How to vinegar flush water heater

[doonkin]

Sorry for the dumb Q. I’ve an Atwood water heater(no anode rod).
I’ve never flushed it in 4 years (ashamed). It’s working great n all but I bet there’s a ton of limescale in there.
All the YouTube videos show the flushing process BUT then they add 50/50 vinegar added via the winterization inlet-I don’t have one of those. How do I get this solution directly into water heater tank.
This is probably a DUH question but thought I’d make sure.

Thx

[JFlightRisk]

If you have an antifreeze hand pump available, you can mix up the solution, hook the hand pump to the fresh water will port, and pump it into the water heater, from a jug or bucket. You should open up the hot side of a faucet (maybe the outside shower, for convenience), and the vinegar solution will go into the water heater.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Ant...36003/21803196

If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask.

[Stingray75]

How do / would you fill the fresh water tank? Drain the WH then refill from the fresh water tank via the 12v pump

[damammel]

Remove the pressure safety valve on the water heater and use a funnel to fill the water heater.

[norty1]

I use one of those spray nozzles to flush the scale out under pressure at home. Seems like a waste of good vinegar.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-RV-...inser/29764286

[damammel]

Originally Posted by norty1

I use one of those spray nozzles to flush the scale out under pressure at home. Seems like a waste of good vinegar.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-RV-...inser/29764286

Those wands work well. I use that when I rinse the tank. I did use the vinegar when we had a smell in the hot water. With the drain plug out it does well flushing out the bottom of the tank.

[LuckyDuck]

For those who didn’t see it, this thread detailed one miserable experience with the wand. Just a word of caution. Spoiler: it has a happy ending. https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ing-70990.html

[JFlightRisk]

That experience caused me to check how mine was attached. It looks a little like it's heat shrunk together pretty well. If it does blow apart, I'm going to invite Route 66 Traveler to come for a visit!

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by damammel

Remove the pressure safety valve on the water heater and use a funnel to fill the water heater.

X2

[Brownie]

Both my summer and winter homesites have VERY hard water - lots of calcium/lime, so I flush mine twice a year. First, turn your water heater off and let the water cool down. Once the water has cooled, shut off your water pump or city water, remove the drain plug at the bottom to empty the tank, and open the valve lever on the Pressure Relief Valve to allow air into the tank to displace the water as it drains. (Hint: since the drain plug is just above the bottom of the tank and the PR Valve is just below the top of the tank, you'll never be able to completely drain OR fill you tank.) But once it is as empty as you can get it, unscrew and remove the Pressure Relief Valve. Replace the plastic drain plug, being careful not to cross-thread it. Better yet, why not replace it with a 1/2" x 1" CPVC pipe nipple (not PVC-it's not formulated for HOT water), a 9" or 12" faucet line (1/2" FPT X 3/8" Comp.) with a 1/2" x 3/8" Comp. 1/4-turn shut-off valve. Be sure to wrap the male threads with Teflon tape. This will make it a whole lot easier to drain the tank for the following steps (and for future flushing).

Next, remove the Pressure Relief Valve and use a funnel to pour undiluted white vinegar into the tank. It will hold about 3-1/2 to 4 gallons before it starts overflowing out the top. If there's a lot of lime in the tank, it may start to foam. That's OK! It means it's working. Replace the PRV and turn the water back on to refill the tank - giving you a (roughly) 50/50 vinegar/water solution. Let the solution sit in the tank for 30 minutes or so, then shut the water back off & drain the tank. Refill & flush the tank 2 or three times to get rid of the vinegar smell & taste. Once it's filled for the last time, turn the heater back on and you're good to go!

One final note: vinegar will kill your grass so be careful where you drain it! (Don't ask me how I know this!)

Hope this helps!

[doonkin]

Thankyou For the detailed instructions. I fell confident now to tackle this

[pward]

Originally Posted by Brownie

Both my summer and winter homesites have VERY hard water - lots of calcium/lime

Does an external water line filter help with this?

[Brownie]

Originally Posted by pward

Does an external water line filter help with this?

Most filters don't do much (if anything) for lime. The are mainly for taste & odor. Some filter out lead, arsenic, etc, but don't filter out calcium/lime. You really need a water softener for that.