The rinse-out wand alone is good for removing loose stuff, but won't remove scale that's still attached. We've heard of 2 other solutions: 1) Remove the over-pressure fitting (if possible) and add vinegar thru a funnel or 2) get a fitting that fits the drain plug hole and attach a 3' length of hose to it. Hold the hose above the level of the tank and fill the hose with a funnel. Keep it elevated for a while (tie it up) to hold the vinegar in, but don't heat the tank. Hope this helps!
Gosh, thank you for such a great, well structured video. I appreciate that you didn't blather about when you bought you RV, or when you decided to learn about all this stuff of the phase of the moon like some many of the crap videos on RUclips. Excellent!
Thanks so much Rob. Good to hear we've been able to help. We're planning to follow up on our Suburban water heater flush video soon. Next month we'll be removing the anode to inspect it, and, based on its condition, making the decision about whether to stay with the factory anode or go back to the aftermarket one that we used before. Stay tuned! :)
Thanks so much for the feedback. We're within a couple of weeks of flushing the heater for the season, and we'll be sure to inspect the teflon tape when we remove it. If it's still mostly intact, maybe you're right about needing more metal to metal contact for the rod to corrode. We'll report back on what we find. We're prepared with a new OEM rod, the aftermarket rod, teflon tape and even anti-seize, in case we go back to the OEM rod. Not sure what we'll end up doing yet. Thanks!
Something I might mention. After purging your hot water system and opening the sink valves you might concider cleaning out the screens on the sinks. What happens is you can get scale into your water lines and it will clog your screens in the faucet. I had this happen to my kitchen sink once. I also had to clean out my shower head too due to poor water flow because of excessive scale in the water lines.
@ken1226930 The yellow flush wand is very slim, and does indeed fit into the smaller brass anode opening. Your best bet for removing a stuck anode is Liquid Wrench brand releasing lubricant. Put some of it on the threads, and lightly tap it repeatedly with any heavy metal tool (hammer, wrench, etc). The vibration helps draw the Liquid Wrench into the threads. Do this a few times over the course of a short while (or overnight), then get a good long-handled wrench on it for leverage.
Are you talking about how to connect the large electric plug on an RV into a regular household electric outlet, or how to install a 30-amp or 50-amp hook-up at a private home?
Super helpful, thank you guys!! I love your step by step videos. You are a blessing to the RV community especially newbies! By the way, you may want to mention that no teflon tape should be applied to the anode threads. Someone did that in one of the blogs, and wondered why it was not working. The point where you talk about teflon thread on the brass rings - please mention it should not be on the anode rod threads, only brass sections. Seems obvious, but was not to me.
+Lass-in Angeles Hi Lass! We wondered the same thing about teflon tape potentially preventing the anode rod from working... until we replaced our water heater with a brand new one a couple of years ago. It came from the Suburban factory with an anode installed using teflon tape. Turns out that the tape is unable to hold together against the metal threads, so the act of screwing it together tears the tape enough to allow contact between the threads on the anode and the threads on the tank. It's much easier to prevent leaking that way without trying to overtighten the anode to do it. We've been monitoring ours and the anode sacrifices itself properly with the tape being used. Of course this entire topic only applies to Suburban heaters, since Atwood's aluminum tanks don't require anodes at all. Not sure if the person who said that their anode was not working used too much tape. Only 4 or 5 wraps are needed, so I suppose it's possible that applying a lot more than that might potentially prevent contact between the anode and the tank. We've always used tape and our factory anode rods have always sacrificed themselves as expected.
Try this... get a threaded pipe fitting (maybe in the Lowe's or Home Depot plumbing dept) and a short length of hose (about 3 feet long) to attach to it, to create a threaded hose that screws into the anode port. Then hold it above the the overflow valve and pour in the vinegar using a funnel. Keep it held up above the heater during the whole process. If there's nothing to attach the hose to, try standing a ladder next to the RV and tying it to that. It will foam up and out. No worries.
That is exactly what we're planning to do in the next couple of weeks when we flush the tank again and go back to using an OEM anode (as mentioned, we're concerned that the aftermarket one isn't adequately protecting the tank from corrosion, since it hasn't decayed as expected). Thank you, and stay tuned for a video update! ;-)
The only way we know of on RVs with no diverter valve is to remove the over pressure relief valve and add vinegar with a funnel. One of those curved/flexible funnels would likely work best.
@RVgeeks ... CONTINUED. SInce the hose probably won't hold enough vinegar, you might have to do it more than once. Instead, you could try removing the over-pressure valve, and adding vinegar from above through a flexible funnel (put the anode back in first so it won't run out). Also, does your RV manufacturer have instructions for adding anti-freeze to the fresh water system? The same method should work for adding vinegar, as the water heater being empty will cause it to fill first.
...CONTINUED... the process for flushing an Atwood and a Suburban is the same, with the exception that one (Atwood) uses no anode, and the other (Suburban) does. Hope this answers your question.
12:30 This is a great video,thank you but personally I wouldn't wait for the water to come out through the pressure relief valve, as it can cause problems if your tank is too full. It would be better to open up the hot water faucet in the bathroom and wait for the water to come out there, then close the faucet. Other than that, I really liked how you cleaned this out. Thank you,great vid.
Actually, that's the technique recommended by the water heater manufacturer, as it ensures that there is an air gap at the top of the water tank (to handle changes in the volume of the water due to heating).
The video of the actual flushing was done on our friend's Atwood. They do not use an anode due to their aluminum tanks. Suburbans have steel tanks, so use an anode to prevent corrosion. We'll be doing a new video within the next couple of weeks showing the actual flushing process on our Suburban, and discussing in some detail the issues surrounding anode choice. Basically, we're going back to an OEM anode, as we'd rather risk having trouble getting it back out than risk our tank corroding....
So should I use an anode for my Atwood G6A-7? Would it help or be worth it? I know they are cheap. But as you mentioned the nylon doesnt rust to connection. I believe it has aluminum tank.
@superhawkn It could be, if left in the pump for an extended period. That's one reason why we suggest drawing clear water through the pump after the vinegar - to clear it out.
Hey Duncan & Jessica! Are you two back on the road yet, or still in place down in Florida? We used to have a Bounder too, and loved it. Funny you should mention about flushing the hot water tank today. We literally just came home from Costco today with enough vinegar to do the annual tank flush. We're planning to make another video about it, since we used our friend's Atwood water heater in this video, and we thought we'd show our Suburban heater this year.
Congratulations on your new Airstream! We've seen the Bambi model before, and it is awesome. Best of luck with it. We Googled a bit, and it looks like your RV likely has either a 6- or 10-gallon water heater, either of which is PLENTY of water to take a nice hot shower (2 of us never ran out of hot water with our 10-gallon heater on our Bounder). Try releasing the pressure valve to make sure water comes out of it. If you're getting any hot water at all, the heating element must be working.
