Questions about Atwood water heater

[slrrkcls]

We have an Atwood water heater model G6A-8E. On the pic, there's a black ring in the drain opening. I'm trying to clean the water heater, but this ring is in the way. Anyone know what it is? Is it supposed to be there - and it looks like it's broken, or at least corroded. Can I remove it?

Thanks!

[Steve-W]

Typically there is a white nylon plug in the drain. That looks like if might be a piece of a broken off plug left in The threads. I would try an ezout or similar to remove whats left and then chase the threads if necessary.

[DFord]

It's a piece of an old broken-off drain plug.

Take a fine tooth hacksaw blade and cut as much of it as you can without harming the aluminum threads and try to pry it up so you can grab it with some good needle-nose pliers and get it out.

Those cheap nylon plugs often break like that - this is not uncommon.

[Old-Biscuit]

Home Depot/Lowes/ACE Hardware and get a Sprinkler Removal tool
About $5

After removing the broken piece of the drain plug...case the threads with a 1/2" NPT brass nipple
Tank/Threads are aluminum so install the nipple and then screw it in/out to clean up the aluminum threads

Then 'Power Flush' the WH Tank....turn on water supply and stand back
Let the FULL pressure of supply BLAST out the drain hole
*Hole is only 1/2" and sticking wand into hole blocks draining until you pull wand back out
POWER FLUSH...blows the stuff out

After that use a NEW NYLON drain Plug...come 2 to the pack
Hand tighten the snug up (7/8" or 15/16" 6 point socket---size dependent on vendor)