Suburban water heater anode issues

[flybouy]

You can buy a water heater flush tool also. It's connects to a garden hose and has a plastic tube that's bent on the end that fits thru the drain hole. Turn on water, rotate and move tool around to flush out the tank. Prepare to get wet. They cost under $10.

BTW, I have a small wet/dry vac that I made an adapter to connect the flush tool to the vac. After draining or cleaning the tank I use that to extract the excess water from in and around the tank.

A note for anyone using vinegar in the tank... wet down the side of the trailer before draining out the vinegar and keep it wet while draining to prevent staining and removing the wax from the finish. Vinegar is acidic with a Ph around 2.5 for white vinegar.

[mj5150]

Originally Posted by cavie

you fill the WH using the RV plumbing. City water or FW and pump.
WH valves must be "In Service" not Bypassed. Open the pressure relief valve until the water comes out. nEVER TURN ON THE ELECTRIC WITH AN EMPTY WH.

I'll need to think on this further. I like the idea of flushing with vinegar and I want to do it, it's just not clear to me how to only fill the hot water heater. I don't want to buy 40 gallons of vinegar and flush the fresh water tank too.
When I flip the lever from 'flow' to 'fill', does it fill the hot water tank first, then start filling the fresh water tank?
I'd have to remove the hose connected now and use a pump of some kind to push the vinegar.

-Mike

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by mj5150

I'll need to think on this further. I like the idea of flushing with vinegar and I want to do it, it's just not clear to me how to only fill the hot water heater. I don't want to buy 40 gallons of vinegar and flush the fresh water tank too.
When I flip the lever from 'flow' to 'fill', does it fill the hot water tank first, then start filling the fresh water tank?
I'd have to remove the hose connected now and use a pump of some kind to push the vinegar.

-Mike

One way to "fill the water heater tank" is to drain the water heater tank, reinstall the anode or use a threaded plug, then remove the pressure relief valve, put a funnel into that opening and pour the vinegar into the funnel. That's about the best way to get the most "undiluted vinegar" into the tank.

Essentially, there's no reason to "fill to capacity". If you use a "spray device" or a small flexible tube on a squeeze bottle or syringe, you can "fairly well saturate the interior walls of the water heater tank".

IMHO, if you've got so much "buildup" inside the water heater that you need to completely fill it with vinegar, then you've already waited way too long to start trying to protect it. Most water heaters will have a "slight buildup of scale" and that only needs to be "doused with vinegar" not "submerged with vinegar".....