Sorry, I don't know what size it was, and my friends are now about 3,000 miles from here in their RV! I'd suggest removing the plug and taking it to your local hardware or home improvement store to match the size with something in the plumbing department.
Hmmm.... yeah.... getting the vinegar into the hot water tank without a winterizing kit. :-/ We've been thinking on that one and not sure the route you'd need to go. If we come across a good answer, we'll drop you a note. I'd also double check to be sure that your Bounder definitely does not have a winterizing kit/hose for drawing anti-freeze into the system. Not sure what year yours is, but our 2002 Bounder came with it as standard.
I also Have a bounder(2014) it does have a bypass and take up hose for antifreeze however I was under the impression that the whole purpose of the the by pass was to bypass the water heater. How doe the vinegar get into the tank?
I can only offer this, and could be completely wrong, but here goes: In the time that we had our motorhome, equipped with a Suburban hot water heater, any time I did any removal or replacement of the anode, I made sure there was contact between the rod and the wall of the socket into which it is inserted. So even though I used teflon tape to keep it from leaking, there was always metal to metal contact. I see you use copious tape. Could this be why your anode hasn't deteriorated? ....
Thanks for the info on the brass fitting anode rod and upgrading to a better rod. We've had out Keystone Outback since 2011 and the plug/rod is a real pain in the ass every year to remove and we only ever get one season out of those rods. This will really help!
+beri232 In case you haven't seen our follow-up video about the after-market anode rod, you should watch it before buying one: ruclips.net/video/tcxHIFKLVbc/видео.html
Our RV doesn't pump RV antifreeze into the system. We pressurize lines with air and open drains. How does one get the vinegar in? Is there a way to put it in via the emergency valve? Great video.
@buggiexb you can try this - When you're ready to add vinegar, drain your drinking water hose and attach it to the water fill inlet on the RV. Hold the other end of the hose up, and using a funnel, pour the vinegar into the hose. Now attach the hose to city water and turn it on, flushing the vinegar into the hot water tank. Might be easiest with a helper, and a second drinking water hose (so that you don't have to lower the vinegar-filled hose down to the water spigot). CONTINUED.....
Just love your RV videos-steps & instructions are always clear & easy to understand. New to RVing (2nd season this year), I've learned a lot from your videos.
Tip: screw a short section of old hose to pressure relief valve outlet so the vinegar flush is controlled to away from the components. Another tip: pause video's to save good info to Notes(Mac) app, write on user manual or add comment to Pdf file, that way you save time locating and re-viewing videos next time.
I have a 2006 Winnebago Journey 34H and I thought the diverter valve (winterizing valve) was turned on to bypass the water heater, so how is vinegar getting into the water heater if it's being diverted? This is the most confusing part of the video because it doesn't make sense to use the winterizing system because the system specifically bypasses the water heater. My other thought...you are using the winterizing system to get the vinegar into the fresh water tank (assuming it's empty) and then drawing the vinegar into the water heater using the water pump. If doing this way, your fresh water tank would need to be empty or the vinegar solution wouldn't be strong enough to do any good. Also, if doing this way, couldn't you just use the gravity fresh water inlet and a funnel to get the vinegar into the tank? Any help on this would be much appreciated.
Hi Erica. Winnebago's plumbing can be very different (to be fair... each manufacturer seems to do they're plumbing a bit differently), so this technique likely won't work for you if your winterizing kit automatically bypasses the water heater. You don't want to pump the vinegar into the fresh tank and then into the water heater... because it can be difficult to get the smell/taste of vinegar OUT of the fresh tank once you're done. We have heard of other people removing the overpressure/overtemperature valve on their water heater (up near the top on the outside, behind the water heater panel) and pouring the vinegar in that way, but haven't done it ourselves. Or you could try the Winnebago forum over in iRV2.com ( www.irv2.com/forums/f101/ ) to see if other Winnie owners have ideas on how to configure the system to get vinegar pumped into the water heater.
There's much confusion about which metal to use - magnesium, aluminum or zinc. We're not happy that ours did not decay as expected this year, and are concerned it isn't protecting the tank. We're going back to the OEM rod with no drain, and will be updating the video when we do.
My coach has an Atwood heater with an anode plug. Just changed it today. Camco makes them for Atwood heaters with aluminum tanks. Got it at Camping World. Great video, Thanks.
Looking for instructions on rebuilding the gas valve properly on my Atwood. 190 folks commenting...... More than one ought to know and I love to learn. Thank you all. 🇺🇸 🗽 🚌 🚌 🚌
Sorry we can’t be of much help on this one, but we do have a suggestion. Check out the user forums on iRV2.com. It’s free to join and post questions, and there are tons of knowledgable RVers, some of whom are sure to know lots about this topic.
Being full-timers, we've never stored our RV, so we're not sure. Maybe someone else on here with more experience can comment. It likely depends on two things: what brand you have (Suburban or Atwood) and how long you'll be storing it. The manufacturer's websites might have details or you could look on one of the RV forums, like irv2.com. Sorry we weren't more help on this one.
I don't have a diverted option on my Four Winds 5000. I assume your ability to fill the hot water heater with vinegar using the diverter is an added plus. Do you feel that simply flushing the Atwood with the rinsing tool is plenty?
@charles lister: You're absolutely right that an anode rod that sacrifices itself and does not last as long is the right way to go. You may have missed it, but we added 3 updates about it... one in the video description, an annotation, and a whole new video addressing the topic. Here's the text from the video description: UPDATE - April 3, 2012: Regarding our use of an after-market anode rod. There are questions about which metal to use - magnesium, aluminum or zinc. As we mentioned in the video, we only chose this particular anode due to the extreme difficulty we had removing the original, despite the fact that it is a different material than the original rod. We've now inspected it after a year and are not happy that it did not decay as expected this year (did not decay at all), and are concerned it isn't protecting the tank properly. After hearing from two friends who also have Suburban units, who removed their anodes without much trouble, we're going back to the OEM rod with no drain, and will be updating the video when we do. UPDATE - Sept 22, 2013: UPDATE! THE ANODE ROD VERDICT IS IN! SEE IT HERE: ruclips.net/video/tcxHIFKLVbc/видео.html
Where did you get the Anode Rod with the valve at the end?? I went to my local RV store and they tell me that it is for a Attwood not Suburban. I have that same brass fitting you do but with out the Anode. Your idea is great and I would like to use that instead of the Steel one they are trying to sell me.
Hi Richard! If you get the exact model number off your heater, you should be able to find the manul here: www.manualslib.com/brand/atwood/water-heater.html
Your best bet is to try to narrow it down by tank size (6, 8, 10 gallon, etc) and see if you can match photos in the manuals to your unit. Most things are the same or similar on them, so the information about operation, troubleshooting, etc should be pretty much the same on many models.
