Winterizing the Water Heater

J

JoLin

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I winterized the fresh water lines and faucets by bypassing the heater and using the fresh water pump to run anti-feeze through the system. Worked fine.

Then, I drained the fresh water side of the heater. Opened the valve at the bottom and emptied it. Then I used a hose and funnel at the pump/line nipples and pink stuff to displace any water left there.

I need to remove/displace the raw water in the heat exchanger. Pulled the engine hoses off the nipples at the heater, then tried the hose and funnel raised above the inlets to introduce anti-freeze. No go. The anti-freeze just sits in the funnel. I thought a gravity feed would do the trick, but didn't. I don't have a compressor to force the water out. Any other way I can do this?
 
Did you remove both hoses?

But a better question, why not just let it run thru the engine when you winterize the engine?
 
Very important remember to turn off the power to the water heater or you can burn out the heating element.
 
quote:
Originally posted by spj

Did you remove both hoses?

But a better question, why not just let it run thru the engine when you winterize the engine?

Click to expand...


Yes, I removed both hoses. I winterized the engine by draining the water pump, block and manifolds, not by running anti-freeze through it.
 
If you have a shopvac you can use the suck or blow side to try and clear the water from the heater.
Just another Schnuk
 
No need to put pink in the heater. Not good for it.

If you've drained it, any remaining water that did not drain out will have room to expand, no need to get crazy with the pink if you've bypassed it.
 
Remember to open the pressure relief valve on the water heater when draining it. Close it after fully drained.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Robyns Nest

No need to put pink in the heater. Not good for it.

If you've drained it, any remaining water that did not drain out will have room to expand, no need to get crazy with the pink if you've bypassed it.

Click to expand...


The fresh water drained out fine. No issue there. Problem is, the raw water didn't drain. Those hose nipples are halfway up the unit and I don't know if there's water sitting below them.

The Shopvac idea sounds good. i'll try that.
 
"Winterizing the Water Heater"

Are you asking about the water heater or the heat exchanger on the engine?

I have found that it takes many rinsings to get the smell and taste of RV antifreeze out of the water system, especially if it's been used in the water heater. I don't have to winterize the potable water system anymore, but when I did, I switched to clearing the waterlines and fixtures with compressed air and draining the water heater.

On the water heater, open the drain at the bottom, then open the TP valve to break the vacuum. An empty tank won't be hqarmed by freezing temperatures.
 
quote:
Originally posted by rawidman

"Winterizing the Water Heater"

Are you asking about the water heater or the heat exchanger on the engine?

I have found that it takes many rinsings to get the smell and taste of RV antifreeze out of the water system, especially if it's been used in the water heater. I don't have to winterize the potable water system anymore, but when I did, I switched to clearing the waterlines and fixtures with compressed air and draining the water heater.

On the water heater, open the drain at the bottom, then open the TP valve to break the vacuum. An empty tank won't be hqarmed by freezing temperatures.

Click to expand...


What i'm trying to explain (apparently unsuccessfully) is this. There are 2 major water-filled components in the water heater- the fresh water storage tank, and the heat exchanger, whereby engine coolant heats the fresh water in the tank. I drained the fresh water storage area in the heater. No problem.

My ONLY issue is with the heat exchanger portion of the water heater. I disconnected the 2 hoses that run from the heater to the engine. I disconnected them at the heater. No water came out of the heater nipples. I am trying to remove any water that might be in there. Someone suggested using a shop vac. I'll try that.

Thanks.
 
wouldn't this be taken care of when you winterize the motors?
 
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

wouldn't this be taken care of when you winterize the motors?

Click to expand...


I agree, this would be considered part of the cooling system of the engine. If you want to do it seperately, you could use compressed air on this also, but typically, it would be filled with antifreeze when you winterized the engine.
 
I have a small 6 gallon water heater. The exchanger only hold a small amount of water and it had a restrictor in to reduce the flow. My guess is that if pink does flow thru it then the heat exchanger is partially clogged. The last couple of years I bypass the water heater and then store it at home. After removing it, I turn it upside down and drain as much water as I can. Since you do not have an air compressor, if you removed it you could take it some place and blow it out. Pink + Water Heater yields a bad smell on the fresh side.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

wouldn't this be taken care of when you winterize the motors?

Click to expand...


As I explained farther up in this thread, I winterize the motor by draining the block, water pump and manifolds. I don't run antifreeze through it, therefore no antifreeze is run through the heating coil in the water heater. Nothing is clogged- the heater is 5 months old and has worked perfectly all season.

I know how to force the water out of it, but I also explained that I don't own a compressor. I'm going to try and vacuum it out, instead.
 
quote:
Originally posted by JoLin

quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

wouldn't this be taken care of when you winterize the motors?

Click to expand...


As I explained farther up in this thread, I winterize the motor by draining the block, water pump and manifolds. I don't run antifreeze through it, therefore no antifreeze is run through the heating coil in the water heater. Nothing is clogged- the heater is 5 months old and has worked perfectly all season.

I know how to force the water out of it, but I also explained that I don't own a compressor. I'm going to try and vacuum it out, instead.

Click to expand...


Just because no water came out doesn't mean there's water in it. When you drained the block, this could have siphoned any water out of the heat exchanger portion.

You could try blowing through it. See if air comes out the other hose.
 
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