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07-25-2022, 11:30 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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Cleaning sediment from water heater
We have an aluminum walled water heater with sediment buildup. What's a safe way to remove the sediment?
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07-25-2022, 01:41 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 16,102
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__________________
DISNEY LOVERS
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07-25-2022, 06:10 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Northeast
Posts: 136
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Lois.....let's clarify what you mean by "sediment".
Is it just silt, as in very fine mud, or is it that whitish, rock-hard deposits on the inside walls, and possibly in pebble form?
The suggested corrective measures will depend on the answer.
Roger
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07-26-2022, 09:04 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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I can only access what came out in the water, sand-sized granules, white.
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07-26-2022, 09:51 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: McKean, PA
Posts: 1,073
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lois Marsh-Duggan
I can only access what came out in the water, sand-sized granules, white.
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Most likely what you are seeing is calcium that has been boiled out of the water by the hot surface of the heating elements in the water heater. Other than using only soft water it can't be completely avoided. The finger flushing tool noted above will help you flush the loose pieces from you tank through the open drain plug.
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2011 Skylark 21FKV
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07-26-2022, 10:11 AM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by us71na
Most likely what you are seeing is calcium that has been boiled out of the water by the hot surface of the heating elements in the water heater. Other than using only soft water it can't be completely avoided. The finger flushing tool noted above will help you flush the loose pieces from you tank through the open drain plug.
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Ok thanks!
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07-26-2022, 10:23 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: North Texas
Posts: 3,592
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I don't have this problem, however I have been told that a strong vinegar solution in the tank will remove the calcium buildup.
I would flush it out first though, then the vinegar, then another flush. ~CA
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2010 GreyHawk 31SS
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07-26-2022, 10:52 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by craigav
I don't have this problem, however I have been told that a strong vinegar solution in the tank will remove the calcium buildup.
I would flush it out first though, then the vinegar, then another flush. ~CA
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I thought of that, it how to get the vinegar in the tank? I guess I could disconnect the intake hose but no idea how.
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07-26-2022, 11:05 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: North Texas
Posts: 3,592
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lois Marsh-Duggan
I thought of that, it how to get the vinegar in the tank? I guess I could disconnect the intake hose but no idea how.
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I would likely do something like this man did in the youtube video. Although, I have some clear vinyl tubing that also may make a good fit in the drain plug which I would try first. What I would avoid is trying to add the vinegar from the water tank to the water heater as that would take a lot of vinegar.
~CA
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2010 GreyHawk 31SS
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07-26-2022, 12:07 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Northeast
Posts: 136
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I'll side with Craigav on the vinegar solution. HOWEVER, vinegar does react with aluminum, over the long term, so don't leave it soaking much more than an hour, then give it a good fresh water flush. Follow the video posted, just make sure your water system is off-line.
Roger
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07-26-2022, 06:02 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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Found a flushing wand, will use that. Thanks!
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07-26-2022, 06:07 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 16,102
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lois Marsh-Duggan
Found a flushing wand, will use that. Thanks!
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Make sure it's high quality, several have reported the plastic wand type blowing loose and ending up in the WH.
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DISNEY LOVERS
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07-27-2022, 07:43 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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Oh no!!! Thanks for the warning.
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07-27-2022, 07:57 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 1,984
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy
Make sure it's high quality, several have reported the plastic wand type blowing loose and ending up in the WH.
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I used the cheap one and it took me almost 2 weeks to get the plastic wand out of the heater! The link posted by Grumpy is what I now use. Don't take a chance on this one!
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Rinser-..._id=2504400011
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Lee & Kathy, and our alarm clock Jake!
2017 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 266RKS 50 amp.
2017 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4, 10-1-2021
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07-30-2022, 01:45 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 23
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I have one of those too.
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07-30-2022, 05:42 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: North Texas
Posts: 3,592
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I have the cheap style as well. I think I will tie about 2' of nylon string to it before I use it again so I can pull it back out if it breaks off. ~CA
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2010 GreyHawk 31SS
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07-30-2022, 06:00 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Kingman, AZ
Posts: 1,984
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The other problem with the Camco wand is that under pressure with wand is almost impossible to manuever in the heater. It’s like watching a garden hose whipping around on the driveway by itself once you let go of it. The metal design is a much better idea.
If you do use the one from Camco put a hose clamp on the wand where it connects to the hose fitting. That’s what I did , but I still didn’t trust it.
__________________
Lee & Kathy, and our alarm clock Jake!
2017 Starcraft Autumn Ridge 266RKS 50 amp.
2017 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 4x4, 10-1-2021
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07-31-2022, 11:10 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Catharines
Posts: 7
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Thanks, we bought a metal one!
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08-10-2022, 07:00 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Brownsville
Posts: 75
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I found white "pebbles" in our 24rbs....turns out they were from a hole saw one of Jayco's geniuses used to install fittings on the 2 fresh water tanks!
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08-12-2022, 09:23 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 152
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 57gasser
i found white "pebbles" in our 24rbs....turns out they were from a hole saw one of jayco's geniuses used to install fittings on the 2 fresh water tanks!
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wow
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