. You can do some real damage (I've heard) with an empty heater turned on. I do flush it once a year.

But I guess if I were draining it, I would remember to turn it off at the same time.

[bid_time]

Deleted

[IndyCamp]

John H wrote:
brass ball cock valve

I know I'm not supposed to laugh at stuff like that as an adult, but I have to admit I laughed when I read that.

We don't drain ours until winter, even when it's going to be a month between trips.

[skipnchar]

I have only drained the water heater tank on ANY of the many RVs I've owned, when putting the RV away for the winter. I don't drain my heater at home either when traveling for months at a time.
Good luck / Skip

[goducks10]

sbowman871 wrote:
Keep mine full till winterization.

x2

[bid_time]

Sulfur is present in all water supplies. If you have an atwood water heater you may get a very unpleasant smell, depending on the level of sulfur in the water, if you don't drain the water heater. Been there, done that, we drain ours after every trip. Simply removed the plastic plug and put in a brass ball valve. Open the vavlve and the tank drains.

[valhalla360]

John H wrote:
The reason we drain ours is that it is keep at a campground site until used it to travel and the water there is from a well. Well water does not have the bacteria killing chemicals that city water has for long term storage, plus left in that hot aluminum tank for some times weeks on end. I had installed a brass ball cock valve into the nylon plug from instructions on one of the poster idea here, years ago, and it just a matter of turning that valve to drain or close to fill. Making it no big deal at all.

For others to consider:

The bacteria killing chemicals quickly disipate in the main tank, so there isn't much that makes it to the hot water heater (this is why you have to keep adding chlorine to your pool).

Unless you dry out the interior of the hot water heater, there is still enough moisture to keep any bacteria from drying out and dying.

Unless there is organic material in your water, there is nothing for the bacteria to feed on, so you won't grow a lot of them. If there is organic material in your well water, you have bigger issues to deal with.

Like most, we drain in the fall.

[ADK_Camper]

I don't drain mine except for winterizing. But if I did drain between trips, I think I would also pull the fuse to make absolutely sure nobody would turn it on when empty. That could be a very expensive mistake.

[Lantley]

If you are filling from a chlorinated water source there is no need to drain tank.
If you are filling from a well draining maybe beneficial.

[NanciL]

I always drain mine between trips.
First it is good to get all the sediment out and second if it is going to be quite a while between the next trip you will end up with some pretty gross water in there.

Jack L

[bcsslc]

Just drained and flushed mine out today and filled it back up. I usually do this twice during the season.

[FrankShore]

It would depend on where you live. Out in the western US, no need to drain the water tank

[Rainier]

Only drain when winterizing. Plus you won't accidentally burn out your water heater if you turn it on and there is no water in the tank.

[old_guy]

depends on the water you are using. some times the water has a lot of sulfur in it and it will start to stink. so you need to turn off the electric switch for the heater rod and drain it then refill just before leaving for camping