RV Heater Drain Plug Removal Tool

[rgoff]

What size socket will fit the std nylon hex heater drain plug?

[texnet]

7/8"

[George Z]

Originally Posted by rgoff

What size socket will fit the std nylon hex heater drain plug?

7/8 socket fits mine

[fletch460]

7/8 again

[AFChap]

I have seen two different sizes for the Atwood 10 gallon WH. I believe one was 7/8", and the other maybe 15/16".

I keep some extra plugs on hand, and normally replace the plug every other time I drain & flush ...which I do apx every four months when the rig is in fulltime use. Before we started fulltiming, I flushed it once a year. When you leave them in use too long they can become brittle and break. If one breaks off, it is relatively easy to get the broken off threads out ...I tap a hunting knife into the remaining threads and then unscrew the piece by turning the knife.

[ahicks]

I generally install a radiator drain petcock when I get the coach...and that's the end of that problem...

[AFChap]

I generally install a radiator drain petcock when I get the coach...

...which you have to remove to flush the tank, so what is the point of the petcock?? ...and now you have galvanic corrosion going due to mating dis-similar metals. Seems to me you "got rid" of an easily handled routine maintenance issue and replaced it with something that costs more and causes potentially much more serious problems. . ...to each their own ...

[ahicks]

Originally Posted by AFChap

...which you have to remove to flush the tank, so what is the point of the petcock?? ...and now you have galvanic corrosion going due to mating dis-similar metals. Seems to me you "got rid" of an easily handled routine maintenance issue and replaced it with something that costs more and causes potentially much more serious problems. . ...to each their own ...

Sheesh! It was only a suggestion. One that's been working well for quite some time... I've installed thousands of these and never had a complaint (19 years as an RV tech).

The drain petcocks I'm talking about are brass, never seen one corrode when screwed into an aluminum tank. Not sure what you're talking about? About the second or third time you replace your plug (or wish you had cuz you just stripped another one) you could have bought one of these?

Why wouldn't I just open the petcock to flush/drain?

[AFChap]

The drain petcocks I'm talking about are brass, never seen one corrode when screwed into an aluminum tank.

I've known some to become nearly or totally impossible to remove. Of all those you installed, how many were you really able to observe over a long period of time?

About the second or third time you replace your plug (or wish you had cuz you just stripped another one) you could have bought one of these?

A pack of two nylon/plastic plugs runs a little over $4 as I recall. I've bought maybe 3 or 4 packs over the years ...no big deal. I've never stripped one, but two have cracked while in use. Since the first one when it was four years old, none have been a real problem.

Why wouldn't I just open the petcock to flush/drain?

I am very curious as to how do you fully flush the tank with the petcock in place?? I use a flush rod inserted into the drain hole and ALWAYS get a lot of calcium chunks our, most of them too large to make their way out the petcock even if I could get them headed that way by just running water into the plumbing inlet and out the open petcock...

Aside from the convenience of flushing the tank, it is my understanding that the nylon plug is part of the safety features of the Atwood tank ...don't know how accurate that is but dealing with the nylon plug has not been a big enough deal to me to do something different from what the mfr'er apparently thought was the most appropriate solution.

I know of others who replace it with a brass petcock. If that's their choice, that's fine with me ...they get to deal with any potential advantages/disadvantages of THEIR choice (and I hope they know what those are for their choice). I choose to use the nylon plug ...and I get to deal with any potential advantages/disadvantages with MY choice (and I do know that those are).

[Roy W.]

I recommend using a 7/8 inch six point socket (instead of 12 point) on nylon plugs to eliminate the potential of rounding off the corners on the plug.

[WAGM]

Hey Guys, I been using a fourway lugwrench ever since we been using a rv, don`t know what size the plug is, as I try the sockets till I get one that doesn`t wobble much. As for all your other troubles--DANG.

Taller horses, younger whisky, friskier women,
Warren