Water Heater Drain

[frjeff]

Relatively new owner of 1989 Excella 29. Returning to Michigan soon from our winter abode and want to drain all systems of water.
I find no threaded drain plug on the exterior of the water heater. Every previous TT owned had such a plug.

Any clues as to how to drain water heater tank???

Photo in my photo file (do not know how to add to post)

Appreciation!

[crazylev]

I see something that may be the plug under the black wire toward the left. The photo isn’t clear on my phone. My plug is inconveniently located close to mechanicals of hwh.

[frjeff]

Originally Posted by crazylev

I see something that may be the plug under the black wire toward the left. The photo isn’t clear on my phone. My plug is inconveniently located close to mechanicals of hwh.

That is actually the electric heating element. It might well drain from that spot if I remove the cord plug and the threaded fitting that holds the element inside the tank. May have to do that.

Thanks for the tip.

[Mollysdad]

The drain would be near the bottom, Duh!
I've never seen a WH without a drain, but I'm no expert.

I'm agreeing with a previous post that it's the drain plug.
See Attwood gas electric WH:

[crazylev]

Frjeff

I would post make and model of wh and see if anyone else can concur with my assesment, just in case.

On my 03 Bambi ccd, I stopped fighting trying to get my plug (nylon) out to drain wh years ago. I found that opening all low point water valves and opening preasure relief valve on wh drains everything nicely. No problems so far with Chicago winter. All other winterize procedures followed that, except I only use compressed air, no antifreeze.

[woodfox45]

Originally Posted by frjeff

Relatively new owner of 1989 Excella 29. Returning to Michigan soon from our winter abode and want to drain all systems of water.
I find no threaded drain plug on the exterior of the water heater. Every previous TT owned had such a plug.

Any clues as to how to drain water heater tank???

Photo in my photo file (do not know how to add to post)

Appreciation!

What is that behind the gas valve looks like the drain plug.

[CRH]

I see where it is supposed to be....Right behind the gas line to gas valve connection.

[OTRA15]

At the lower left, either the black or silver circular shape should be it. Not the bottom heating element with the wires leading to it.

The silver one looks like it may have an old galvanized square-head threaded plug in it? Difficult access for sure!

Do you have the owner’s manual or one for the water heater? If you post the mfg. and model number, we can probably find the correct documents.

Good luck,

Peter

PS — best to use the drain, not just the low point drains elsewhere IMO. Need to get crud sediment out of bottom of tank.

[OTRA15]

PS this may be your owner’s manual IMO:

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...ream-TT-OM.pdf

On p. H-69 [PDF p. 240/269] is the water heater info.. On p. 247 is Figure 1 for the pressure adjustment, which looks like your black circular shape on the left. This leaves the silver as the drain IMO.

At the top of p. 253 in the Winterization section, it refers to a pet-cock drain valve, which may be the silver shape? Can you turn that nut head and have water drain out a small hole on the shaft, or remove it? Your unit is so old that the threads may be frozen IMO. A new heater may be in order sadly.



Good luck!

[GMFL]

Lower left-hand corner is where your drain plug would’ve been located someone has added an optional hott rod Heating element to give you additional electric heat you have to remove the brass hott rod from the drain hole to drain the water heater. See link below

http://www.campingworld.com/hott-rod...n-kit-6-gallon

[OTRA15]

Good call, thanks!

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

PS this may be your owner’s manual IMO:

https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...ream-TT-OM.pdf

My god, that's thorough! I enjoyed surfing through it even though mine doesn't apply. It's almost a service manual.

BTW, my old WH had the nylon plug, and I discovered it's easy to bung up the head while trying to remove it using a crescent wrench, or open end. I eventually bought a socket that could snake in there and remove it.
OBTW, don't stand in line with the opening when removing the plug unless you need a quick bath.

[The Boot]

what size socket was it? 1 inch?