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Old 06-05-2020, 11:03 PM   #1
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2018 16' Sport
Tacoma , Washington
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Here's my Hot Water Heater Drain Valve

When I get back home from a trip, I hate having to gather a few tools to remove that crappy white plastic plug to drain the hot water tank. The plug is awkward and difficult to reach. Then the water drains all over the side of my precious AS. Then you have to put the plug back in. PITA!

For the big dollars we pay for these rigs, Airstream HQ should put in an honest drain valve. Since they didn’t, here’s what I did ….

For about $10, buy an Everbilt VBD-QTR valve from Home Depot. I cannot take credit for finding this valve. I found that info in a different thread on this valuable Forum. Thanks goes to the unknown post'er.


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Remove the handle for now.
File off the bottom of the threads to create a little more clearance.

Here's where my modification comes in ...
Drink a few Gin and Tonic’s until you have an empty quart plastic bottle. Cut the bottom off. Cut the neck off below that ring just below the threads. Cut the bottle nearly in half length-wise leaving a small circular neck.


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Wrap the pipe threads of the valve with Teflon Tape. Insert the pipe threads of the valve thru the circular neck of the bottle. Carefully thread the valve into your Water Heater. The half-plastic bottle makes this is a pain in the ass, but you can do it.

Shorten the wings of the handle by about 1/2 their original length. Shorten them enough so they miss the working parts of the Water Heater. This may take some trial and error. I ended up with one wing shorter than the other.

Screw the handle on to the valve. Be mindful – the handle will go on 2 different ways. 1 way it will only turn a ¼ turn. The other way, the handle will turn about 130 degrees or so. The ¼ turn is what you want.

There ya go. The plastic sticks out about 3 inches making a trough for the water run out and away from the side of the trailer. After draining, close the valve, roll or fold the plastic up and close the door.

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To get the water to drain, open a faucet in the rig or open the pressure relief valve on the water heater to allow air to enter.


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If you’re worried about the plastic melting while using the water heater, my experience is that it does not get anywhere near hot enough. I have used this on two different 2-night trips with the water heater on for the duration of each trip. No problems at all.


Frustration averted!
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Old 06-05-2020, 11:29 PM   #2
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Very cool solution, but why do you think it is necessary to drain the fresh water from your tank. It is less chemically reactive than air......Am i missing something?
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Old 06-06-2020, 12:40 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by BayouBiker View Post
Very cool solution, but why do you think it is necessary to drain the fresh water from your tank. It is less chemically reactive than air......Am i missing something?
Hi, winterizing?
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Old 06-06-2020, 05:08 AM   #4
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Innovative solutions are always welcome, but I think there are more elegant ways to do this. One I employed was to install a small stainless ball valve in the drain. It fits fine, has a small handle that easily allows 90 degree open/close. I put a piece of hose on the open end, for which there is plenty of room, and just pull the hose out when I want to drain. Ball valve available at McMaster Carr but probably other places, as well.

Larry
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Old 06-06-2020, 05:58 AM   #5
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At the risk of draining on your parade, isn't this "solution" pretty far away from the KISS of having the right tools for what is basically a very simple job?

Just take the plastic drain plug out with the correct 1/2" drive 6-point socket, extensions and universal joints . . . and let the water dribble down.

https://www.amazon.com/ARES-71270-10...kle_mcd_asin_2

When done, wipe up the extra water, and move on . . .



Your photos seem to show that, with the right tools at hand, this would be about a 2-minute job IMO. Our plug is also awkward to reach but . . . am I missing something about your setup which is so difficult?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Runamuk13 View Post
When I get back home from a trip, I hate having to gather a few tools to remove that crappy white plastic plug . . .
. . .
Welcome to the club!

. . . . . . Keep It Simple Stu . . . . . .
.
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Old 06-06-2020, 06:54 AM   #6
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How do you rinse the scale deposits out of hot water heater at end of season?

I empty the tank and attach the wand to water hose and rinse the tank out when I winterize and again in the spring just before filling tank. I do this so maybe I won’t have a problem with my mixing valve getting clogged. I also have a cartridge sediment filter for all water going into the airstream. Just wondering.
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:18 AM   #7
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IMHO, that wand is a joke. It can rinse out any accumulated sediment in the bottom of the tank, but it cannot do anything about scale on any surface. Descaling requires a mild acid.
With a drain valve installed, instead of the plastic plug, you open the valve with a full water tank and drain sediment out. I think a ball valve is better for this than a globe valve.

Larry
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:24 AM   #8
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I have heard of people using vinegar rinse or clean a halt water tank. I have never used it. I read somewhere that rinsing helped and it made sense to me.
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:29 AM   #9
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I would think a vinegar rinse, followed by fresh water rinsing, would make a lot of sense, but I have never heard of anyone doing it. Maybe someone will speak up. I know that I do an annual citric acid cleanse of my Rinnai at home, because the manual recommends doing so.

