I know that you should empty the water heater if it’s not going to be in use “for an extended period of time “…..but what defines extended time? We just returned from a camping trip and will not take it out again for two months…..empty it or leave it be? I flushed it prior to this recent camping trip
Thanks,
Bill
Bill-
I think this falls under "six of one, a half-dozen of the other," i.e., either way will do.
I mainly used my coach for snowbird travel and thus emptied the water system (and everything else except the gas tank) on return from a time away.
Here are a couple points that may incline you one way or the other:
1) The water heater tank is (usually) not open to the air, but the fresh water tank is; at some point you would consider dumping and disinfecting the fresh water supply system parts, and that'd be a logical time to include a water heater tank dump.
2) "Two months" from now puts us at the threshold of October. I live in the Northeast. October is often the last month of practical camping before one should winterize and put the coach to bed. Some Falls unexpected events have prevented me from doing that work until I was up against the first hard freeze of the season. If I were in your shoes, I would dump the water and be ready for winterizing, to reduce the chance of getting caught short of time. Where you live and travel "Your Mileage May Vary," as Joan would say.
Mark H.
Bill, it looks like you are in Orange County, CA. We are East of Sacramento, CA at about 800 ft. I don't routinely winterize the rig as winter relatively mild, and don't drain the water heater except when flushing. YMMV
joel