That was a great how to video,thanks for posting it.I sometimes invent things,and here's a freebie for you just for posting this,like MrSalmonguy mentioned about the water going all over...Design an attachable deflector plate specifically for the purpose of flushing,that way it doesn't run all over the electrical and hinges,glad I stumbled on your website.Now I have to replace a start cap.on my rear A/C which I've never done,but have been studying how to.
Also in sunny drought stricken Calley-Forney have a two 5 gallon buckets handy to water the flowers with. The Vinegar will not hurt the lawn, nor will the white residue. So without that line how to get the 50-50 mix into the tank?? My trailer is very sealed up near the heater. Every 2 years I change the rod in my heater and it comes out looking like chewed up licorice. It does its job!!! Can the pressure relief valve be removed on a Surburban and then filled??
I have a 6 month old Atwood Water Heater model 10-E and it looks similar right until I pull the drain plug. There is another plug inside the hole that has outer threads that the plug screws onto.
+Mike Nomadic Hey Mike... sounds like someone replaced the standard Atwood plastic plug with something else. The link didn't come through, so we can't be sure what you're referring to... but as long as you can unscrew something that allows you to drain the tank and insert a rinsing wand, you should be OK.
I hope this link works www.irv2.com/forums/f54/atwood-10-gal-water-heater-draining-plug-inside-a-plug-276483.html There is no opening to put the wand into and no water drains
+Mike Nomadic Hmmmm... the link worked and we can see your problem... but we've never seen anything like that. Even looking at Atwood's owner's manual, what they show doesn't look like what you've taken a picture of. We wish we could be of more help on this, but you're probably going to need to contact Atwood to see if they have any idea what that is. Best of luck! And let us know how you make out.
Love your videos! Great explanations and walk throughs. I plan on doing the water heater flush, black tank flush and sanitizing my fresh water system this weekend. If I may point out one thing, it's "water heater" not "hot water heater".
Hi Bonnie! We’ve never had the heating element leak. Thinking that a new gasket may be in order. If your heater is getting older, maybe just replace the heating element while it’s out, too, assuming it’s not too expensive.
So I have a Atwood and running the water smells like rotten eggs. To put the vinegar in the water heater I dont believe I have a hose that will suck it from the container would I have to dump it from a funnel into the pressure valve? I have 2018 jayco jayflight slx 174bh. Thank you
That’s the way to do it, Dustin. After draining the heater, then re-installing the drain plug, use a pipe wrench to carefully remove the over-pressure relief valve and use a flexible fuller to add the vinegar there. Then replace the valve.
Again, I want to thank you for these videos. I'm an RV n00b and bought a used motor home and ran into bad smelling water. Your bleach/water method I already used and I still got smelly water when running hot water. It went away after a while and I thought about cleaning the hot water heater and just ordered the flush wand. Never thought of the vinegar, great idea. Question though, my 2004 Southwind doesn't have one of those pumping hoses(at least I can't seem to find it). What is the alternative?
Without a flush kit, the only way we can think of to add vinegar into the water heater is by removing the over-pressure valve at the top, and pouring the vinegar in through the opening using a flexible-neck funnel. Of course you'd need to drain the water out of the heater first, and then replace the drain plug before adding the vinegar. If you're going to be removing the overpressure regular for this anyway, might be a good time to replace it, since they're not expensive and if yours is old it might start weeping at some point soon anyway. Hope this helps.
Great video! I changed element, eco and thermostat and still only getting luke warm water. Any suggestions? Could it be some clog somewhere effecting pressure between hot and cold?
Hi Ron. Here's one possibility, or at least something to get you on what could be the right track: ruclips.net/video/IsiXaMEneaY/видео.html If the problem started right after flushing, it's possible that valves, such as those for the water heater bypass, are not set back to "regular operation."
The diverter isn't a function of whether you have a Class A or Class B motorhome, or even a towable. RV water heaters are pretty much the same across all RVs, except there are two different main brands (Atwood and Suburban) and various sizes available. If you don't have the diverter valve or hoses, you don't have a winterizing kit. You can either install one, or unscrew the over-pressure relief valve and pour in the vinegar using a flexible funnel.
We're still in Florida :) We've got the atwood so this was perfect, although I don't think we have a hose to suck the vinegar up into the tank...:/ I still have to do some poking around before I jump in with both feet!
Thanks gents! I intend to do this task tomorrow but want to know aprox. timing...if I use gloves and DON'T wait for the water to cool before or after the vinegar, would you say I could do this job in about two hours? Three? Surely not longer than that...?
Hi Claire! Your timing is excellent, as we've just posted an updated water heater flush video that should give an idea how long it should take. We've discovered that it will probably take longer than that to really do it right. Check it out here: ruclips.net/video/TL7AtXJYNcc/видео.html Hope this helps a bit, and please be sure to let us know how you make out.
That's so helpful, thank you! 16 HOURS though?!? I'll try a couple hours of hot vinegar today and next year will go full force....looking forward to your next update with full vinegar and less time ;)
So when you draw vinnegar in, you are drawing it into your fresh water tank, then the water heater, so you are treating both tanks? Or do you make sure fresh water tank is full, so vinegar bypasses fresh water tank? Not sure if I have the winterizer, if I can’t find it, pull pressure release and funnel in the vinegar?
I'm confused by this part of the video also. My diverter valve (for winterization) is to specifically bypass the water heater, so you don't get anti-freeze into your water heater. This video shows turning that valve on, which would bypass the water heater. How is using that valve filling the hot water heater with vinegar. Just doesn't make sense.
I wonder if you could elaborate on how to fill my 10 gallon ATWOOD hot water heater; it appears I do not have a by-pass system in place; Do I need to remove the relief valve/ if so how do I do this? this heater area is very restrictive; love your very informative video,s I watch and rewatch over and over; I have ordered a new diverter valve which is on backorder .I will have to install myself as the nearest rv dealer is some distance from me in very heavy congested traffic- "it,s nerve racking!! no labor pool; wish me luck and thanks again for the great video,s; HAPPY TRAVELING!! pattiboypatrick!
+Patrick Peterman Hi Patrick! Thanks so much for the nice comments. 😊 There are three ways we can think of to get vinegar into a water heater: 1) Install a winterizing kit, which is not too difficult (our first choice), 2) Remove the over pressure relief valve with a monkey wrench, or 3) Buy a threaded fitting that fits into the drain valve, and attach a flexible hose to it, then raise that hose up above the heater and use a funnel to pour vinegar and water down the tube. Then keep that tube suspended above the heater during the entire process. This is our least desirable choice as it's a little Rube Goldberg. But it does avoid having to remove the over pressure relief valve. Hope this helps a little bit. Good luck and please let us know how you make out. Safe travels.
