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04-14-2013, 07:19 AM
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#21
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 11
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Hello all!!
New to the forum and definitely excited by all of the advice I can find here. I'm the proud owner of a 2012 Jayco X17Z and this is the type of thread I was looking for. Last camping season, my hot water was, for lack of a better term, just smelly! Sort of a combination of anti-freeze and sulfur smell. Not sure if the dealership didn't fully de-winterize it before I took her home or what, but I hated taking showers because I felt like I smelled worse after a shower!
So, long story short, my solution or so I thought would be to get an anode rod to replace the plastic plug. However, from what I'm reading here it sounds like I shouldn't do that? I definitely don't want to create any issues with my camper so if it's not recommended I won't do it. But what the heck can I do to have better smelling, or preferably, scent free hot water?
All input is appreciated!
Becky
P.S. I feel like I should mention that I was looking at an anode rod made for atwood water heaters. 4 1/2 inch made out of magnesium.
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04-14-2013, 07:31 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Marshallville, Ohio
Posts: 139
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I guess your not to do what I did then? On the SL230 I got a brass ball valve taped it up screwed it in, just a flip of the lever. I didn't have a problem in 13 years. Come to think of it I put one in the Coleman Sequoia and it worked for four years. Our tech said not to do that but I do not see why???
__________________
2010 24FBS
2005 F150 extended cab
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04-14-2013, 07:40 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 849
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While I have not done it yet, this is a mod I would really like to try....
I've seen some people take out the plastic plug and attach a plastic bolt with a small length of hose attached to it. The hose actually has a valve on it. The purpose of this is that all you have to do is open the valve on the hose to drain your tank so that you do not have to fiddle with difficult plug removal.
__________________
2013 Jayco Jay Flight 26RLS - 2013 1500 Ram Big Horn
2013 Jayco White Hawk 28DSBH - 2010 V8 Tundra
2012 Jayco X17Z SOLD!:Beerchug:
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04-14-2013, 08:40 AM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,773
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Congratulations Becky. I would do a few things. 1st I would sterilize the water lines and tanks. There are directions in your owner’s manual. You do not state how long it was between trips, nor if you drain your hot water heater tank. I drain my tank if we are not going out for a few weeks. The plug is not in the greatest location, so I made a drain hose adaptor. Basically, I replaced the plastic plug with a plastic adaptor (that was threaded), I threaded in a short piece of brass pipe then added a short section (1’?) long flexible hose you would find under your kitchen sink, and then added a ¼ turn valve on the end. Now all I have to do is open the valve, and release the pressure relief valve and the water heater tank drains in a few minutes, with no tools.
Using a water filter might help too. Some CG have nasty water.
Here is a picture similar to what I did, but my ¼ turn valve is much smaller.
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04-14-2013, 09:12 AM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Merrimack NH
Posts: 917
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Check the " mods" section for pics of a permanent drain with a valve. We drain after every trip to avoid stale smelly water. Larry
__________________
Larry & Rachel Demers 2013 F150 Eco Boost Super Cab 6.5 bed 6 sp. 3.31 4x4 White Hawk 28DSBH
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04-14-2013, 10:15 AM
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#26
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 11
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My bad! I knew I left out some information. I drain after every trip. We don't go that often so I would never trust leaving the water in there. My problem isn't draining or being able to drain the water heater, I don't have an issue there. And actually, not sure if anyone else has noticed this or not, but the low point drain that's in the bathroom actually drains water from my water heater. I found this out by accident. After a trip home last year, I remembered that I didn't pull the low point drain before I left the CG but didn't think it would be that big of a deal. I also had to clean the inside and once I was done with that I was going to drain the hot water heater. So, I open the low point drain and start cleaning.
While cleaning I realized that I was hearing an abnormally large amount of water leaving the camper I just didn't expect that much to still be left over since I usually drain everything at the CG but that trip I just needed to get home quick. Once it stopped I closed the valve and then went to the water heater to drain that. However once I opened the plastic valve nothing came out! It was empty! So I just figured that the low point drain somehow also drains the hot water heater as well! Bonus!
My issue is that in one of these threads someone mentioned not to use any anode rod in an Atwood hot water heater cause it could actually damage it? Is that true? Even if I buy one specifically made for Atwood hot water heaters?
In any case, I have purchased an inline water filter and this will be the first season that I de-winterize it myself, so I will look into sanitizing the water system. Hopefully this stuff will work if I can't use an anode rod.
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04-14-2013, 10:49 AM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 6,818
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I dont know about older Atwood Water Heaters, but newer ones have thier "A" logo stamped on the lower RH corner of the HW Heater cover (see picture link below)
http://www.jaycoowners.com/album.php...achmentid=8062
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04-14-2013, 06:13 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Central PA
Posts: 1,236
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Use the plastic plug.
__________________
No I am NOT retired. I work full time.:D
Tracy from Central PA
2010 Jayco 17Z Ex-Port
2004 Ford Explorer V8 with the tow package
2010 Camping Stats
Nights Camping 132 - Nights Camping in My Z 102
2011 Camping Stats
Nights Camping 107
2012 Camping Stats
Nights camping 133 - Nights camping in my Z 128
2013 Camping Stats
Nights Camping 66 Nights
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04-14-2013, 07:26 PM
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#29
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Troy, NY
Posts: 13
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I dealt with this for the first time today. The plug leaked the first time I put it in and the second time I used teflon tape and it was fine. The one thing I learned was that the air baffle above the plug on my rig is made to be remove which makes putting a wrench on the plug much easier. I do not believe there is enough clearance on mine to get a socket on it because the gas line is routed right in front of it.
__________________
T & T
Troy, New York
2002 Jayco Qwest 5th Wheel
2004 F150, 4.6L, 3.55, 145" Factory Tow Package
Tim, Tina and Brody the chocolate Lab
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06-10-2013, 11:53 AM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,588
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Will opening the low point drains and then flipping up the lever on the pressure relief valve (to allow air in) drain the water heater completely? Or will there still be some water left? Any harm in using this method regularly?
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06-12-2013, 11:12 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SE Sask.
Posts: 246
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Plastic. I turned mine in as tight as I could get it with my fingers. Done. :smiley_simmons:
__________________
2012 Jay Feather 197 w/pull-out
1997 GMC Sub 1500 4x4;
or 2015 Ford F150 4x4 SuperCrew EB
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06-15-2013, 08:46 PM
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#32
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jagiven
Congratulations Becky. I would do a few things. 1st I would sterilize the water lines and tanks. There are directions in your owners manual. You do not state how long it was between trips, nor if you drain your hot water heater tank. I drain my tank if we are not going out for a few weeks. The plug is not in the greatest location, so I made a drain hose adaptor. Basically, I replaced the plastic plug with a plastic adaptor (that was threaded), I threaded in a short piece of brass pipe then added a short section (1?) long flexible hose you would find under your kitchen sink, and then added a ¼ turn valve on the end. Now all I have to do is open the valve, and release the pressure relief valve and the water heater tank drains in a few minutes, with no tools.
Using a water filter might help too. Some CG have nasty water.
Here is a picture similar to what I did, but my ¼ turn valve is much smaller.
<img src="http://www.jaycoowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8305"/>
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What adapter did you use between the threaded water heat and the stainless strain braided hose? Assume you water heater uses 1/2" plugs?
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