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Old 04-25-2014, 04:03 PM   #1
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How to Manually Retract Slide & Why No Water Heater Anode?

Hi, We recently purchased a 2011 Jayco Eagle Superlite 256RKS. Unfortunately, we didn't get any manual for the trailer nor for the appliances. In the process of doing maintenance and mods, getting ready for the camping season, a couple of questions have come up. I'm hoping maybe someone here can advise me.

This has a 13' deep slide, with the refrigerator in the slide. I haven't yet figured out how to manually retract the slide, should it ever fail to retract normally. Can someone please advise me?

Our last TT was a Forest River Rockwood, and it had one of those long anodes in the water heater that are designed to deteriorate due to the minerals in the water, and need to be replaced at least once a season. I thought that all RV water heaters had these anodes. So inside the exterior access to the hot water heater, I found the plug that I thought was the anode. I went to remove it and it is a plastic screw in plug, which surprised me, but there was no anode.

At first, I thought perhaps the previous owner had replaced the anode with a plastic plug, but two facts argue against that. 1) the diameter of the screw in plug is smaller than what I thought is the standard diameter of these anodes sold for RV's. And 2) even were I to find an anode with the smaller diameter threaded plug, the exterior plumbing near the plug is such that one could not really insert a long anode in there. So it appears to me that this is supposed to be a plug. So I am wondering, is there no anode? I thought all RV's had water heater anodes. Please advise.

Thanks!
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Old 04-25-2014, 04:45 PM   #2
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On my 2014, 30.5, directly across from the slide, on the other side of the TT, under the belly, there is a removable piece of plastic that exposes the crank point
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Old 04-25-2014, 04:47 PM   #3
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The plastic plug you describe, if it's at the bottom, may be the drain plug.

Don't know about my 2014, but I never replaced an anode on the 07 TT. Didn't even know there was one.
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Old 04-25-2014, 04:52 PM   #4
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Water heater, you probably have an Atwood which is aluminum and an anode is not recommended. Should have a plastic plug in place of the anode. The other popular heater is Suburban which is stainless steel and does require an anode.
Manual retract, not familiar with your model. We have the polar blah, blah which in part means a corrugated plastic cover on the belly. For the 2 back slides there are " hatches" about 2x2 that will give access to the slide motors. There is a hex drive in the same location for a socket/ratchet to retract. Don't recall the size but 3/4 would be a starting guess. Lie on my back and crank away for abt 45 min. The motor is on the side opposite the slide.
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Old 04-25-2014, 08:39 PM   #5
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Thanks very much for your responses! Much appreciated! Now I know I don't have to look for a water heater anode.

And tomorrow, I will crawl under the trailer and see if I can find "hatches" to access to the slide motors. My trailer does in fact have an enclosed underbelly -- the corrugated black plastic cover RedHorse1 spoke of.
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Old 04-26-2014, 05:04 AM   #6
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Have you looked everywhere for your assortment of appliance installed manuals. I found mine in a large package stuck in between the water heater and the trailer wall. My other trailer they were all in piled up in a kitchen drawer.

You can build up your installed appliance MANUAL PDFs pretty easy on GOOGLE. Just enter the appliance part number followed by the word MANUAL and usually one will pop-up for you to download.

Being old school I like having a manual around to thumb through...

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Old 04-26-2014, 06:20 AM   #7
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I would highly recommend you go to Jayco.com and at least download the owner's manual for your unit. It is under the customer service tab. Congrats on the new to you unit. I am sure you will have loads of fun. Lots of luck locating the manual slide. You never need it, until you do! lol
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Old 04-26-2014, 06:29 AM   #8
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Have you looked everywhere for your assortment of appliance installed manuals. I found mine in a large package stuck in between the water heater and the trailer wall. My other trailer they were all in piled up in a kitchen drawer.

You can build up your installed appliance MANUAL PDFs pretty easy on GOOGLE. Just enter the appliance part number followed by the word MANUAL and usually one will pop-up for you to download.

Being old school I like having a manual around to thumb through...

Roy Ken
I'm with Roy. Big binder full of all manuals.
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Old 04-26-2014, 08:16 AM   #9
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I did go to Jayco.com and was able to download the Owner's Manual for my year and model. I'm glad that my printer has the capability to print on both sides of the sheet, so that the manual is 1/2 as bulky -- it was 91 pages.

I've been through the TT everywhere, and I did find a manual for one appliance -- I believe it is the stove, but there is nothing else. The previous owners were very hard on this unit. They bought it new, used it for a while, got everything very dirty and broke a few things (no it wasn't kids -- suprisingly, a guy in his sixties and a woman in her late 50's), then left it sit in the driveway the last year and a half, where a lawn sprinkler head pounded one side and left mineral deposits (we finally were able to remove them). But my wife has cleaned it thoroughly, I fixed everything, brought the delayed maintenance up to date, and am doing various mods. In spite of the work, it was still a very good buy, as we bought it well under market, and from a private party, which in my state meant that I paid no sales tax when I transferred the title and registered it.