This just popped up as recommended. Just a note, A heater with an aluminum tank is busy sacrificing itself during operation. Where a steel tank needs the anode rod. I can see this need on a coach that is used continuously, carrying around a water heater tank full of water. Our toy hauler fifth wheel was mostly in storage and used only a month a year in several vacation stretches. We'd pull the drain and just allow it to drain before heading home. Do you have suggestions for this type of use?
Hi Erika. Regardless of the brand of water heater your toy hauler has, draining it when not in use for long stretches is absolutely fine. We'd suggest that if you have an Atwood heater, that the plastic drain plug it came with is all you need when it is in use, as the aluminum tanks do not require an anode. If you have a Suburban heater, you should use the anode rod that came from the manufacturer when the tank is in use. Using the heater as seldom as you do, it's unlikely you'll need to replace the rod very often, but you should still use it. It's no extra effort to use the anode rod instead of just a plug, since the anode rod is basically a plug with a rod sticking off the back. Suburban includes the rod for a reason, and we'd suggest using it.
hI!, As I was rinsing with the flush tool, the 14'' part of the flush tool broke off at the base and was catapulted inside the hot water heater. it is now a hot water eater digesting a wand piece. how do I get that out. should I just leave it. will it melt on the element,,, It is an Atwood.
Oh no, Julie! That certainly does not sound good. We think you should NOT run the water heater until you get that piece of wand out of there, as it will almost certainly melt, and could damage your water heater, or cause other problems. Getting it out could indeed be a tricky operation. You might want to invest in a borescope like the one we showed in our water heater inspection video, so that you can see what’s happening and where it is. You might need to get creative by using something like a coat hanger to try to guide it out through the opening. We think that this is going to be a challenging operation, but hopefully some persistence will lead to a very happy moment when that thing pops out of the drain opening. Best of luck, and please let us know how you make out.
@@RVgeeks Thanks very. I have a boroscope, I bought it when I saw your video. I just don’t have the patience right now for yet another difficult « stupid » problem 🙆🏼♀️. I am going to get a mechanical pick up tool. Neighbor offered to help. I did start the hot water on gaz. I thought it would be ok, the plastic should be floating ?? Ah là là !! 🙃. No more shower. COVID style 😍
Thank you so much for this video! I am a new rv owner so this was very helpful. I have all the manuals but it helps me much more to read then see it done.
Thank you so much for your videos. They are a huge help to us newbies. We have a Dometic heater. I notice you only have instructions for Atwater or Saburban. Also, where do people normally do this draining? Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Cydney! Dometic bought Atwood, and has been rebranding everything. So your Dometic heater is actually an Atwood, and you can follow those instructions (no anode rod, etc). You can do this any place you have a water hook-up.
@@RVgeeks Thank you. We do not have that hose that pumps the vinegar into the hot water heater. Did I see a video where you mention using a funnel and tubing?
You can use a funnel and tubing if you remove the overpressure relief valve at the top of the tank (requires a pipe wrench) and pour it in through that (with the threaded nylon drain plug in place of course, to prevent it from running right back out).
Hi Charles. Have you tried unscrewing the anode yet? If the anode is rusted into the opening in the water heater, there is a danger that you could damage the heater itself trying to force it out. We'd suggest using some Liquid Wrench penetrating oil on the threads if it resists coming out. Just apply some to the threads, tap lightly on the head of the anode with a hammer for about 20-30 seconds, which sets up a vibration to draw the oil into the threads. Then wait a little bit for it to penetrate and try again. If it still won't come loose, repeat the oil & tapping again, wait a bit and try again. Liquid Wrench and patience could save you from damaging the threads or fitting on the heater, thereby saving you the cost and effort of replacing the entire heater. Let us know if we understood the problem correctly, and let us know how you make out.
Brandon Clary Hi Brandon. I assume by diverter, you mean a winterizing kit? If you don't have one, another way to get vinegar into the water heater is by removing the over-pressure relief valve and using a flexible-neck funnel to pour it in. That does present the possible problem of having trouble removing the valve.... or having trouble getting it back in without it leaking around the threads, so use care when removing and re-installing it. Don''t force it, and use white plumber's tape on the threads when re-installing to prevent leaks.
Getting ready to install a new Atwood water heater and I don't think you should open the Pressure Relief valve! The manual states there should be an Air Gap and if through the season ; If you get a drip from the Valve to empty tank to restore the Air Gap...
Hi Nora. Thanks for your concern. You do want there to be an air gap for sure. But it's only supposed to be a small one at the top of the tank. Here's the exact text on the topic from the Atwood owner's manual: TO REPLACE THE AIR GAP FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 1. Turn off main water supply (the pump or water hook up source). 2. Let water cool or let run until cool. 3. Open the hot water faucet closest to the water heater. 4. Pull handle of pressure temperature relief valve straight out and allow water to flow until it stops. 5. Allow pressure temperature relief valve to snap shut; close faucet; turn on water supply. 6. Turn on water heater and test. • At least once a year manually operate pressure-temperature relief valve (FIG 10). Best of luck with your water heater install! Hope all goes smoothly. :)
you say atwood water heaters dont have anode rods but my friends 94 prowler has one and we changed it and the old one was almost gone. would they have used a metal tank in that year
Can't say for sure if they used them back then. You'd probably have to contact Atwood about that one. You might want to do that anyway, because it's not uncommon for people to think they need an anode rod in an Atwood heater when they don't, and just go ahead and install one. Atwoods (at least modern ones) have aluminum tanks, and we're pretty sure that the company advises to not install an anode rod in them. Your timing is great on this question, as we just shot a new, updated video about flushing water heaters, which includes an internal inspection with a boroscope! Look for that video real soon. ;-)
You've got two possible options: (1) you could try removing the over-pressure valve, and adding vinegar from above through a flexible funnel (put the anode back in first so it won't run out) (2) get a threaded pipe fitting (maybe in the Lowe's or Home Depot plumbing dept) and a short length of hose (about 3 feet long) to attach to it, to create a threaded hose that screws into the anode port. Then hold it above the the overflow valve and pour in the vinegar using a funnel. Keep it held up above the heater during the whole process. If there's nothing to attach the hose to, try standing a ladder next to the RV and tying it to that. It will foam up and out. No worries.
I am having a problem with my atwood(pilot). I can get the pilot to light, hold and then turn to ON,,, and the pilot goes out and the burner doesn't ignite? Any ideas? thks
First check to be sure that your propane tank if filled and the line is on and purged of air (try lighting several times to purge it to be sure propane is reaching the heater). We had a problem once with our Suburban propane orifice on the water heater where it was cracked and not jetting propane correctly. It took a professional tech to diagnose and fix it for us. Since you're dealing with propane/fire/safety issues here, it might be wise to have a tech look at it.
