Stuck Water Heater Plug

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tmccutcheon

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Posts
9
I bought a new Voltage fifth wheel this fall and aside from a few issues with the largest slide all has worked perfectly.  I winterized last weekend but could not get the water heater plug off.  I was afraid to turn too hard out of fear of stripping the plug head.  Admittedly, I was trying to use a wrench since I did not have the correct size socket.  Anyway, had a few punch-list items so took back to dealer and they are fixing and while there I asked them to "unstick" the water heater plug.  The repair guy told me he would get me a quote and I told him it was a warranty issue since the plug must be corroded.  We'll see what happens when I pick it up but I am not going to pay for them to turn a stuck plug after I bought the rig from them 2 months ago.  Anyway, has anyone else had a hard time getting the water heater plug off? 
 
Nylon plug or metal? Atwood heater or Suburban?

It's not all that unusual for the plug to get fairly well stuck, but not usually on a rig as new as yours. The nylon plugs are used on the Atwoods so that they won't damage the aluminum tank. The nylon plugs themselves can be a nuisance (definitely use a socket), but it avoids more serious problems and you can always cut the old one out and scrape the tank threads clean if you have to.
 
BruceinFL said:
Whatever happens, get a socket to fit the plug.

and if it's nylon a 6 point socket will work better...the 12 points tend to round off the flats..on my old trailer I used a deep socket to get past the fuel line..
You might want to consider a short nipple and a 1/4 turn ball valve if you have the room ..makes draining so much easier.
 
You might want to consider a short nipple and a 1/4 turn ball valve if you have the room ..makes draining so much easier.

Easier to drain the water, but harder to get out the accumulated salts in the bottom of the tank.  But you may not have that problem - depends on the mineral content of the water where you travel. Some years when I flush the heater I get a ton of the white sandy stuff, and other years little or none.
 
Gary..you think a full flow, 1/2 valve on a like size line, would restrict the drainage enough to allow a build up of deposits..???
 
Thanks for the replies.  It's a metal plug but not sure of the make as the rig (and documents that are in it) are at the dealer.  I will definetly get the correct socket size.
 
Gary..you think a full flow, 1/2 valve on a like size line, would restrict the drainage enough to allow a build up of deposits..

Yes, I do. 1/2" is much smaller than the drain opening, probably about half the cross-sectional area, plus any type of valve makes it more difficult to get a flushing tool (nozzle, extendios, whatever) inside. But that's only a concern if you get a lot of salts accumulating in the tank. And maybe not a big deal even if you do. An inch of white gritty stuff in the bottom of the tank maybe doesn't affect things a whole lot, but I prefer to flush it out if I can.
 
After it's out, use a teflon base pipe dope (NOT teflon tape) and snug it just enough so it doesn't leak.  I'm a retired plumber, and I've seen a few that needed to be heated with a torch the first time..

Ops
 
I think you need a 1 1/16 socket.  Mine does.  And maybe an extension if there are lines in the way.
 
COMer said:
I think you need a 1 1/16 socket.  Mine does.  And maybe an extension if there are lines in the way.

Same here and I really had to put some muscle into getting it loose the first time.
 
kjansen said:
OPS
I don't want to steal a thread, but could you expand on why it is better to use teflon dope instead of tape?

When you use the tape you need to leave the first 2 treads of the fitting clear..often the tape gets cut by the threads and a small piece of the tape is lost to the system..it can get stuck under a valve seat and foul it..a PIA in a water system..but dangerous in a gas system, if a gas valve doesn't seat fully, remember the tape, or dope is a thread lubricant and it is the metal, or other material, threads that make the seal..there is Teflon in some pipe dopes, which is preferred for most applications, and the chance of a problem is greatly, almost nil, minimized..I use caution to only use an amount that leaves a small bead when it is fully tightened and to not allow the first threads to be excessively coated..I holler at my trainees for excessive pipe dope on a finished connection..looks unprofessional & messy.
 
There is a special variety of teflon tape made for gas lines - it is yellow instead of white and a thicker, heavier duty material. All the plumbing gurus caution against using the regular white teflon tape on a gas line - always use the yellow.

I don't see any material difference in getting stray teflon tape or stray pipe dope in a gas line. Either one is likely to clog up an orifice somewhere. One needs to be very neat about applying either to the threads in a gas fitting, avoiding an extra "slop" that might get into the lines.

A pipe sealant fluid like TFE may be the best solution. It has teflon and PTFE for a sealant and also an anti-seize ingredient and works with both water and gas lines.
http://www.sealfast.com/d_teflon_tape.html
 
Gary ..yes..I have taught & been taught this for *years*. being refrigeration primarily for my earlier years it was pounded in our heads as the compressor mfgs would void if any evidence of the tape was found in a returned compressor..I've carried that over in my pipefitting..
I agree the yellow is a relative new, to me, addition along with the SS rated tape also.. as you said, and I tried to, "One needs to be very neat about applying either to the threads in a gas fitting, avoiding an extra "slop" that might get into the lines." That says it in a nut shell.
Thank you for clarifying..
 
Personally, I have found Icemaker's first suggestion to work just fine for me over the years.  A Teflon based dope on the threads.  And I don't even put the dope on the bottom couple of threads for "Just in case".

Have never had any leaks using the soapy water test.
 
Lowes carries it - the Oatey brand. So do most Ace hardware stores. Or order it from Amazon or ebay if a store doesn't have it.

If they don't recognize "yellow" teflon tape, ask for PFTE "gas" tape.
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=4027082
 
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