Easy Way to Drain Water Heater?

[Sailorman375]

Is there any way short of draining into the bilge? I need to replace my old water heater. There is a shut off valve on the cold side and wondering if I shut that and run hot at a faucet if that will do anything or am I stuck draining into the bilge.

[witzgall]

It is hard to say without looking at your particular installation. For most, it is either the bilge, or a bucket. If you drain it only so much to the point the pressure drops as the faucet is open and the pump off, you will still have a good bit of water in most heaters. It will make removal tougher, and wet (for most installations).

Chris

[mike d.]

If it like a home water heater, with inlet and outlet at the top no!! you could put a hose on the drain spigot over board, and pressurize the tank with air to push it up hill. this will only leave a small amount to deal with when you take it out

[Therapy]

Probably will need to change oulet hose and do the bucket thing.

Are your bilges normally dry?

[Sailorman375]

Bilge is dry, but water heater is under cabin sole just over bilge. Long run up to where I could siphon, so I guess I'll let the bilge pump take care of it.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Sailorman375

Is there any way short of draining into the bilge? I need to replace my old water heater. There is a shut off valve on the cold side and wondering if I shut that and run hot at a faucet if that will do anything or am I stuck draining into the bilge.

why not just put a hose on the drain and pump it out (anywhere you want) with an external pump?

[jeremiason]

I don't know when they started it, but all newer Marine Hot Water Heaters have a pressure relief valve that is suppose to be plumbed to a thru hull.

If you have one, it is normally on the bottom of the tank and has a level operated valve.

[Maine Sail]

I use a "drill pump" available at Wal*Mart for about $7.00. Connect it to the water heater drain, open the drain and then start sucking. Once the drill is on crack the T&P valve open and the water will begin to flow.



The pump is cheap and easy....

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Sailorman375

Is there any way short of draining into the bilge? I need to replace my old water heater. There is a shut off valve on the cold side and wondering if I shut that and run hot at a faucet if that will do anything or am I stuck draining into the bilge.

Bilge is dry, but water heater is under cabin sole just over bilge. Long run up to where I could siphon, so I guess I'll let the bilge pump take care of it.

Since you're contemplating replacement, I assume that means you can actually get to the current HWH...

If you run a drain hose from the HWH bib and lead that overboard, you can get quite a lot of water out using compressed air fed through your shore water inlet. First, cut off water supply to the HWH and drain what you can through a HW faucet.

Then use compressed air at whatever PSI corresponds to the pressure regulator on the inlet. You'd want to have the "bitter end" of that drain hose in your hands and controlled toward the end of that operation, otherwise the hose end will fly all over the place.

Not sure how that would compare to using the vacuum (e.g., drill pump) method...

-Chris