To Drain or Not to Drain?

[jwishart]

Is it good, or not good to leave water in the freshwater and/or hot water tank, if you plan on not using the boat for a couple of weeks?

[Go Aweigh2452]

Is it good, or not good to leave water in the freshwater and/or hot water tank, if you plan on not using the boat for a couple of weeks?

Not sure if good or not... But I leave mine pretty much how I got back with and then fill it prior to going back out... Been doing it this way since 1996 with both 2452's. During the winter, I empty about half way and leave the water heater on...

[Tedster]

I say keep it filled, if you drain it and someone turns on the hotwater switch while connected to shore power and the tank is empty....you will burn up the element in a hurry.

[bradvo]

yup, leave it filled

[Randygh]

I drain my water tank and water heater tank after every trip on the water. We don't use our boat frequently enough and in the summer it gets too hot to leave water in the tanks. I'm sure it would end up growing bugs. I plumbed my system so my water tank and water heater drain into a common line that has a small pump. It provides water to my gunnel handwash spigot, so when I drain my system I shut off my main pump, open the faucets, open the drain line for the hot water tank, turn on the little pump and water is all pumped out. Really slick.

Ted has a point about being sure to turn off the breaker to the water heater when the tank is empty.

[jwishart]

Thanks for the feedback!

I seem to get the plastic smell in the water if I leave it in for a couple of weeks. I don't know if I get that smell because the water tank isn't very old, or the water is turning stagnant. I guess I should pick up some water tank freshener.

I have a wire that is connected to a screw on the panel. I run the wire through the center of the breaker for the hot water heater. It prevents the switch from being accidentally flipped.

[Eeyore]

I follow Doug's plan and I also clean the entire system annually. I toss in a little bleach, let is slosh awhile, drain it, fill it, at least a couple of times and I am good to go. I also have an inline filter which I change at the same time. I know the bleach sounds odd-but I got that from one of the local companies that do water systems, and no one has died yet.

Todd

[Go Aweigh2452]

When I first got Go Aweigh To, I fired up the water heater only to find out it was filled with antifreeze... Well, that smell and taste were on the element and would not go away. Ken suggested we add one of those small food flavor bottles of peppermint... Well it worked and I think 1/2 the small bottle would have done the trick as well. Our water has been sweet ever since. If it ever gets nasty, I'll add the 1/4 cup of bleach, rinse after a few hours and then 1/2 or 1/4 bottle of liquid peppermint...