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Flushig out water heater
Yahoo Message Number: 64495
Is there any tricks i need to know for flushing out the water heater in me 1987 multi plan thanks Jody in Valencia.     .
2009 Kodiak 32 foot Island Bed
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Flushig out water heater
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 64497
Here's what I do.  First get one of the water heater flushing tools sold online and at Camping World.  When I went looking for a picture of it, I found this explanation for cleaning out a water heater.  It's pretty close to what I do and it has a picture of the flush tool.
 http://www.1tree.net/adventure/full-time/water_heater_cleaning.htm

He uses a funnel and only puts vinegar in the water heater, that's probably a better way to do it.  I turn off the water pump and drain the water heater then I add vinegar to an empty water tank, usually 3 or 4 gallon jugs, add some water to that and run the pump until the water heater fills up.  I turn it on and let it heat up and then off and let it cool down.  If I'm in a hurry, not somewhere I can use water from another source, I don't heat it up but just let it sit in the tank for an hour or two.  I also run the water through my faucets to get some vinegar on them as well.  I drain the water heater and use the flush wand until it the water runs clear.  Drain and refill the tank and run it through the faucets to clean them as well.  Drain the water tank again, refill and I'm done.   I do this about once a year.
It's amazing how much gunk comes out.

-- Jonna in Tortuga, 2001 Teal RB Find us MAPhttp://map.datastormusers.com/user2.cfm?user=1013> Follow the BLOG herehttp://www.baddog.com/blog/blog.html>
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Flushig out water heater
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 64500
Quote
Here's what I do.  First get one of the water heater flushing
tools sold
 
Quote
online and at Camping World.  When I went looking for a picture of
it, I
 
Quote
found this explanation for cleaning out a water heater.  It's
pretty close

Quote
to what I do and it has a picture of the flush tool.
 http://www.1tree.net/adventure/full-time/water_heater_cleaning.htm

He uses a funnel and only puts vinegar in the water heater, that's probably a better way to do it.  I turn off the water pump and drain the
water heater
 
Quote
then I add vinegar to an empty water tank, usually 3 or 4 gallon
jugs, add
 
Quote
some water to that and run the pump until the water heater fills
up.  I turn
 
Quote
it on and let it heat up and then off and let it cool down.  If
I'm in a
 
Quote
hurry, not somewhere I can use water from another source, I don't
heat it up
 
Quote
but just let it sit in the tank for an hour or two.  I also run
the water
 
Quote
through my faucets to get some vinegar on them as well.  I drain
the water

Quote
heater and use the flush wand until it the water runs clear.
Drain and
 
Quote
refill the tank and run it through the faucets to clean them as
well.  Drain
 
Quote
the water tank again, refill and I'm done.  I do this about once
a year.

Quote
It's amazing how much gunk comes out.

-- Jonna in Tortuga, 2001 Teal RB Find us MAP Follow the BLOG here

On 3/23/06, camper2831  wrote:

Is there any tricks i need to know for flushing out the water heater in me 1987 multi plan thanks Jody in Valencia.    .

Jonna thanks for the help i will do it over the weekend thanks.
Jody.

Quote

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
2009 Kodiak 32 foot Island Bed
Re: Flushig out water heater
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 64519
Quote
Is there any tricks i need to know for flushing out the water heater
I use a completely different method from our other correspondent.
I'll explain

a) wait for a warm day, wear sandals
b) heat the water maybe halfway to increase solubility of the stuff
c) pump off, open drain, open air vent, let it flow
d) use a garden hose with a nozzle that fits partway into the drain.
e) with the nozzle tight into the tank, inject some water.  If I'm  hand-holding the nozzle I'll be able to hold about half as much  pressure as the pump would give.  That's what I want.
f) watch as the soft crystals spray on your feet
e) rinse and repeat

I happen to use a magnesium sacrificial anode (discussed earlier) - new one goes on now.  I do this after about 100 camping days (hoping for twice this summer :-)

John