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Old 12-10-2013, 05:11 PM   #1
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Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

When I finished winterizing in October I kept thinking I forgot something. It was too easy. Now I remember what I forgot to do. I forgot to drain the hot water heater and bypass it before running antifreeze through the system.

Not too worried about freezing on account of the water in the water heater, as the vehicle is stored in a heated garage almost all of the time.

But I am wondering if I have messed up the elements in the water heater. It's an electric hot water heater.

Ideas?

Thanks in advance!

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Old 12-10-2013, 05:41 PM   #2
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

My understanding is that it should not cause a problem, the main reason to bypass and drain, is to not use so much antifreeze. Just give it a good flushing in the spring.

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Old 12-11-2013, 09:58 PM   #3
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

You're fine.
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Old 12-12-2013, 09:39 AM   #4
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scalf77
My understanding is that it should not cause a problem, the main reason to bypass and drain, is to not use so much antifreeze. Just give it a good flushing in the spring.

Greg
Agreed, if you are worried about it, turn your bypass valves now and just drain the HW heater. That way it won't sit all winter soaking in or doing any possible damage.
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Old 12-12-2013, 10:30 AM   #5
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

When I had either of my trailers, I never bypassed the heater. If fact, I never used antifireeze because I used them more weekends than not in the winter. I simply opened all the low-point drains and left the water heater drain plug out. For extreme cold storage, I would blow the lines out with compressed air. I didn't want lose play time on the weekend having to flush out the antifreeze and then re-winterize it.
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Old 12-12-2013, 08:08 PM   #6
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

Did you end up pumping a bunch of antifreeze into it? I started using the cheapest Vodka I can find. Does not leave the greasy feeling when you open the system up in the spring. I add food coloring so you can see it at the tap. Oh ya comes in handy if your snowed in at camp
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Old 12-12-2013, 08:53 PM   #7
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

I use compressed air too, or I used to. I just switched to Yodavan's idea. It's probably cheaper than RV antifreeze. I know it will attract lot lizards, but will it attract any other rodents?
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Old 12-12-2013, 10:12 PM   #8
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Re: Water Heater (How Badly Have I Messed Up?)

I switch the bypass, drain the heater by removing/replacing the anode, and blow out all the lines with compressed air.

The only anti-freeze I put in is down the trap for the grey water tank.
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