I'll see if I can locate that access point to the slide motor today. I'll also put it on my to do list to make a list of make and model numbers of all appliances and find pdf manuals online and print out. Great suggestion! Thanks again to each and every one of you who responded for all your help. Very much appreciated!
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Old 04-26-2014, 08:46 AM   #10
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snip......Now I know I don't have to look for a water heater anode.....snip
Welcome to JOF

Just a heads-up, the plastic plugs can leak after removing/replacing a couple of times so having a few extras on hand is recommended (cheap). Also, clean out the sediment build-up inside the 'cup' of the plastic plug if you re-use it.

Note, always use plastic plugs in an Atwood WH because any type of metal plug with cause a corrosive reaction.

Bob
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Old 04-26-2014, 11:33 AM   #11
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Welcome to JOF

Just a heads-up, the plastic plugs can leak after removing/replacing a couple of times so having a few extras on hand is recommended (cheap). Also, clean out the sediment build-up inside the 'cup' of the plastic plug if you re-use it.

Note, always use plastic plugs in an Atwood WH because any type of metal plug with cause a corrosive reaction.

Bob
Thanks, Bob.
Question, do you just buy the plastic plugs from big box home improvement stores? Or do you need to get them from an RV supply?
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Old 04-26-2014, 01:28 PM   #12
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Welcome to JOF

Just a heads-up, the plastic plugs can leak after removing/replacing a couple of times so having a few extras on hand is recommended (cheap). Also, clean out the sediment build-up inside the 'cup' of the plastic plug if you re-use it.

Note, always use plastic plugs in an Atwood WH because any type of metal plug with cause a corrosive reaction.

Bob
Good idea about the extra hot water heater plugs. Never have had to replace one, but you never know! Do any of you go to the extra trouble of blowing out your hot water heater. I have flushed from the top but have never put a jet stream inside from the bottom to flush it out. Any recommendations???
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Old 04-28-2014, 08:12 PM   #13
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Thanks to some of the replies here, I did find the access panel for the slide on our 256RKS, and it is where suggested, about a 2' x 2' panel in the covering of the underbelly, opposite side from the slide out. And FYI, mine takes a 5/8" socket.

And also, FYI, my spare tire access requires a 3/4" socket. My spare is underneath the trailer, in the center, and about 25% of the way back from the tongue. Mine can be taken down or up with the 3/4" socket from just under the forwardmost door on the TT.

Thanks again for all your help! Now I need to stop by HD and pick up a couple of the correct plastic plugs to keep on hand for the water heater.
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Old 04-29-2014, 08:46 AM   #14
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Congratulations on your new trailer, and welcome to the JOF! As you have seen, the folks on this forum are super helpful - always willing to share their wealth of information, experience and wisdom. Glad they were able to help you find the info you needed.

I have a 2013 Eagle 266RKS; same basic floor plan, but about 1-1/2' longer. Don't you just love the open feeling and the extra countertop space you get with a rear kitchen layout? I just spent my first week camping in it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope yours brings you as much pleasure as mine has already!
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Old 04-29-2014, 09:04 AM   #15
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Camco makes a inexpensive wand that you can use to flush out the wh thru the bottom hole.
You will be surprises at the deposits that will wash out. I try to do mine when I drain the wh and have pressurized water.
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Old 04-29-2014, 09:13 AM   #16
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Congratulations on your new trailer, and welcome to the JOF! As you have seen, the folks on this forum are super helpful - always willing to share their wealth of information, experience and wisdom. Glad they were able to help you find the info you needed.

I have a 2013 Eagle 266RKS; same basic floor plan, but about 1-1/2' longer. Don't you just love the open feeling and the extra countertop space you get with a rear kitchen layout? I just spent my first week camping in it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope yours brings you as much pleasure as mine has already!
Thanks. You are right -- everyone on this forum has been so very helpful since I asked a few questions.

I looked up your 266RKS -- very nice! -- a slightly stretched version of our 256RKS. I researched floor plans and specs very intensely for several months. Like you, we liked the rear kitchen layouts for the counter space, we wanted to stay a little over 28', wanted a large deep slide, and a lot of storage for the size. I found several models somewhat similar, but they all had considerably less storage than the 256RKS. We were fortunate to find a good buy on one from a private party, which also means in our state, no sales tax. I've been tinkering, doing a lot of mods, and so on, getting ready for the summer camping season, which for us starts May 19. We're really looking forward to it!

Thanks again, and enjoy your trailer this summer!
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Old 04-29-2014, 09:20 AM   #17
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Camco makes a inexpensive wand that you can use to flush out the wh thru the bottom hole.
You will be surprises at the deposits that will wash out. I try to do mine when I drain the wh and have pressurized water.
Thanks for the tip! That should do a much better job than just a garden hose. I just ordered one from Amazon.
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