RVgeeks Thanks, but the gas is getting to the pilot and that comes though the same gas valve at the burner gas? I removed the gas line and gas is getting to the valve and the propane bottle has gas in it? I heard that Atwood had sold some faulty valves in the past and this one is 4-5 years old, so maybe the gas valve is gone. I ordered a new one from American RV, 91602 Robertshaw replacement. Thanks again.
s cook Not really, That is the first thing I had checked and replaced anyway, more than once. I have gone through two Atwood gas valves and one entire water heater, to only find out. That the Atwood was putting out faulty gas valves. Why do you think, they now recommend replacing the Atwood valve with a different mfg gas valve?
@@RVgeeks ok yes mines is a 7/8 and i need the correct wording for the, i guess rachet wrench that ur using?, I'm not sure if I'm wording it correctly lol, but i need that whole tool and accessory that ur using to remove the drain plug Thank you
Khadijah Davis Ah, got it. You need a socket wrench, most likely one with a 3/8 inch drive (which is very typical), as well as a short extension to prevent the handle from banging into the side of the RV as you try and loosen the plug.
Hmmm. Not sure, as we always just buy ordinary white vinegar. We just looked at the brand we happen to have sitting here, and it's 5%. Here's an update that might give you a better idea how effective it is over time: ruclips.net/video/TL7AtXJYNcc/видео.html
You either need to 1) Use your winterizing kit, or 2) If you don't have a winterizing kit, install one (like this: amzn.to/2vgB7ZO or this: amzn.to/2qAaFVw ), or 3) Remove the over-pressure relief valve and use a flexible funnel to pour the vinegar into that opening.
If you're not getting water from your faucets, check to be sure you're either hooked up to a working city water connection, or your water pump is on and running (no blown fuse), and any anti-freeze flush valves are not in the off position. Also be sure that your water heater bypass valves are in the correct position, and if running off the RV's water tank, make sure it has water in it.
With all that vinegar in the system, it would be a good time to put some baking soda and salt in the drains to clean them out. :) The salt is just to give it a scrub. Jon
Great video but cut the bottom of a round bleach or other container to divert the water from running on my gas port inlet and away from other accessories, also I always open a sink faucet to relieve pressure off the lines because air popping can cause a hose to pop off a fitting behind the wall.
Hi Angela! There are two switches for the water heater. One for gas, and one for electric. You simply turn on whichever one is appropriate at the time. Generally, whenever you’re hooked up to power, you switch on the electric mode, and when you’re not hooked up to power, you switch on the propane mode. If you’re in a hurry to get hot water, and have power available, you can switch on both at the same time, and you’ll have a tank full of hot water in no time!
It is possible that you do not have a bi-fuel water heater. There are water heaters that run on propane only. If you have one that will run on either propane or electric, there will be two switches, probably right next to each other, one for electric and one for propane. If you only have one switch, you may have one that runs on propane only.
Most Atwoods don't have or need an anode. Ours is the "Tank Saver Anode Rod Kit" from NW Leisure Products, sold at rvtoyoutlet (dot com) or adventurerv (dot net).
It's spring time. What order should I do the following: ... de-winterize fresh water, system/sanitize fresh water system, or flush & clean water heater. Thanks new subscriber.
If it was us... we'd (1) de-winterize the water system, (2) flush & clean the water heater, and then (3) sanitize the whole fresh water system (water heater included). If you don't plan on sanitizing the hot side of your water system, (2) and (3) could be flipped if that's easier for you.
The rinse-out wand alone is good for removing loose stuff, but won't remove scale that's still attached. We've heard of 2 other solutions: 1) Remove the over-pressure fitting (if possible) and add vinegar thru a funnel or 2) get a fitting that fits the drain plug hole and attach a 3' length of hose to it. Hold the hose above the level of the tank and fill the hose with a funnel. Keep it elevated for a while (tie it up) to hold the vinegar in, but don't heat the tank. Hope this helps!
Absolutely excellent video. Great editing, lots of details. This is the way every RUclips instructional video should be. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much, Del!
Gosh, thank you for such a great, well structured video. I appreciate that you didn't blather about when you bought you RV, or when you decided to learn about all this stuff of the phase of the moon like some many of the crap videos on RUclips. Excellent!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks so much Rob. Good to hear we've been able to help. We're planning to follow up on our Suburban water heater flush video soon. Next month we'll be removing the anode to inspect it, and, based on its condition, making the decision about whether to stay with the factory anode or go back to the aftermarket one that we used before. Stay tuned! :)
Thanks so much for the feedback. We're within a couple of weeks of flushing the heater for the season, and we'll be sure to inspect the teflon tape when we remove it. If it's still mostly intact, maybe you're right about needing more metal to metal contact for the rod to corrode. We'll report back on what we find. We're prepared with a new OEM rod, the aftermarket rod, teflon tape and even anti-seize, in case we go back to the OEM rod. Not sure what we'll end up doing yet. Thanks!
Something I might mention. After purging your hot water system and opening the sink valves you might concider cleaning out the screens on the sinks. What happens is you can get scale into your water lines and it will clog your screens in the faucet. I had this happen to my kitchen sink once. I also had to clean out my shower head too due to poor water flow because of excessive scale in the water lines.
+hiluxinvt Excellent suggestion! You're right on with that.
+hiluxinvt Yes, very true. Need to add this to my DIY checklist. Thanks!
good tip. cleaning out the areators is something that should be done on a regular basis anyway. this is as good a time as any.
Great video!! Everyone should do this to their home water heater as well...once a year.
@ken1226930 The yellow flush wand is very slim, and does indeed fit into the smaller brass anode opening. Your best bet for removing a stuck anode is Liquid Wrench brand releasing lubricant. Put some of it on the threads, and lightly tap it repeatedly with any heavy metal tool (hammer, wrench, etc). The vibration helps draw the Liquid Wrench into the threads. Do this a few times over the course of a short while (or overnight), then get a good long-handled wrench on it for leverage.
My wife and I just purchased our first travel trailer and your videos are very helpful. Thanks
Thank you RVgeeks...EXCELLENT video. Everything we need, and nothing we don't. Cheers to ya!
Are you talking about how to connect the large electric plug on an RV into a regular household electric outlet, or how to install a 30-amp or 50-amp hook-up at a private home?
@kb7iq I think the reason is Suburban uses a steel tank and Atwood uses an aluminum tank, making an anode unnecessary.
Super helpful, thank you guys!! I love your step by step videos. You are a blessing to the RV community especially newbies!
By the way, you may want to mention that no teflon tape should be applied to the anode threads. Someone did that in one of the blogs, and wondered why it was not working. The point where you talk about teflon thread on the brass rings - please mention it should not be on the anode rod threads, only brass sections. Seems obvious, but was not to me.
