Atwood Waterheater Drain plug - Anode rod instead?

[mrgrayaz]

Hey guys,

We have the nasty rotton eggs of doom hot water situation. Reading it sounds like we just need a flush of our water heater. We have a GC10A-4E which I've basically fully rebuilt over the last 3-4 years with the exception of the tank itself.

Following these instructions -it looks like I should have a nylon plug that is easily removed...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKg0R9oiMP0

Instead, I seem to have a steel headed....something. I have tried undoing it with a ratchet and it just seems to spin and spin and spin. Is this an anode rod in the wrong model water heater maybe?

Any suggestions how to get it out? It doesn't appear to be threaded, or if it was...it isn't anymore....I'd really prefer not to spend $1000 on a new 18XT water heater if possible but the smell is pretty aweful

[phays]

Can't help with your plug or whatever it is but you probably will need to do more than just flush when you get the plug out.

Atwood has a procedure published for eliminating the odor in the water heater. It starts with flushing and then uses vinegar and water to fill the water heater and run it through several cycles. Then flush again. Should be good to go then.

I'll add, that in my case, to flush the water heater properly requires removing the pressure-temperature valve and using a wand for flushing. You will need to remove the PT valve to add the vinegar and water to the water heater.

Good luck on removing the plug.

[ernieh]

If that steel plug has been in there more that a few months, your tank is most likely ruined. A steel plug in an aluminum tank plus water equals corrosion beyond repair. Attwood used a plastic plug for a reason and your pictures show the reason.

Good luck.

[John Hilley]

You may be able drill it out and retap it.

[Old-Biscuit]

'Someone' did in fact install an anode rod in your Atwood water heater.

The Hex head has separated from the steel rod the material is formed around.
The Drain port is aluminum and the steel thread from hex head are still embedded in the aluminum drain port with the steel rod sticking out.
Rod is not connected to anything so it will spin and spin and spin



You need to smack the end of the rod with a hammer knocking inside the tank so it is out of your way (can retrieve later)
Then scrape the crud/build up off the FACE of the drain port to expose the threads

Pound an EASE-OUT into hole where rod was and then try to loosen the threaded section and remove.
May have to drill it out using bigger and bigger drill bits ---no larger then 3/8" bit
(Atwood threaded section is 1/2") then use small punch to dislodge remaining steel threads.
After removal......use a 1/2" NPT TAP to clean/straighten the aluminum drain port threads

BUY a 2 pack of ATWOOD NYLON Drain plugs and use them.



As for the stink.....
Good vinegar HOT soak will clean the tank out.
Remove T&P Relief Valve
Pour 7 gallons of white vinegar into tank (drain plug in place)
Then 3 gallons of water
Re-install T&P Relief Valve


Turn water heater ON...electric if possible otherwise propane (electric element getting hot helps clean element)
Let it run thru 4-5 complete heat cycles...Heart/cool/reheat/cool etc
(Run it over night)

Then turn it off......relieve pressure on hot lines (open nearest faucet hot side)
Drain ..........flush/rinse couple times (fill and drain)
Power flush really helps when doing first drain ***Remove NYLON plug turn water supply on and let it blast out thru drain port


NO more ANODE RODS.----not required nor recommended by Atwood






If all else fails.......replace the tank
New tank $204
https://www.rvpartscountry.com/Atwoo...r_p_28931.html

[mrgrayaz]

Thanks for the confidence guys, I really appreciate it -. I have known about this "issue" for a while but it was way down on the list and didn't really know how to start fixing it....now that we aren't full timing I am not afraid to try! The rotton egg smell just sped up the timeline - as we could never drain the tank.

I took to the thing this morning with a vengeance and a pair of vice grips - preferring to pull out rather then push in due to that ridge of buildup/rust you can see. This seemed to work and this is what I found.....what kind of hack job is this!?.......

I have a full craftsman tap and die set and have ordered some drain plugs, we'll see how it goes.

we have another camping reservation for this weekend....pressure on! Worse comes to worse I put it back in...

[Old-Biscuit]

THAT is an EASE-OUT........







How that was In your WH Tank drain AND you were using the water heater does NOT make sense>


Water Heater NORMALLY heats to 140*F and roughly 120 psi.
Why water wasn't BLOWING Out drain hole is a head scratcher


How long have you owned this RV?
And honestly when was last time YOU drained water heater....if ever????

[98FPA]

mrgrayaz, was that easy-out already in there? Certainly looks like that from your original picture. Definitely a hack job for sure. Good luck with the rest of the project.

[mrgrayaz]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

THAT is an EASE-OUT........







How that was In your WH Tank drain AND you were using the water heater does NOT make sense>


Water Heater NORMALLY heats to 140*F and roughly 120 psi.
Why water wasn't BLOWING Out drain hole is a head scratcher


How long have you owned this RV?
And honestly when was last time YOU drained water heater....if ever????

We full timed in the unit for 2.5 years - water heater was always hot, never drained - and yes, with that in the drain plug hole We even had a bad thermostat issue that resulted in SCALDING water and the relief valve doing its job....still held.

I simply filled the waterheater with antifreeze this winter, knowing something was up with the plug. My belief is part of the rotton eggs situation is the constant heating/cooling of a occasionally used unit (which we are doing now)

Originally Posted by 98FPA

mrgrayaz, was that easy-out already in there? Certainly looks like that from your original picture. Definitely a hack job for sure. Good luck with the rest of the project.

Ok so this is an easy out! Very good. So - to me it sounds like someone already reamed out the hole for me, and likely didn't have a tap and die to finish the job. Tonight I'll check that a 1/2 NPT tap fits and I have the drain plugs on order from Amazon.

[John Hilley]

If you can't restore the threads by tapping, you can use a thread insert


Thread Insert

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by John Hilley

If you can't restore the threads by tapping, you can use a thread insert


Thread Insert

Drain hole is 'NPT' ...National Pipe Threads ie: Tapered


Thread Insert are 'straight' threads
Not compatible with tank drain hole threads NOR drain plug threads

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by mrgrayaz

We full timed in the unit for 2.5 years - water heater was always hot, never drained - and yes, with that in the drain plug hole We even had a bad thermostat issue that resulted in SCALDING water and the relief valve doing its job....still held.

I simply filled the waterheater with antifreeze this winter, knowing something was up with the plug. My belief is part of the rotton eggs situation is the constant heating/cooling of a occasionally used unit (which we are doing now)



Ok so this is an easy out! Very good. So - to me it sounds like someone already reamed out the hole for me, and likely didn't have a tap and die to finish the job. Tonight I'll check that a 1/2 NPT tap fits and I have the drain plugs on order from Amazon.

So this is a "Used RV" and your first time draining water heater/


Amazing that ease out remained in drain hole AND didn't leak




If you can clean up the threads and new drain plug seals/no leaks.....great!
Might want to drain/flush tank at least twice a year if not more frequently

[98FPA]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

So this is a "Used RV" and your first time draining water heater/


Amazing that ease out remained in drain hole AND didn't leak




If you can clean up the threads and new drain plug seals/no leaks.....great!
Might want to drain/flush tank at least twice a year if not more frequently

Yeah Old-Biscuit, I too am surprised that it did not leak. I guess anything is possible, just really hard to believe.

I am thinking, unfortunately, that mrgrayaz may get the opportunity to purchase a new hot water heater in the future. Keep us posted on your progress!

[John Hilley]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Drain hole is 'NPT' ...National Pipe Threads ie: Tapered


Thread Insert are 'straight' threads
Not compatible with tank drain hole threads NOR drain plug threads

NPT inserts are available