I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected to the
exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much as
possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds like it
should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??

"C & E" wrote in message
...
I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected to
the exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much
as possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds
like it should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??


MY tricks that I use at MY cabin are these:

When you hook up the drain hose, pull the pressure relief thingie so that it
lets air in. If possible, have a setup where you can actually put water IN
the outlet to blow out crud that may be blocking it. They are simple and
cheap to make from pieces of hose and connectors. I also open up every and
all the water lines in the place AFTER, of course turning off the water.
duh.

If yours is draining slow, there is not enough air going in, or an
obstruction somewhere. If you DO make the setup for putting water into the
drain spout, just run it for a second or two, and not a long time.
Obstructions should move along quickly, and running it for longer would do
no more good.

STeve

According to C & E :
I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected to the
exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much as
possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds like it
should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??

The trick that I tried most recently is similar - I used an
air compressor to "push in" thru an opened hot water faucet,
and out thru the HWT tank bottom drain line. Going _very_ gently.

While the HWT tank is capable of handling 200PSI or so, and the
compressor has difficulty getting to 100PSI, I never let the HWT
pressure get above about 10PSI.

The shop vac should work almost as well.

[I have to use pressure to blow it, because the HWT is _below_
the septic tank level, and I can't use gravity feed.]
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

My children did not have any trouble exhausting the hot water supply
while taking their 'extended' showers. They would complain that 'the
water got cold'. I would not consider 15-20 minutes to be a long time
for 40 gallons to exit through the small hose-bib connection.

On Thu, 17 Aug 2006 16:31:14 -0400, "C & E"
wrote:

I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected to the
exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much as
possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds like it
should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??

sometimes depending on types of faucetsyou can get cold water back in. open
the bottom and the pressure relief and it shud speed things up
"C & E" wrote in message
...
I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected to
the exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much
as possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds
like it should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??

No downside.

Waht's the goal? If you just want to flush otu the scale, just hook a
hose and run to a drain. Open the valve,a nd wait awhile.

If you want an empty tank, then the shop vac pressure idea is
excellent.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"C & E" wrote in message
...
I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even
the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected
to the
exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much
as
possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds
like it
should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??

Ten-to-one it's the pressure relief valve that needs to be opened.
Frank

you might have sediment built up in the tank. This also insulates the tank,
taking more heat to get the water hot.

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Aug 2006 16:31:14 -0400, "C & E"
wrote:

I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even the
new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected to
the
exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as much as
possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank. Sounds like
it
should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??


I don't see a huge problem but the real problem is probably scale in
the valve. You might end up packing it in tighter.

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:uw4Fg.7317$Mz3.18@fed1read07...

"C & E" wrote in message
...
I've drained these tanks but it takes forrrrreeeeeevvvver to do. Even
the new one at the cabin. I was thinking about holding a hose connected
to the exhaust port of a shop vac around a hot water spigot, sealing as
much as possible with a rag and a firm grip, to pressurize the tank.
Sounds like it should work. Do you folks see a downside to this??


MY tricks that I use at MY cabin are these:

When you hook up the drain hose, pull the pressure relief thingie so that
it lets air in. If possible, have a setup where you can actually put
water IN the outlet to blow out crud that may be blocking it. They are
simple and cheap to make from pieces of hose and connectors. I also open
up every and all the water lines in the place AFTER, of course turning off
the water. duh.

If yours is draining slow, there is not enough air going in, or an
obstruction somewhere. If you DO make the setup for putting water into
the drain spout, just run it for a second or two, and not a long time.
Obstructions should move along quickly, and running it for longer would do
no more good.

STeve
**That's it** !! The pressure relief valve to allow more air in. I felt
that it seemed starved for air hence my feeble solution with the shop vac.
All due respect to those who suggested the sediment issue - legit for the
home tank but not the cabin which is new. I'll probably attempt your
reverse flow to the outlet to stir the bottom of the tank.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
No downside.

Waht's the goal? If you just want to flush otu the scale, just hook a
hose and run to a drain. Open the valve,a nd wait awhile.

If you want an empty tank, then the shop vac pressure idea is
excellent.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.
Oddly, Sormin', I need to remove the heated water because of bacteria growth
in the tepid water which makes it smell of sulfur. When I drain it between
visits I have no such problem. The speed of draining is an issue in the
winter for the most part.

use BALL valve they dont clog and allow easiest water flow, also shut
reliably, a real problem with the average tank valve often plastic
never designed for many opens and closes

"C & E" wrote in message
...

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
No downside.

Waht's the goal? If you just want to flush otu the scale, just hook a
hose and run to a drain. Open the valve,a nd wait awhile.

If you want an empty tank, then the shop vac pressure idea is
excellent.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
.
Oddly, Sormin', I need to remove the heated water because of bacteria
growth in the tepid water which makes it smell of sulfur. When I drain it
between visits I have no such problem. The speed of draining is an issue
in the winter for the most part.

Stinky water? check out this link:
http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pag...r-heaters.html