tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post9071967308288685612..comments2024-03-12T18:11:24.514-04:00Comments on Meryl and Me Hit the Road : Flushing the Hot Water TankWriterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-16497857490944313492022-05-01T18:37:14.501-04:002022-05-01T18:37:14.501-04:00If you are just flushing the hot water tank with t...If you are just flushing the hot water tank with the wand to clean out mineral deposits, it does not matter whether the hot water tank is bypassed or not , as all the water the wand puts into it will just pour out the drain hole the anode rod screws into. IF you are flushing the hot water tank to get RV antifreeze out of it, then follow the instructions in the dewinterizing article to flush antifreeze out of the hot water tanks - which is a completely different process. Contact us by email with the link on the right column of Meryl and Me and we can walk through this together. Thanks.Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-7801688862494178982022-05-01T09:55:03.834-04:002022-05-01T09:55:03.834-04:00We have sanitized our tanks in the process of dewi...We have sanitized our tanks in the process of dewinterizing...with your step by step guide in hand. We were waiting on the wand to flush out the hot water tank and it is here now. So do we close the hot water tank bypass valve before we start?Heather and Stuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06933945228824344024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-19964562842876477792019-06-05T18:16:35.723-04:002019-06-05T18:16:35.723-04:00Please email me with the contact link on the right...Please email me with the contact link on the right column. My response is too long to be accepted here. I have it all for you but need to get it to you.Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-86309937125037636002019-06-05T11:01:36.536-04:002019-06-05T11:01:36.536-04:00My hot water in 190 Popular has bad sulfur smell, ...My hot water in 190 Popular has bad sulfur smell, and I suspect the previous owner left water in the hot water tank for too long. I will be changing the anode soon. Is there anything else I can do to fix this problem? I’ve read about using hydrogen peroxide and wonder if that is safe. KChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13671623112712822746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-51321910265298660502018-02-16T13:27:58.333-05:002018-02-16T13:27:58.333-05:00It is unlikely that the tank has been damaged insi...It is unlikely that the tank has been damaged inside. The tank is glass lined. It is common to see rust on the threads of the drain hole. You could take a toothbrush and brush that out - toward the outside of the hole - not into the tank. The problem with screwing in a temporary plug is making sure you match the threads. If you strip that hole that is trouble you don't want. It is not uncommon for RVers to leave that hole open for a period of time to allow the tank to dry out - and when winterized. The Roadtrek Hot Water Heater is a Suburban Hot Water Heater. The anode rod must be specific to Suburban. It is a long rod (another hot water heater company uses a short rod - less than 6"). They are made in Magnesium or Aluminum - your choice - it comes from Suburban with a magnesium rod. Several companies make rods for our hot water heater - as long as it is marked for Suburban it will fit. When putting it in, put plumbers tape around the threads, you will need a specific size socket and a socket wrench to put it in and take it out. It is not a usual size the comes with basic sets - it needs a 1 and 1/16 inch socket. You may also need an extender to be able to turn the wrench without hitting anything - or get a deep well socket for the added length. Some of the threads on the anode rod will stick out when the rod is screwed in fully - once it stops turning don't force it. It is normal for it it to stick out some. You can buy this anode rod anywhere that sells RV or Travel Trailer accessories and parts. They are available online. If there is an RV shop anywhere near you they should sell it. This Suburban anode rod is used in many RVs not just Roadtreks. Camping World should have it. Other RV supply websites - even Amazon should have it.Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-81456520628738428942018-02-15T19:50:36.117-05:002018-02-15T19:50:36.117-05:00I just bought a used 2004 190P and the anode rod i...I just bought a used 2004 190P and the anode rod is missing and the threaded hole is open and has some rust, due to being driven on salty roads for a short period before the purchase. <br /><br />1) is there potential that the water tank has been damaged because the hole was left open? <br />2) Can I screw some kind of temporary plug into until I get a replacement anode? <br />3) Are new anodes available online?<br /><br />Thank you!!John van Gurphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01903731181501746483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-84305046329906369962017-02-19T13:43:57.872-05:002017-02-19T13:43:57.872-05:00I have just answered your question on the other po...I have just answered your question on the other post you aske about this on. TO shut off the hot water - first do what this article says. Then go inside and in that cabinet turn the hot water bypass valves to prevent water from going in or out of the hot water tank. See my winterizing article on how to do this. Now water will not go into the hot water tank and it will remain empty (there will be a small amount of water left on the bottom of the tank below the level of the drain hole. You can try leaving the anode rod out and leave the drain open for a couple of weeks for air to dry out the remaining water, or get a small nozzle attachment for a wet/dry shop vac and suck the rest of the water out - putting the small nozzle inside on the bottom of the tank - BUT if you close up the tank condensation will put some water back inside. If you leave the drain hole open you stand the chance of bugs or mice going inside, do don't do that. If you drain your hot water tank and bypass it, NEVER turn on the hot water heater switch or you will have a fire. In my Roadtrek on the front of the side wall on the kitchen side at the top edge there is a small circuit board with wires going into it. If you gently pull the wire connection up a small connection card with the wires attached should slide out and disable the wall switch. As I said in my other answer. You have a big problem with mold in that cabinet and it needs to be professionally dealt with. Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-22067531062942003132017-02-19T02:11:35.645-05:002017-02-19T02:11:35.645-05:00how do you shut off the hot water? there is a terr...how do you shut off the hot water? there is a terrible mold smell coming from this compartment and I have only owned this 4 months thanksAnn J Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13446944200266726048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-83627725780536077612016-05-07T18:21:15.896-04:002016-05-07T18:21:15.896-04:00I have never used vinegar or put anything into the...I have never used vinegar or put anything into the hot water tank except the bleach/water mixture to sanitize all tanks including the hot water tank and then after that just water. There is no need. The Suburban hot water tank is glass lined. Any sediment in the tank will fall to the bottom of the tank in the water and when you open the hex nut and pull out the anode rod, you will see most of the sediment fall out with the water. If you are who posted this on the forum and I responded to with this link, you are de-winterizing. Mostly you will see this sediment come out in the Fall when you drain the hot water tank to winterize. When you dewinterize - see all of my articles on dewinterizing - look on the how to page of this site for links and it will tell you what to do. If you are going to flush the tank during the dewinterizing process do it before opening the hot water heater bypass valves - leave it in bypass - take out the anode rod on what should be an empty tank, use the flush wand as shown in this article and if there is any remaining sediment in the tank it will be "pressure" washed out - the water comes out from the wand just connected to a fresh water hose with a lot of pressure. Just run the wand - as described in this article around the tank - especially all over the bottom of the tank. You will see some sediment wash out of the drain hole and over the side of the van to the ground. When you see nothing else coming out - it is obvious as the sediment is white and black granules, some like little gravel coming out with the water and all over the floor - then put the anode rod back into the drain hole, wrap the screw threads on the rod with plumbing tape first, and then tighten it down with your ratchet wrench and correct size ratchet. It never goes in all the way down and about an 1/8" or so of thread and white tape will show on the outside. This is not a problem. Next, open the hot water bypass valves and add your bleach/water mix to the fresh tank and follow my instructions - in my articles on dewinterizing and sanitizing - to get the bleach in and what to do once it is in. This year once the bleach was ready to come out since it will not all come out of the hot water tank, AFTER going through all of my steps to get the bleach water out of the pipes and plumbing, I drained the fresh water tank at its low point drain of bleach water, I connected a city water hose to the Roadtrek, turned on the hose and opened the outside hot water faucet. No other faucet. This will run all of the bleach water that is inside the hot water tank out and through the outside shower hot water faucet. If you see my current article you will see that the hot water tank never empties unless you take out the anode rod. It refills with new water as soon as any water comes out of a hot water tap. So, by running fresh water into the tank with the outside shower faucet on. Ran the water through for ten minutes - it filled and flushed the six gallon hot water tank in that time a few times. After that there is no bleach smell in the water coming out of the hot water tank. If you want to do a test to see, take a paper cup after ten minutes and put it under the outside shower connection and smell the water coming out. It should no longer have any bleach odor. That is it. Your hot water tank is clean, sanitized, and ready to use. Follow the steps in my sanitizing articles and you will be good to go! I am not even going to suggest a way to get vinegar in the hot water tank - you will be smelling vinegar in the water for a long time. If you really want to know email me with the email us link in the right column on the side if this page.Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-15508230968152189572016-05-07T13:57:16.466-04:002016-05-07T13:57:16.466-04:00i have read here and there about filling the water...i have read here and there about filling the water heater with vinegar to clean out the sediment. have you done this ? if so how do you get the vinegar in <br />thanks Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15079136956995418515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-38867626178589297382012-12-29T23:11:05.089-05:002012-12-29T23:11:05.089-05:00I have seen in RV stores short anode rods labeled ...I have seen in RV stores short anode rods labeled for Atwood hot water heaters. Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06664259206096691320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8801217063323814316.post-68623860751708614762012-12-29T21:14:33.366-05:002012-12-29T21:14:33.366-05:00Just a small correction to your article. The Atwoo...Just a small correction to your article. The Atwood water heaters do not have an anode rod. <br />Not needed because they are made of a different metal than the Suburban bobojayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10771759364491264508noreply@blogger.com