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11-08-2020, 09:30 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manning, South Carolina
Posts: 1,879
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Beware Camco Water Heater Tank Rinser
I bought one of these to clean my hot Water tank. Five seconds after I started, the long tube blew off inside the water heater where it now permanently resides. I don't know what this means for the future of the water heater but would advise others to use extreme caution in using this poorly designed and manufactured device. Chuck
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1999 Fleetwood Bounder 34J
Triton V10 Gas
2010 Chevy HHR Panel
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11-08-2020, 02:14 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 890
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Wow that sounds frustrating, thanks for the tip.
Have you tried filling the tank with water and then removing the plug, maybe if you do that a few times it will come out. If not you may consider getting one if those endoscopes and maybe you can get to it with some kind of grabber thingy.
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11-08-2020, 02:49 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,825
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Had one of those Camco Water Filler that you attach to your hose then stick down into gravity port to fill fresh water tank Second time I used it the Tube blew off.....been inside my fresh water tank since 2008 Plastic tube inside your Water Heater????
I can see several issues:
Getting hung up on one of the Dip Tubes
Banging around breaking one of the DIP Tubes
Getting stuck in drain hole and blocking draining of tank
If Suburban ....easy to remove the electric element and give you larger hole to retrieve it from
Same if Atwood ...access not as easy due to element being installed from backside of tank Either way....I would remove it
CAMCO......CHEAP, JUNK and I refuse to purchase anything from CAMCO
HINT: To flush water heater
Turn water supply off
Relieve System Pressure...open faucet hotside
Remove drain plug
Turn Water Supply ON...FULL Stand back and let it BLAST out the drain hole
*Cold inlet dip tube points downward and will stir up sediment on bottom of tank
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Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
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11-08-2020, 02:57 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Prescott, Arizona
Posts: 3,564
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I totally agree. Camco is mostly junk.
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'04 Newmar MADP, 1100w of solar, Rubicon toad
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11-08-2020, 02:57 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Mission BC
Posts: 739
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That’s sucks, as mentioned you can try a long fingered grabber. Used mine time when I drop a nut or bolt that my fingers or arms can’t reach.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-24...396H/206264355
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2018 Black Rock 24kts, 300 watts Solar, 4-230ah gc2’s
2008 Dodge 3500 4x4, 6.7, delete, LB, 6 spd man. Firestone bags.
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11-08-2020, 03:02 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,825
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Wilf
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If Atwood drain hole is only 1/2" opening...may be too small to use grabber and pull tube out
Suburban has 3/4" drain hole and MIGHT be able to use grabber
Personally I would remove element ...1" Opening
Plastic....Suburban WH it could get stuck between combustion/exhaust 'U' tube which is STACKED on top of each other.
Plastic up against combustion/exhaust 'U' Tube can melt
Less chance with Atwood due to diagonal 'U' Tube...
Water temps could reach 170*/180*F if T-STAT fails which could make that cheap plastic very soft/pliable (heck 130*/140*F might also...don't know temp rating of that cheap plastic)
Remove it...be done with it....why leave it to cause problems
__________________
I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
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11-08-2020, 03:02 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 3,009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad Wilf
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You beat me to it. I have had one in my toolbox most of my life. I also have several types of magnetic picker-uppers for the steel stuff.
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2005 Monaco Knight 40PLQ; Cummins 8.3L ISC330, Pacbrake, Allison 3000, Roadmaster RR8R, ScanGauge D, 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan VN750(Geezer Glide) on a Versahaul carrier pulling a 2013 Kia Soul+; 2.0L, 6 speed Sport shifter(great car) on an American Car Dolly(great dolly.)
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11-08-2020, 05:41 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 2,190
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That's an easy one, the grabber will get it in no time, mine has saved me a bunch of times. I've even started small nuts with it. Take out the T&P valve, it's another opening to work from.
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11-09-2020, 07:34 AM
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#9
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,771
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Another vote for the grabber! I couldn't get by without that thingy! 
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Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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11-09-2020, 08:02 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 690
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Funny.. I just bought 1 of those things. I guess I'll have to test it out before I use it.
Old Biscuit's method should work well, too. but since I've already drained the lines I'll try it next time.
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'18 Rockwood 2109S '17 Silverado 2500HD WT. Hookups? What hookups? Mountains, please.
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11-09-2020, 12:47 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,386
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Argosy
That's an easy one, the grabber will get it in no time, mine has saved me a bunch of times. I've even started small nuts with it. Take out the T&P valve, it's another opening to work from.
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Well, hopefully. Just went out and looked at my 6 gallon Atwood and see that the drain and the t/p valve holes are both 1/2 inch. On top of that, the drain on mine is angled up which would probably make things even more difficult.
The tube went in so it'll come out,,, but spotting it and getting it lined up might be the fun part. If it doesn't work out to be easy, then I'd think one of those spring loaded grabbers and an endoscope might be the solution.
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03 Itasca Sunova, Workhorse P32 with the 8.1 and 4L85-E
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11-09-2020, 12:53 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,825
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mudfrog
Well, hopefully. Just went out and looked at my 6 gallon Atwood and see that the drain and the t/p valve holes are both 1/2 inch. On top of that, the drain on mine is angled up which would probably make things even more difficult.
The tube went in so it'll come out,,, but spotting it and getting it lined up might be the fun part. If it doesn't work out to be easy, then I'd think one of those spring loaded grabbers and an endoscope might be the solution.
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Good luck 'fishing' thru those small openings
Unfortunate Atwood installed the element on backside...that is a 1" opening
If you have a combo gas/electric model
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I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
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11-09-2020, 06:28 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 1,422
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Maybe because mine is so old, I have used it for at least 15 years without any problems. But maybe mine wasn’t manufactured non-USA.
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11-10-2020, 04:44 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Haslet, Texas
Posts: 1,136
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckbear
I bought one of these to clean my hot Water tank. Five seconds after I started, the long tube blew off inside the water heater where it now permanently resides. I don't know what this means for the future of the water heater but would advise others to use extreme caution in using this poorly designed and manufactured device. Chuck
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 Sorry but I chuckled.
Might fill it with cold water and unscrew the nut and see it it flushes out.
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2013 Newmar Dutch Star 4318 Which now Identity's as a 2015
2022 Ford F250 Lariat 4X4
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