Hot water tank

[clspds]

Can some of you more experienced folks tell me the proper technique for cleaning your hot water tank? I drain mine 3 to 4 times per year but I feel that there is still sediment in the tank. Thanks
Paul

[clspds]

Can some of you more experienced folks tell me the proper technique for cleaning your hot water tank? I drain mine 3 to 4 times per year but I feel that there is still sediment in the tank. Thanks
Paul

[Highgturn]

Paul,

You remove the plastic plug and throw it away. You buy yourself a brass replacement. The reason for this is that the plastic one will eventually fail and start leaking. When that happens, if the right conditions prevail, some of that water can end up in the coach...not good, ask me how I know. Now...you can buy a plastic device made for this from Camping World which screws on the end of a garden hose. It has a near 90 degree bend on the end. This is a poorly made product so I recommend you make one with .250"� copper tubing, a hose fitting, and a on/off valve available at Lowe's or Home Depot. With all this said, you insert this into the water heater through the drain hole and wash out all the calcium crud that will come out. You will be amazed at how much stuff will be in there. When you put the brass plug in be sure to insulate it with some kind of thread sealer so it wont leak and suffer from dissimilar metal corrosion. Rockintom can tell you the name of a good product to seal it with. I can't think of the name of it right now. Hope this helps.

[wrongway]

Before I add a brass fitting to a aluminum tank, I would refer to Atwood service and ask them about adding the fitting. We have been instructed at service school (Atwood water heaters) not to add the brass style due to the reaction between the brass and aluminum tank. Especially the petcock radiator style, as it does not allow the tank to drain fast enough to remove particules. Flushing the tank for a short period as you drain is the best attempt to get as much out of your tank as possible.
I am sure that it does work well for some, but would check it out with Atwood.

[Highgturn]

Just to save you the effort, I did call Atwood and they will tell you not to put the brass plug in but they will not admit the plastic plug they use is problematic. The plug is hollow and the distance between the thread base and the inside is too thin to last. It will eventually start leaking. If you are hard over on using the plastic, at least use a new one each time you flush. There are several of us using the brass plug with no problems for well over a year, as long as you insulate between the two dissimilar metals with a thread sealer. MTCW

[headinsouth]

Hey Paul, Camping World sells a water nozzel that fits on the end of a water hose that will break up the sediment and wash it out of your water heater.... I had it with me this past weekend.. It works pretty good

[rockintom]

Here's my $.02. I was flushing the water heater every 6 weeks as a FTer (too often). About the 3rd time I did it the plastic plug head snapped off. I was out in the sticks and opted for the only thing I could find, a brass plug at hardware store. After much ado, I discussed with a Atwood rep.(lots of years with the company). I was concerned about galvinization/electrolysis like Highgturn and wrongway said. He said no problem, he had not seen any issues. I used Permetex high performance thread sealer (auto parts store-in a white tube and nozzle applicator)on the plug, and tighten just a tad more than finger tight. Works greats after 2 years since installation. No signs or degradation of the threads in the tank, etc. I inspect closely on each service.

I use one of those wands for flushing the water heater tank in the RV section of most Wally World/CW/RV parts store. About $9.00. We use a water softener all the time since new so the scum that comes out is not much and very soft. I do it now about 3 times a year. So far so good. Love the 16 gal capacity tank. HTHs

[MT flyfisher]

I used Atwood's plastic plug in my Airsteam's Atwood water heater for 2 years, flushed my tank religiously every month, had a ton of calcified minerals come out each time (although I used a whole house water filter on the incoming water source), and finally broke off the plastic plug's head while it was threaded in the water heater. My seldom-used fish filet knife was the only way I could get it out!

Since then, I purchased a Camco anode rod (the type shown as being for Atwood water heaters) which has a steel head (I think that's what it is anyway), I wrap it with teflon tape, and put it in the tank.

In over a year of use (two summer seasons, totalling about 7 months total) this has worked beautifully. There's no sediment that I can see at all when I flush the tank, the anode rod is easy to put in and remove, and rock solid.

I know Atwood says not to use an anode rod, it's not needed, and will void the warranty.
I understood that this was because some people keep the rod in too long, it corrodes and becomes impossible to remove. I may be wrong in that regard, but for me it has worked perfectly, and I'm willing to use it for the forseeable future - at least until in pay $1,000 of replacing a water heater prematurely!

John

[maverik/gypsy]

Many thanks to all for your info and alerting me to something I was not aware---cleaning the hot water tank. Dove in to it today. Made a flush hose and suction water remover and was I amazed with what came out. I already have a good supply of plastic plugs that I purchased in case I was to loose one so I replaced the plug with a new one with some teflon tape around the threads. Cleaned and Painted the bottom plate for rust prevention. ALSO, I do have a water softner, still in the box, and for sure I will use it from now on especially since the Excel will be my Condco On Wheels. And, as one of you WARNED, I did REFILL THE TANK bEFORE FIRING IT UP. This site is really appreciated. MAVERIK