I only drain the water heater when winterizing, and that's when I check the condition of the anode, so I don't see the benefit for myself.
I know some people drain the water heater in between trips, so in that case it would beat grabbing the big socket and then having to thread the rod back in the case.
I would still pull it when winterizing to check the condition. It should last as long as a regular rod, but that varies widely with differences in water.
John
Thanks for the info.
I drain mine every trip as well. The only thing I do not like is the water runs out on to the lip. I caulked it real good but I still have a fear of water getting into the wood under the flashing. I keep saying i am going to make a chute to get the water over the lip. I think this drain plug will make it easier to do since it is raised up a little more than the threaded hole for the anode which is flush with the lip.
[quote author=JoeCamper link=topic=1268.msg9660#msg9660 date=1322771305]
I drain our water heater between each trip because I don't like having 6 gallons of water sitting in the hot summer sun for 2 or 3 weeks.
Joe, If you have a plastic drain plug you probably have a Atwood hot water heater. Atwood's don't need an anode rod due to having an aluminum tank. If so all you need is a drain plug. Other companies, Suburban, use steel tanks that need the protection from corrosion.
[quote author=TMMull link=topic=1268.msg9670#msg9670 date=1322826691]
Joe, If you have a plastic drain plug you probably have a Atwood hot water heater. Atwood's don't need an anode rod due to having an aluminum tank. If so all you need is a drain plug. Other companies, Suburban, use steel tanks that need the protection from corrosion.
X2.... Our Pal had a Suburban W/H and in the 5 yrs we owned it I changed the anode twice... changed it at the start of our 2nd season, and again last spring.. and really last spring it really didn't need it... With the Suburban W/H I only drain the water at the end of the season when winterizing the pup... Our NTU Outback has an Atwood W/H.. no anode, so I might be more inclined to pull that simple plastic plug after each trip...
I'm continually amazed at the things people unnecessarily go through with their rv water heaters.
If you have an aluminum tank by atwood , no anode is needed.
If you have a steel tank by suburban, a anode is absolutely needed to protect the tank.
Unless you live in a particularly corrosive water area, checking the anode (if yours has one) once a year when you drain the tank is sufficient.
Unless you have corrosive or smelly water, draining the tank between camping trips is definitely not necessary.
I've used RV hot water heaters for over 45 years and have never drained the tank except when winterizing. I've had both suburban and atwood, most of the time my campers have been used 8 years or more before I get a new camper and the old camper still has the original working water heater.
I've never had a tank fail. Thermocouples have been changed, but no tank failure. Cleaned out spiders, once or twice.
And on my older ones (wayback last century) I didn't have a bypass, so the tank stayed full of RV antifreeze all winter with no ill effects.
The basic construction of these tanks hasn't changed for over 60 years. Technology has been added, but the tanks haven't changed much.
They just don't need as much maintenance as people think they do.
When was the last time you drained your water heater in your house?
They get crud at the bottom over years....
I'm a firm believer in the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
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