[C320-list] winterizing

[Jeff Hare]

My experience is that I can get all the water out using a shop vac but Not
from the regular water heater drain fitting.  I can get all the water out
from the cold water inlet (which is just below the overflow fitting).  I
believe that inlet has a pipe that extends to the bottom of the tank feeing
cold water in at the lowest point to preserve the water heater
stratification (hottest water at the top, coldest water at the bottom).
Once the brass whale check valve is removed , from the cold water inlet,
you're sucking water from the lowest point in the tank.

When I did this the first time, I followed up with the compressor and got no
more water, so now I leave the compressor in my woodshop and shaved a bit
more time off the process.  :)

My $.02
-Jeff Hare

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of jbrown5093 at yahoo.com
Sent: Sunday, November 2, 2014 2:09 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] winterizing

Thanks Alan and Chris. Water expanding in the fittings and joints would not
be good Jim brown




Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 2, 2014, at 8:48 AM, Allan S Field <allan.field at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
> I remember Gerry Douglas from Catalina making a statement several 
> years ago that almost all hot water heater failures are due to poor 
> winterizing - not getting all the water out.  My own experience is 
> that even with a large shop vac, I don't get all the water out.  I 
> need the air compressor to get the last of the water out.
> 
> 
> Allan S. Field
> Sea Shadow - #808
> Columbia, MD
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On 
> Behalf Of jim brown
> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2014 8:29 AM
> To: 320
> Subject: [C320-list] winterizing
> 
> In thinking about winterizing this year I began to wonder why it's 
> necessary to drain the water heater bone dry to prevent freezing 
> damage. If the drain is open and there is a small amount of water 
> left, when it freezes wouldn't it just expand by going up and cause no 
> pressure damage on the sides or bottom? Same for the water tanks?  I 
> always vacuum out the hot water tank and make sure the water tanks are dry
but wonder if it's necessary.
> 
> 
> Jim Brown
> Desafinado
>