+Lass-in Angeles Hi Lass! We wondered the same thing about teflon tape potentially preventing the anode rod from working... until we replaced our water heater with a brand new one a couple of years ago. It came from the Suburban factory with an anode installed using teflon tape. Turns out that the tape is unable to hold together against the metal threads, so the act of screwing it together tears the tape enough to allow contact between the threads on the anode and the threads on the tank. It's much easier to prevent leaking that way without trying to overtighten the anode to do it. We've been monitoring ours and the anode sacrifices itself properly with the tape being used. Of course this entire topic only applies to Suburban heaters, since Atwood's aluminum tanks don't require anodes at all. Not sure if the person who said that their anode was not working used too much tape. Only 4 or 5 wraps are needed, so I suppose it's possible that applying a lot more than that might potentially prevent contact between the anode and the tank. We've always used tape and our factory anode rods have always sacrificed themselves as expected.
Try this... get a threaded pipe fitting (maybe in the Lowe's or Home Depot plumbing dept) and a short length of hose (about 3 feet long) to attach to it, to create a threaded hose that screws into the anode port. Then hold it above the the overflow valve and pour in the vinegar using a funnel. Keep it held up above the heater during the whole process. If there's nothing to attach the hose to, try standing a ladder next to the RV and tying it to that. It will foam up and out. No worries.
That is exactly what we're planning to do in the next couple of weeks when we flush the tank again and go back to using an OEM anode (as mentioned, we're concerned that the aftermarket one isn't adequately protecting the tank from corrosion, since it hasn't decayed as expected). Thank you, and stay tuned for a video update! ;-)
The only way we know of on RVs with no diverter valve is to remove the over pressure relief valve and add vinegar with a funnel. One of those curved/flexible funnels would likely work best.
@RVgeeks ... CONTINUED. SInce the hose probably won't hold enough vinegar, you might have to do it more than once. Instead, you could try removing the over-pressure valve, and adding vinegar from above through a flexible funnel (put the anode back in first so it won't run out). Also, does your RV manufacturer have instructions for adding anti-freeze to the fresh water system? The same method should work for adding vinegar, as the water heater being empty will cause it to fill first.
...CONTINUED... the process for flushing an Atwood and a Suburban is the same, with the exception that one (Atwood) uses no anode, and the other (Suburban) does. Hope this answers your question.
12:30 This is a great video,thank you but personally I wouldn't wait for the water to come out through the pressure relief valve, as it can cause problems if your tank is too full. It would be better to open up the hot water faucet in the bathroom and wait for the water to come out there, then close the faucet. Other than that, I really liked how you cleaned this out. Thank you,great vid.
Actually, that's the technique recommended by the water heater manufacturer, as it ensures that there is an air gap at the top of the water tank (to handle changes in the volume of the water due to heating).
The video of the actual flushing was done on our friend's Atwood. They do not use an anode due to their aluminum tanks. Suburbans have steel tanks, so use an anode to prevent corrosion. We'll be doing a new video within the next couple of weeks showing the actual flushing process on our Suburban, and discussing in some detail the issues surrounding anode choice. Basically, we're going back to an OEM anode, as we'd rather risk having trouble getting it back out than risk our tank corroding....
So should I use an anode for my Atwood G6A-7? Would it help or be worth it? I know they are cheap. But as you mentioned the nylon doesnt rust to connection. I believe it has aluminum tank.
You are correct about Atwood heaters having aluminum tanks, so there’s no need for an anode on them.
@superhawkn It could be, if left in the pump for an extended period. That's one reason why we suggest drawing clear water through the pump after the vinegar - to clear it out.
Hey Duncan & Jessica! Are you two back on the road yet, or still in place down in Florida? We used to have a Bounder too, and loved it. Funny you should mention about flushing the hot water tank today. We literally just came home from Costco today with enough vinegar to do the annual tank flush. We're planning to make another video about it, since we used our friend's Atwood water heater in this video, and we thought we'd show our Suburban heater this year.
Congratulations on your new Airstream! We've seen the Bambi model before, and it is awesome. Best of luck with it. We Googled a bit, and it looks like your RV likely has either a 6- or 10-gallon water heater, either of which is PLENTY of water to take a nice hot shower (2 of us never ran out of hot water with our 10-gallon heater on our Bounder). Try releasing the pressure valve to make sure water comes out of it. If you're getting any hot water at all, the heating element must be working.
Sorry, I don't know what size it was, and my friends are now about 3,000 miles from here in their RV! I'd suggest removing the plug and taking it to your local hardware or home improvement store to match the size with something in the plumbing department.
Hmmm.... yeah.... getting the vinegar into the hot water tank without a winterizing kit. :-/ We've been thinking on that one and not sure the route you'd need to go. If we come across a good answer, we'll drop you a note. I'd also double check to be sure that your Bounder definitely does not have a winterizing kit/hose for drawing anti-freeze into the system. Not sure what year yours is, but our 2002 Bounder came with it as standard.
I also Have a bounder(2014) it does have a bypass and take up hose for antifreeze however I was under the impression that the whole purpose of the the by pass was to bypass the water heater. How doe the vinegar get into the tank?
I can only offer this, and could be completely wrong, but here goes: In the time that we had our motorhome, equipped with a Suburban hot water heater, any time I did any removal or replacement of the anode, I made sure there was contact between the rod and the wall of the socket into which it is inserted. So even though I used teflon tape to keep it from leaking, there was always metal to metal contact. I see you use copious tape. Could this be why your anode hasn't deteriorated? ....
Yes. The RV came with a built-in filter that uses a standard whole-house sediment filter.
Thanks for the info on the brass fitting anode rod and upgrading to a better rod. We've had out Keystone Outback since 2011 and the plug/rod is a real pain in the ass every year to remove and we only ever get one season out of those rods. This will really help!
+beri232 In case you haven't seen our follow-up video about the after-market anode rod, you should watch it before buying one: ruclips.net/video/tcxHIFKLVbc/видео.html
+RVgeeks Damn..... well, that changed my mind! Lol
+beri232 Yeah.... we just deal with removing the OEM rod each year. Worth it to protect the tank.
The best tutorial on this subject on youtube. Thanks!!
Thanks so much! Glad you liked it. :)
Our RV doesn't pump RV antifreeze into the system. We pressurize lines with air and open drains. How does one get the vinegar in? Is there a way to put it in via the emergency valve? Great video.
Thanks! I've rather neglected the Atwood I have on my boat. You did a great job of your explanation.
Thanks Jan! We also have a recent update to the process, which you might also find valuable: ruclips.net/video/TL7AtXJYNcc/видео.html
@buggiexb you can try this - When you're ready to add vinegar, drain your drinking water hose and attach it to the water fill inlet on the RV. Hold the other end of the hose up, and using a funnel, pour the vinegar into the hose. Now attach the hose to city water and turn it on, flushing the vinegar into the hot water tank. Might be easiest with a helper, and a second drinking water hose (so that you don't have to lower the vinegar-filled hose down to the water spigot). CONTINUED.....
