centralman Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I don't use my hot water tank ever as I have no use for it, but it was leaking so I have removed it from my Dolphin yesterday, and I would like to ask for some advice please: 1. Where can I get a cover that will be able to completely seal the opening? 2. Where can I get the caps to stop the water lines? 3. Would I be able to use the space to create an extra fresh water supply tank? If this is possible, any idea how? Thank you for your assistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) You can get plugs for the gas and water lines at most plumbing/hardware stores. Depending on how your RV is plumbed you might have to use a short pipe nipple to couple the two lines together so your hot faucet would work, even if there was no hot water. For the hatch just cut and glue a piece of plywood to fit inside the cover. Mount a RV style lock on and you would have a small outside storage. Water would be a problem as most water heaters are pressure fed and below the fresh water tank. About the easiest way would just put a 5 gal container in the space and just pour it into the main tank when it gets low. Edited July 1, 2016 by WME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centralman Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 Thanks for your advice! Do you know the specs of the PVC fittings? I would like to get some idea what I need to get, especially for the short pipe nipple to couple the cold and hot water lines together. The extra water storage container is a good idea. Thank you again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Just take the RV to your local Ace, let them look at the fittings and get you the right one. I think their 1/2". Follow the gas pipe back and see if it can be capped below the floor. so you can slid the water container in and out easier. A water leak is just annoying, but a gas leak can be dangerous. Get help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 My ACE hardware would not have anything. Must be some are better then others. I cursed my water-heater for years. Never used it, it adds extra weight, and made a mess every fall when I drained it to winterize. I finally got around to removing it this Spring. I did it in a sort of hurry with little planning. To my surprise - I needed NO fittings to close off the water lines. Bottom connection on the heater-tank was a plastic TEE. I just removed the bottom cold connection TEE, then removed the top hot connection - and screwed them together and that was that. Now have cold water coming out of the faucets in "hot" or "cold" mode. Stereo cold water is fine with me. I blocked the propane line with a male flare plug from Home Depot. I closed off the outside with a translucent fiberglass roof panel I had in my scrap pile. Maybe someday I'll paint it to make it look better. Works fine and lets natural light in so when I open the closet - I can see inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centralman Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 9 hours ago, WME said: Just take the RV to your local Ace, let them look at the fittings and get you the right one. I think their 1/2". Follow the gas pipe back and see if it can be capped below the floor. so you can slid the water container in and out easier. A water leak is just annoying, but a gas leak can be dangerous. Get help!! Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centralman Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 1 hour ago, jdemaris said: My ACE hardware would not have anything. Must be some are better then others. I cursed my water-heater for years. Never used it, it adds extra weight, and made a mess every fall when I drained it to winterize. I finally got around to removing it this Spring. I did it in a sort of hurry with little planning. To my surprise - I needed NO fittings to close off the water lines. Bottom connection on the heater-tank was a plastic TEE. I just removed the bottom cold connection TEE, then removed the top hot connection - and screwed them together and that was that. Now have cold water coming out of the faucets in "hot" or "cold" mode. Stereo cold water is fine with me. I blocked the propane line with a male flare plug from Home Depot. I closed off the outside with a translucent fiberglass roof panel I had in my scrap pile. Maybe someday I'll paint it to make it look better. Works fine and lets natural light in so when I open the closet - I can see inside. Thank you Jdemaris. It looks like the setup of the pipes is a bit different on my rig? I'll check to see the feasibility of your suggestion but thank you nonetheless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 The water connections on the heater-tank should be male 1/2" pipe thread. So to plug your water-lines you need a male 1/2" pipe-thread plug. On my rig, the propane line and fittings are 3/8" . On some other rigs 1/2" is used. Use a flare-cap if capping a fitting on the propane. Use a flare-plug if plugging a line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centralman Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 Thanks again Jdemaris! I bought a couple of 1/2" plugs from local hardware store and after I plug them in I find that water still comes out from around the pipe. The plug must be too deep so the water tube wasn't sealed properly. I resorted to filling the plug partially with my glue gun and then waited a bit for it to cool down and plug it on. And it worked! No water leaking out finally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 What ever works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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