Driving with water heater empty

[Wagonmaster2]

I decided to drive to my first outing of the season campground without de-winterizing until I got there.  When I removed the drain plug from the water heater to flush it out a little bit of pink stuff ran out and quite a bit  of steam.  My 2004 Meridian normally heats the water in the water heater while driving but since it was practically empty there was no water in it to heat.

I let the water heater cool down for 2-3 hours before running cold water from the shore faucet assuming I shouldn't be putting cold water into a hot steam pot.  Finished filling it now and doing the first heating with the propane heater only just in case there could be any air pockets that might let the electric tubes over heat.  Not sure exactly how the engine fluid heats the water heater but could I have damaged anything by driving a couple hundred miles with the water heater empty.  After owning and de-winterizing for 7 years this is the first time I've left home with the water heater empty.  Never even gave all this a second thought.

Allen

 

[afchap]

No worries ...the motor aid heat is via coolant running through a metal tube welded on the outside rear of the tank ...no damage would be done, just some hot air in the tank.

 

[Wagonmaster2]

Thanks, I was kind of worried at first.  Keep thinking about a car's radiator fluid running low and what it can do if cold water is poured in too soon.  I'm definitely going to watch this a little closer in the future.

Allen

 

[hdmox]

X2.  Afchap has it exactly right, and you were thinking well to let the thing cool before filling.