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Old 03-05-2019, 06:31 PM   #1
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2019 16' Sport
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Water heater plug left in after winterizing

I, through a brain cramp, put the drain plug back in my water heater after bypassing and winterizing. I don’t know if this would cause damage, I realized this and removed it, it was pressurized when I pulled the plug, there was just a little ice in the plug (it was well drained during winterization). Has anyone done something so stupid, if so could this cause damage?
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Old 03-05-2019, 06:34 PM   #2
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If your water heater is an Atwood/Dometic, you have caused no damage. There is always some liquid left in the bottom of the tank. Since the tank is rounded the freezing liquid cannot create enough force against the sides of the tank to damage anything.

ps:
You can read this in the owners manual in the winterizing section. Here is a link:
https://www.dometic.com/assets/44/89...9.pdf?att=true
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Old 03-05-2019, 06:47 PM   #3
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not a problem, no need to fret.

as long as you got most of the water out, the small renaming bit is no issue.

the freezing issue is when most of a volume, pipe, tank etc is water, then the freezing expansion WILL be a problem.
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Old 03-05-2019, 06:54 PM   #4
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Thanks for the quick responses

What a great thing this forum is, I will sleep better tonight!!
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Old 03-05-2019, 06:55 PM   #5
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I drain the water heater, flush it good with hose attachment designed for this purpose, then hand siphon as much water out as possible, then replace plug.
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Old 03-06-2019, 06:53 AM   #6
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I was always one to drain the hot water tank, winterize and leave the drain plug out. That is, until a friend of mine got his trailer ready for the season and had an awful smell when running his hot water. He drained his hot water tank again and what was left of a dead mouse came out. Not sure how it could've got there other than through the open drain. We could put a peppermint "mouse away" pac, which works well in our trailer, but leaving our drain plug in for the past few years has not damaged anything. We live in upstate New York where gets cold and mice abound!! Good luck and safe travels, Jim
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Old 03-06-2019, 08:07 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alilee View Post
What a great thing this forum is, I will sleep better tonight!!
No problems...lol
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Old 03-06-2019, 09:04 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A W Warn View Post
If your water heater is an Atwood/Dometic, you have caused no damage. There is always some liquid left in the bottom of the tank. Since the tank is rounded the freezing liquid cannot create enough force against the sides of the tank to damage anything.

ps:
You can read this in the owners manual in the winterizing section. Here is a link:
https://www.dometic.com/assets/44/89...9.pdf?att=true
Exactly. Most folks way overthink this IMO.

Most Airstream owner's manuals also mention, where applicable, that you can drain the water heater out of its drain hole, and leave the remaining water inside. No need to blow out that small amount of water with compressed air.

The bottoms of most water heaters are shaped like a mixing bowl. Take a sturdy round-bottom stainless steel mixing bowl, put a quart of water in it, and put it in the freezer overnight.



Bowl OK!

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