10 replies to this topic

[dennis 221]

Ok this pic is of my water lines.1) been this way since day one.2) want to prepare for winter storage,is this the way line valves should be to drain water heater?.3)are these the way they should be when using camper? 2019 hawk rollover couch

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[dennis 221]

are there only these two turn valves,? can see any other one

[Jon R]

Hi Dennis,

I don’t have it handy but it is really helpful to see a plumbing diagram to understand the workings of the two valves associated with the hot water tank. In normal usage the upper valve (fill valve) is open and the lower valve (drain valve) is closed. The lower valve drains the tank into the cold water tank. You open it to drain the tank when you want to empty the system or when you want to use the last 6 gallons in the hot water tank because your other tank is nearly depleted. If the drain valve is open, the water heater must be turned off to prevent tank damage.

Edited by Jon R, 30 August 2021 - 03:03 PM.

[Jon R]

The only operating situation I can think of where you would close the fill valve is if, after draining, you want to run the water system but do not want to either run or fill the hot water tank. Maybe you would do this if you have a half ton truck and are weight limited. For me, I’d always want the extra 6 gallons available.

[dennis 221]

Just saw the two. So I guess we have been filling an emptying the heater tank all the time.hummm

[Jon R]

I always fill the hot water tank until water flows from the sink faucet on the hot setting before turning on the water heater, as the manual directs. If the camper has not been in use but was not drained, I do the same check before turning the heater on.

To drain the hot water tank into the cold tank you open the lower (drain) valve and open the hot water faucet to let air into the tank as it empties (pump off of course).

Do you have the manual for your camper? It has a big section on winterizing. If you don’t have it you should be able to pull it up on the fwc web site.

[dennis 221]

so if I understand right, when camping bottom one is turned 90 degrees to keep water in heater an when winterizing it inline with hose!!!right?? thanks!! also inline if I am short on water when boondocking!!!lol

[Wallowa]

Winter storage or winter use....

 

If you heat the water in the heater and have room in the 20 gal storage tank...in the winter you can dump/drain the hot water into the storage tank overnight if expecting really low temps and this gives you a larger heated thermal mass outside of the space heated area ...remember the 6 gallon hot water heater only drains out 5 gallons [and outflow line into the storage tank] but remaining one gallon in heater does not pose a threat if it freezes... or, I have been told.. ...trade off is you use more propane...if that cold, I leave cabinet doors open to allow interior forced air heat to enter...   

 

All good....

 

Phil

[Jon R]

Again, though, if you drain the hot water it must remain shut off! So at least shut the switch off If you do the heat and dump into the main tank thing Phil described. Since I typically camp with others, I’d pull the fuse or figure out some other way to prevent someone switching the tank on if I was camping with a drained hot water tank.

I wish they would have located the hot water tank switch inside the cabinet.

Edited by Jon R, 02 September 2021 - 07:41 PM.

[Jon R]

so if I understand right, when camping bottom one is turned 90 degrees to keep water in heater an when winterizing it inline with hose!!!right?? thanks!! also inline if I am short on water when boondocking!!!lol

I think you understand the valve function correctly, but I would suggest that the lower valve should only be open when you are doing an operation that requires it to be open to drain the tank. The rest of the time I would keep it closed so you avoid forgetting to close it later. Also, “winterizing” can mean different things. For some of us it means just draining the system. For others it means filling with an antifreeze mixture. So I hesitate to simply say “open for winterizing.”

I think you get it, though.