Draining Hot Water Heater R27

[CaspersCruiser]

In the process of winterizing, one of the steps in the detailed list passed on to me by the PO, is to drain the hot water heater after emptying the water tank. I attached a short piece of hose to the faucet marked “drain” on the hot water heater and opened the spigot. Only about a pint of water came out. I put four gallons of pink anti-freeze in the water tank and turned on the galley sink and faucets. I got pink out of the cold side, but clear water out of the hot. I tried the hot water tank drain spigot again, but, again, only drained about a pint. It took more pink anti-freeze before I could get pink coming out of the hot side.

This is my first year of winterizing a Ranger Tug and my first attempt at draining any marine water heater. I suspect that the hot water tank drain is clogged or blocked. How do I unclog or unblock it?

 

[BB marine]

Try lifting the relief valve . Sometimes opening the faucets doesn't vent the tank for draining. I lift the relief valve and then it will drain
Brian Brown
Cutwater26
PORT-A-GEE

 

[NorthernFocus]

Brian's advice is good. The HW tank is vapor locked. Lifting the relief valve will allow air into it and it will drain. It will take a while so having something ready to wedge it open might be a good idea.

Another alternative is to remove the hose from the top connection on the tank and open the drain. That will also vent the tank and let it drain.

 

[CaspersCruiser]

Makes sense. Learning has been achieved!

 

[S. Todd]

If you are on the trailer and you use a length of hose that goes out the transom door and to the ground the siphon effect will pull most of the water out of the tank without filling your bilge. I do this before a long tow home from the lake when I want to lighten the load. A shop vacuum also works, but you have to have one that holds the six gallons or dump a few times.