Do you leave hot water tank full.

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Yes Relief is brass and not removed routinely

OEM Nylon plug is used because of the frequent removal/installing so the tank aluminum threads do not get damaged

I just use my fingers to install OEM plug then SNUG it up...done

I also use a nylon plug. Mine is a little tricky to get into place so it starts straight so I use a 6" 3/8" drive extension with the socket to get the plug in and started straight. I do keep a spare plug just in case I screw up.
The only mod I have made is I added a pipe nipple to my relief valve and clamped a length of heater hose to the nipple so the hose reaches nearly to the bottom of the heater case. If the valve leaks or blows off it will run out the bottom of the case instead of dripping on the heater's electronics and other workings.

[Camp CA]

Never drained the hot water tank on my trailers or motorhome in 18 years of camping beofre leaving the campsite or boats after a trip in 13 years of boating. Also have never seen other rv'ers draining their hot water tanks.

[Beemermcrs]

I found the hard way that, at least here in Utah, with our record setting summer of 100 deg days, that leaving the HWH full, combined with the heat, "cooked" the anode rod and gave both the HWH and fresh tank a sulfur smell! Per my RV repair guy, a common issue. Drained and refilled all twice to rid the smell. Drain the HWH every time we get home. Fresh tank stays partially full.

[77Travco]

Originally Posted by ArtJoyce

Yep I drain the fresh water on the road as I drive. You get a lot more out of the tank then siting still.

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks!

[lewisedge]

Originally Posted by boiledowl

Do you all empty your hot water tank after leaving the campground etc..I had never considered draining it but I saw where someone said he drains his after every trip and that got me wondering if that is normal or if he is a little OCD. Thanks

My wife traveled and LIVED in my motorhome for about three years, stayed at countless campgrounds, never drained the water heater and have never been sickened by our water. We always filter it with a Camco TastePURE RV Inline Water Filter whenever we hook up. In my opinion draining the water heater would not only be a waste of time, it would also be a waste of water and the energy used to heat it. We have often stopped at rest stops and large parking lots to prepare a meal and really enjoy having that hot water available. As others have mentioned draining the tank could destroy the heater if it was accidentally turned on while empty. Yes, in my opinion, that camper is OCD.

[Jbc37]

If you want fresh water to drink and shower with:
1. Drain it all when you get home.
2. Turn off hot water heater.
3. Fill fresh tanks up and hot water tank the day before you leave for a trip.

if you leave water in the tank for 3 weeks, will have algae and has clogged my water filter at the water pump.

[HB Phil]

We sanitize our fresh water tank and WH and maintain/refresh them with frequent use and refilling. I regularly empty the WH to ensure it is also being regularly refreshed. Otherwise it is a rolling petri dish.

I drain and reuse the nylon plugs at least a hundred times before they begin to weep and the pump cycles. Replacement nylon stoppers are cheap and I always keep a couple spares. I'd be careful about mixing dissimilar metals which can cause a galvanic reaction that may taint the water.

[sstudley]

Originally Posted by boiledowl

that's another thing I heard.Never travel with fresh water tank full.

Full tank or empty tank.
Never in between.
The amount of G's going 60 to 70 mph over moderate roads is amazing.

Those forces acting on a partial tank of fluids can deform metal tanks and rupture plastic.

Worked in the yacht industry work many years, seeing test results coming back from sea trials was informing.
Repairing and redesigning to prevent those results; more so.

Going around turns and corners will really move 80gals of a 100gal tank.

*80 gals=666#

[HB Phil]

Originally Posted by sstudley

Full tank or empty tank.
Never in between.
The amount of G's going 60 to 70 mph over moderate roads is amazing.

Those forces acting on a partial tank of fluids can deform metal tanks and rupture plastic.

Worked in the yacht industry work many years, seeing test results coming back from sea trials was informing.
Repairing and redesigning to prevent those results; more so.

Going around turns and corners will really move 80gals of a 100gal tank.

*80 gals=666#

This is the main reason it is inadvisable to run with full or heavy tanks. They eventually split abd rupture. It only takes a few inches of a split even on top w/o liquid/sludge leakage, to stink.

[swhite48]

I just use Teflon tape on my plug. No need to replace it all the time

[Stevens10]

I added a brass nipple and a small 1/2" ball valve instead of the plastic plug, and now draining is very easy. Using brass removes the danger of electrolysis, never use black iron or galvanized fittings in a water heater.

[Stevens10]

The sulfur smell is the result of reaction with the magnesium anode and sulfur in the water. High temps might make it happen faster, but the solution is to replace with an aluminum anode or remove completely.

[dannonebr]

Well to each their own and their choice, I drain the water heater and water system after every trip. A water heater is a perfect incubator for bugs (bacteria, virus, algae and mold) when left bottled up for a period of time. Leaving water an RV tank such as a water heaters, fresh water tank and maybe even a water purification system can become stagnate and grow bugs when stored for a period of time more than a few days or a week or so. An RV water water heater and water system can breed nasty things like Legionnaires Disease. I don't worry about it as much at home as the municipal water supply is chlorinated, but I do flush things a bit after I get back from a long trip.

As part of unpacking my RV I open the drain valves on the fresh water tanks, hot and cold water line drains, all faucets and the hot water heater and leave them open until I get ready for my next trip. If it has been an extended period of time such as a month or so between trips or after winter layup I sanitize the system or add water shock. Here is a good article on sanitizing at https://rvlifestyle.com/sanitize-fresh-water-tanks/

Here is another good article: https://www.boondockersbible.com/kno...rv-water-tank/

Another sanitation product to use beside chlorine bleach is something like Starbrite Aqua water shock Aqua Water Shock or a similar product.

Why am I so careful about my water tanks? I used to be a trained and certified Water System Operator at our local municipal water utility, as required by my city and state government. Operating a potable water utility is rather complex and it is easy to contaminate a potable water supply. Municipal water utilities generally test potable water all the time for impurities and report the results of the tests to a state health authority. If utilities didn't do that people could get sick and they'd get sued.

I never drink water from the water system in my RV, but I have no problem washing or showering - I just won't drink it. I buy water in gallon jugs for drinking and cooking. Water systems in camp grounds should be OK if they are connected to a municipal water supply and the connection hose is flushed before connecting but I still drink the bottled water. Well water, you don't always know what the source is.

[iceman0987]

I never used to drain my WH. I used to fill up my fresh water tank at home with city water. But when I got the new MH the fresh tank is behind the rear axle and didn’t handle so great. So now I fill up at campgrounds. Campground water sat in there for 3 weeks in between trips. We got to our destination went to wash our hands and holy crap… rotten egg smell coming out of the Faucet. Wife wasn’t too thrilled. I was getting the blame… and now I drain it. It is a dometic so there is no anode rod (aluminum tank). And I had to do a flush with vinegar.