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Originally Posted by TMfor4ofus
If I drain the fresh water tank does it also drain the water heater? I'm just wondering if the water heater holds water all the time unless its pumped out? ... It must not be draining the WH when I drain the FW tank because ...
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So in theory if everything is drained out and I fill the fresh water tank does the water heater get filled too? Or does it need the pump to fill it?
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Curt and Jennifer -
With regard to draining: Draining the fresh water tank by itself does not drain the water heater. Take a look at this diagram in my Tech Stuff album to understand why.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...&pictureid=435
The fresh water tank, and nothing else, empties through the left-most drain valve, while the water heater drains through the second valve. And before the water heater will drain, you must turn on at least one hot water faucet to admit air into the water heater as the water drains out.
This means that the water heater does not have to be pumped out (your original question). As others have said, it will gravity-drain if you open the separate drain valve, and turn on a faucet.
As for filling, Dick is right that simply filling the fresh water tank does NOT automatically fill the water heater. Look at the diagram again. If you fill the fresh water tank, water would have to flow through the pump to get to the water heater. As it turns out, very little water will free-flow through a pump if it is not running. Beside that, in my 2720SL at least, the water heater is higher than the water tank, so water would have to flow uphill to get from one to the other. So in order to fill the water heater, you must either use the pump, or hook up to city water.
Summary. The fresh water tank and the water heater should be treated as two separate devices. They do not automatically fill together, and they do not automatically drain together. As long as you are aware of how to handle them both, you are good to go.
Bill