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Topic: Atwood water heater drain plug (Read 875 times) previous topic - next topic

Atwood water heater drain plug

Grrr! Put last years drain plug back in with 3 wraps of teflon tape, it leaked slightly. Again with 4/5 wraps and it leaked slightly, did it again with pipe dope and a wrap of Teflon tape, it leaked slightly.
Got a new plug (Camco brand) read that 5 wraps of teflon tape would be perfect and it has the slightest of drips!
This is (supposed to be) a simple plug job, I have plumbed whole houses without leak and this is frying my brain cells!
Any ideas, advice, suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks
David

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #1 –
Try the blue liquid Teflon with no tape, it works for me in those cases, let it dry according to the instructions.

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #2 –
Make sure the threads on the waterheater tank aren't cracked  The blue sealant should fix it

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #3 –
I use ptfe tape on all my threads, brilliant stuff

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #4 –
All this tape and pipe dope sounds really good until it doesn't work, so go to the plumbing department and by a white plastic threaded pipe plug. No leaks fits perfectly every time and cheap.
IMHO

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #5 –
Cracked treads not something I would have thought about
Thanks

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #6 –
Are you using a brass plug,if not try one.

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #7 –
No, using the standard plastic/ nylon. Brass is non conductive, just a standard plug I may have one somewhere.
Thanks

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #8 –
Quote from: "Irish" –
Grrr! Put last years drain plug back in with 3 wraps of teflon tape, it leaked slightly. Again with 4/5 wraps and it leaked slightly, did it again with pipe dope and a wrap of Teflon tape, it leaked slightly.
Got a new plug (Camco brand) read that 5 wraps of teflon tape would be perfect and it has the slightest of drips!
This is (supposed to be) a simple plug job, I have plumbed whole houses without leak and this is frying my brain cells!
Any ideas, advice, suggestions would be appreciated!
Thanks
David

I've had a slight drip twice immediately after replacing the plug.  Turned on the hot water heater and heated it up.  Drip stops and never came back.  Maybe the heat expands the plug enough to provide a tight seal that stays intact.   

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #9 –
Just like Joe said!
I did not have time to drain the water heater again to retry now that every has helped, and  had a 4 hour drive, the engine heats the water and upon arrival the drip was gone.
I will arm myself for next year with this new data and be ready for putting the drain plug back in.
Thanks all
David
 

Re: Atwood water heater drain plug

Reply #10 –
Permatex, right stuff will fix it. Amazing gasket maker