Just love your RV videos-steps & instructions are always clear & easy to understand. New to RVing (2nd season this year), I've learned a lot from your videos.
Thanks!!!! Much better method than I have been using for ten years.
+Steven AK Thanks Steven! We just published an updated video about this that you might like even more: ruclips.net/video/TL7AtXJYNcc/видео.html
Tip: screw a short section of old hose to pressure relief valve outlet so the vinegar flush is controlled to away from the components.
Another tip: pause video's to save good info to Notes(Mac) app, write on user manual or add comment to Pdf file, that way you save time locating and re-viewing videos next time.
+Ernesto Q Thanks for adding some additional great tips, Ernesto!
The old hose section on the pressure release valve is a great idea! Thank you!
I have a 2006 Winnebago Journey 34H and I thought the diverter valve (winterizing valve) was turned on to bypass the water heater, so how is vinegar getting into the water heater if it's being diverted? This is the most confusing part of the video because it doesn't make sense to use the winterizing system because the system specifically bypasses the water heater.
My other thought...you are using the winterizing system to get the vinegar into the fresh water tank (assuming it's empty) and then drawing the vinegar into the water heater using the water pump. If doing this way, your fresh water tank would need to be empty or the vinegar solution wouldn't be strong enough to do any good. Also, if doing this way, couldn't you just use the gravity fresh water inlet and a funnel to get the vinegar into the tank? Any help on this would be much appreciated.
Hi Erica. Winnebago's plumbing can be very different (to be fair... each manufacturer seems to do they're plumbing a bit differently), so this technique likely won't work for you if your winterizing kit automatically bypasses the water heater.
You don't want to pump the vinegar into the fresh tank and then into the water heater... because it can be difficult to get the smell/taste of vinegar OUT of the fresh tank once you're done.
We have heard of other people removing the overpressure/overtemperature valve on their water heater (up near the top on the outside, behind the water heater panel) and pouring the vinegar in that way, but haven't done it ourselves. Or you could try the Winnebago forum over in iRV2.com ( www.irv2.com/forums/f101/ ) to see if other Winnie owners have ideas on how to configure the system to get vinegar pumped into the water heater.
There's much confusion about which metal to use - magnesium, aluminum or zinc. We're not happy that ours did not decay as expected this year, and are concerned it isn't protecting the tank. We're going back to the OEM rod with no drain, and will be updating the video when we do.
My coach has an Atwood heater with an anode plug. Just changed it today. Camco makes them for Atwood heaters with aluminum tanks. Got it at Camping World. Great video, Thanks.
Looking for instructions on rebuilding the gas valve properly on my Atwood.
190 folks commenting...... More than one ought to know and I love to learn.
Thank you all.
🇺🇸 🗽 🚌 🚌 🚌
Sorry we can’t be of much help on this one, but we do have a suggestion. Check out the user forums on iRV2.com. It’s free to join and post questions, and there are tons of knowledgable RVers, some of whom are sure to know lots about this topic.
@@RVgeeks
Awesome.
Thank you again. 🍺
🇺🇸 🗽🚌
Being full-timers, we've never stored our RV, so we're not sure. Maybe someone else on here with more experience can comment. It likely depends on two things: what brand you have (Suburban or Atwood) and how long you'll be storing it. The manufacturer's websites might have details or you could look on one of the RV forums, like irv2.com. Sorry we weren't more help on this one.
I don't have a diverted option on my Four Winds 5000. I assume your ability to fill the hot water heater with vinegar using the diverter is an added plus. Do you feel that simply flushing the Atwood with the rinsing tool is plenty?
That's a great idea! Doesn't sound too difficult to make at all.
@charles lister: You're absolutely right that an anode rod that sacrifices itself and does not last as long is the right way to go. You may have missed it, but we added 3 updates about it... one in the video description, an annotation, and a whole new video addressing the topic. Here's the text from the video description:
UPDATE - April 3, 2012: Regarding our use of an after-market anode rod. There are questions about which metal to use - magnesium, aluminum or zinc. As we mentioned in the video, we only chose this particular anode due to the extreme difficulty we had removing the original, despite the fact that it is a different material than the original rod. We've now inspected it after a year and are not happy that it did not decay as expected this year (did not decay at all), and are concerned it isn't protecting the tank properly. After hearing from two friends who also have Suburban units, who removed their anodes without much trouble, we're going back to the OEM rod with no drain, and will be updating the video when we do.
UPDATE - Sept 22, 2013: UPDATE! THE ANODE ROD VERDICT IS IN! SEE IT HERE:
ruclips.net/video/tcxHIFKLVbc/видео.html
RVgeeks
Where did you get the Anode Rod with the valve at the end?? I went to my local RV store and they tell me that it is for a Attwood not Suburban. I have that same brass fitting you do but with out the Anode. Your idea is great and I would like to use that instead of the Steel one they are trying to sell me.
I have this same water heater. Thank you for the video. Would you know where I can get the manual for this unit?
Hi Richard! If you get the exact model number off your heater, you should be able to find the manul here:
www.manualslib.com/brand/atwood/water-heater.html
@@RVgeeks my tags are gone.
Your best bet is to try to narrow it down by tank size (6, 8, 10 gallon, etc) and see if you can match photos in the manuals to your unit. Most things are the same or similar on them, so the information about operation, troubleshooting, etc should be pretty much the same on many models.
@@RVgeeks Thank you
That was a great how to video,thanks for posting it.I sometimes invent things,and here's a freebie for you just for posting this,like MrSalmonguy mentioned about the water going all over...Design an attachable deflector plate specifically for the purpose of flushing,that way it doesn't run all over the electrical and hinges,glad I stumbled on your website.Now I have to replace a start cap.on my rear A/C which I've never done,but have been studying how to.
Can you guys do a video about plugging an RV into your home?
Also in sunny drought stricken Calley-Forney have a two 5 gallon buckets handy to water the flowers with. The Vinegar will not hurt the lawn, nor will the white residue. So without that line how to get the 50-50 mix into the tank?? My trailer is very sealed up near the heater. Every 2 years I change the rod in my heater and it comes out looking like chewed up licorice. It does its job!!! Can the pressure relief valve be removed on a Surburban and then filled??
+Scott Wall The pressure relief valve can be removed with a pipe wrench. Just don't force it!
I have a 6 month old Atwood Water Heater model 10-E and it looks similar right until I pull the drain plug. There is another plug inside the hole that has outer threads that the plug screws onto.
Here is a link to a post with pictures on irv2 forum.
+Mike Nomadic Hey Mike... sounds like someone replaced the standard Atwood plastic plug with something else. The link didn't come through, so we can't be sure what you're referring to... but as long as you can unscrew something that allows you to drain the tank and insert a rinsing wand, you should be OK.