Larry

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I have heard of people using vinegar rinse or clean a halt water tank. I have never used it. I read somewhere that rinsing helped and it made sense to me.
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Old 06-06-2020, 09:50 AM   #10
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I have no clue why you drain the heater after the end of each trip, typically that is only done to winterize. Also the reason that plug is plastic is because you should not mix metals on connections. They expand and contract at different rates which is not good.
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Old 06-06-2020, 09:54 AM   #11
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It's my understanding that a plastic plug is provided in order to avoid a galvanic reaction between dissimilar metals, e.g., a metal plug and the aluminum tank.
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Old 06-06-2020, 10:48 AM   #12
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I was asked to provide a reference for what I installed: https://www.mcmaster.com/4912K4
But, if you do a web search on WH drain valves, there are other options, although with less flow.

Larry
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Old 06-06-2020, 11:32 AM   #13
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The clear benefit of this modification is the excuse to drink a few gin & tonics.

I agree with previous posters that 1) it is typically only necessary to drain the tank for winterizing, 2) a plastic plug avoids the issues related to dissimilar metals, 3) it is worthwhile to flush the scale from the tank with a wand when winterizing (I do it to extend the life of my home HW heater, why not the AS?).

On two occasions in the past, I have had the problem of an H2S odor from water from the hot water tank. In each case, I isolated the tank via AS plumbing, drained the tank, filled with 1.5 gal of white vinegar, and topped it off with clean water. After letting the tank reach operating temp and holding it there for a couple of hours, I turn off the tank, drain flush and resume normal operations. Problem solved. I can't take credit for this approach, found it in "The (Nearly) Complete Guide to Airstream Maintenance."
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Old 06-06-2020, 11:40 AM   #14
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I also use a plastic wand to flush my water heater tank, either once or twice a year. I also capture as much of the flushed-out water in a bucket as I can. I find various amounts of brown rusty-looking dirt, white chunks of calcite, and white flakes of something soft when I look in the bucket. I usually do multiple flush cycles before I quit.


I have done a vinegar rinse (I think I used 40% vinegar, 60% distilled water, and ran it through a heat and cool cycle) once. This was when we had been using well water from a limestone mountain for a month. We knew we had a problem when the water heater started making crackling noises when it cycled. We got a lot of calcite chunks out afterwards.


Now we use a water softener, when we are unsure about the water. Which is most of the time.
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Old 06-07-2020, 09:01 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by lsbrodsky View Post
install a small stainless ball valve in the drain. It fits fine, has a small handle that easily allows 90 degree open/close.


https://www.mcmaster.com/4912K4

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Isbrodsky,
I like your valve better than the one used. Next time around, I'll use your valve along with my cut up plastic bottle. Until then, I'll drink gin and tonics!

Thanks for posting the link.

Runamuk13
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Old 06-07-2020, 09:16 AM   #16
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Wait ..... What?!

A number of posts have mentioned/asked - why drain the hot water tank after each trip?

I thought I was suppose to. I'm concerned that leaving the water in the fresh water tank or the hot water tank that it will develop some kinda badness - some weird stank, some weird flavor, some awful taste - while it sits in the tank for weeks/month(s) until my next trip.

Are you saying that I should just leave the water in the tanks and not worry about it?

I've been around trailer'ing for a long time (recently promoted to Airstream). and I've always drained the tanks at the end of a trip. That's what I was taught. I drain the water into buckets and my wife pours the water on plants around the house. If I don't drain the tanks, what the hell is my wife going to do?
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Old 06-07-2020, 11:09 AM   #17
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It's not required to drain the tank after each trip. You may want to do so when you return from a place with hard water or heavy with minerals. I just flush it through with soft water from home. It takes a few months for slime to grow or for it to get stale. If the trailer hasn't gotten any use in 6 months, sanitizing the water system with weak bleach solution is a good preventative measure. I drain and spray out my tank every 6 months.
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Old 06-09-2020, 05:51 AM   #18
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Thumbs up

Well said, Brian.

KISS per Post #5.

Avoid analysis paralysis.

Happy trails!

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Old 06-09-2020, 06:01 AM   #19
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The plastic plug is used because it cost less than brass or stainless.
Also, if you cross thread it you won't damage the tank threads.
The plug is only used in aluminum tanks.
Suburban water heaters use a sacrificial anode. It has a steel pipe fitting. Because their tanks are steel.
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Old 06-09-2020, 06:15 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Runamuk13 View Post
Wait ..... What?!

A number of posts have mentioned/asked - why drain the hot water tank after each trip?

I thought I was suppose to. I'm concerned that leaving the water in the fresh water tank or the hot water tank that it will develop some kinda badness - some weird stank, some weird flavor, some awful taste - while it sits in the tank for weeks/month(s) until my next trip.

Are you saying that I should just leave the water in the tanks and not worry about it?

I've been around trailer'ing for a long time (recently promoted to Airstream). and I've always drained the tanks at the end of a trip. That's what I was taught. I drain the water into buckets and my wife pours the water on plants around the house. If I don't drain the tanks, what the hell is my wife going to do?
Something tells me that your wife has her hands full with you!

I don't drain my tanks/water heater after every trip but do consider the source of the water that is in them. If the water does not have any chlorine in it (as city water usually does) it will become foul smelling over time, especially over summer. If there is no chlorine you might consider adding some bleach. Keeps the little critters from growing!
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