I hope this link works www.irv2.com/forums/f54/atwood-10-gal-water-heater-draining-plug-inside-a-plug-276483.html
There is no opening to put the wand into and no water drains
+Mike Nomadic Hmmmm... the link worked and we can see your problem... but we've never seen anything like that. Even looking at Atwood's owner's manual, what they show doesn't look like what you've taken a picture of. We wish we could be of more help on this, but you're probably going to need to contact Atwood to see if they have any idea what that is.
Best of luck! And let us know how you make out.
+RVgeeks Ok thanks guys, I will let you know what I find out.
Love your videos! Great explanations and walk throughs. I plan on doing the water heater flush, black tank flush and sanitizing my fresh water system this weekend. If I may point out one thing, it's "water heater" not "hot water heater".
Do I need to drain my hot water heater when the trailer is not in use?
Could you use anti seize sof the bolt doesn't rust
Can you use a low pressure 1800 psi water pressure washer to flush out the tank?
@@manyfeather2knives423 We wouldn’t risk that. Probably wouldn’t do that great a job anyway.
Greetings, i have a question for you...have you ever had the heating element leak out of the rubber gasket? thanks....
Hi Bonnie! We’ve never had the heating element leak. Thinking that a new gasket may be in order. If your heater is getting older, maybe just replace the heating element while it’s out, too, assuming it’s not too expensive.
@@RVgeeks thank you
So I have a Atwood and running the water smells like rotten eggs. To put the vinegar in the water heater I dont believe I have a hose that will suck it from the container would I have to dump it from a funnel into the pressure valve? I have 2018 jayco jayflight slx 174bh. Thank you
That’s the way to do it, Dustin. After draining the heater, then re-installing the drain plug, use a pipe wrench to carefully remove the over-pressure relief valve and use a flexible fuller to add the vinegar there. Then replace the valve.
I don't have a divert valve on our system. How else could I get the vinegar mixture directly into my HWH???
The only other way we know of is to remove the over-pressure relief valve at the top of the tank, and pour the vinegar in using a flexible funnel.
Again, I want to thank you for these videos. I'm an RV n00b and bought a used motor home and ran into bad smelling water. Your bleach/water method I already used and I still got smelly water when running hot water. It went away after a while and I thought about cleaning the hot water heater and just ordered the flush wand. Never thought of the vinegar, great idea. Question though, my 2004 Southwind doesn't have one of those pumping hoses(at least I can't seem to find it). What is the alternative?
Without a flush kit, the only way we can think of to add vinegar into the water heater is by removing the over-pressure valve at the top, and pouring the vinegar in through the opening using a flexible-neck funnel. Of course you'd need to drain the water out of the heater first, and then replace the drain plug before adding the vinegar. If you're going to be removing the overpressure regular for this anyway, might be a good time to replace it, since they're not expensive and if yours is old it might start weeping at some point soon anyway. Hope this helps.
It's weird to me how the pressure relief valve if it drips at all, it drips onto the flame and makes it roar. Ugh.
@MrYTTAB I just went in and added two annotations as a reminder to turn the water off after filling the tank with vinegar. Thanks for catching that!
Great video! I changed element, eco and thermostat and still only getting luke warm water. Any suggestions? Could it be some clog somewhere effecting pressure between hot and cold?
Hi Ron. Here's one possibility, or at least something to get you on what could be the right track: ruclips.net/video/IsiXaMEneaY/видео.html
If the problem started right after flushing, it's possible that valves, such as those for the water heater bypass, are not set back to "regular operation."
Could someone do one for Class C water heaters. I've never seen a divert switch on mine nor do I have that suction hose.
The diverter isn't a function of whether you have a Class A or Class B motorhome, or even a towable. RV water heaters are pretty much the same across all RVs, except there are two different main brands (Atwood and Suburban) and various sizes available. If you don't have the diverter valve or hoses, you don't have a winterizing kit. You can either install one, or unscrew the over-pressure relief valve and pour in the vinegar using a flexible funnel.
We're still in Florida :) We've got the atwood so this was perfect, although I don't think we have a hose to suck the vinegar up into the tank...:/ I still have to do some poking around before I jump in with both feet!
Thanks gents! I intend to do this task tomorrow but want to know aprox. timing...if I use gloves and DON'T wait for the water to cool before or after the vinegar, would you say I could do this job in about two hours? Three? Surely not longer than that...?
Hi Claire! Your timing is excellent, as we've just posted an updated water heater flush video that should give an idea how long it should take. We've discovered that it will probably take longer than that to really do it right. Check it out here: ruclips.net/video/TL7AtXJYNcc/видео.html
Hope this helps a bit, and please be sure to let us know how you make out.
That's so helpful, thank you! 16 HOURS though?!? I'll try a couple hours of hot vinegar today and next year will go full force....looking forward to your next update with full vinegar and less time ;)
So when you draw vinnegar in, you are drawing it into your fresh water tank, then the water heater, so you are treating both tanks? Or do you make sure fresh water tank is full, so vinegar bypasses fresh water tank?
Not sure if I have the winterizer, if I can’t find it, pull pressure release and funnel in the vinegar?
Vinegar is drawn directly into the water heater, but not all systems are plumbed the same. Most RVs can draw vinegar into the water heater though.
I'm confused by this part of the video also. My diverter valve (for winterization) is to specifically bypass the water heater, so you don't get anti-freeze into your water heater. This video shows turning that valve on, which would bypass the water heater. How is using that valve filling the hot water heater with vinegar. Just doesn't make sense.
I wonder if you could elaborate on how to fill my 10 gallon ATWOOD hot water heater; it appears I do not have a by-pass system in place; Do I need to remove the relief valve/ if so how do I do this? this heater area is very restrictive; love your very informative video,s I watch and rewatch over and over; I have ordered a new diverter valve which is on backorder .I will have to install myself as the nearest rv dealer is some distance from me in very heavy congested traffic- "it,s nerve racking!! no labor pool; wish me luck and thanks again for the great video,s; HAPPY TRAVELING!! pattiboypatrick!
+Patrick Peterman Hi Patrick! Thanks so much for the nice comments. 😊 There are three ways we can think of to get vinegar into a water heater: 1) Install a winterizing kit, which is not too difficult (our first choice), 2) Remove the over pressure relief valve with a monkey wrench, or 3) Buy a threaded fitting that fits into the drain valve, and attach a flexible hose to it, then raise that hose up above the heater and use a funnel to pour vinegar and water down the tube. Then keep that tube suspended above the heater during the entire process. This is our least desirable choice as it's a little Rube Goldberg. But it does avoid having to remove the over pressure relief valve. Hope this helps a little bit. Good luck and please let us know how you make out. Safe travels.
THANK,S FOR THE REPLY AND ADVICE,PATRICK
Why would I want to go to the expense to install a winterizing kit when I don't need to winterizing at any time?
This just popped up as recommended. Just a note, A heater with an aluminum tank is busy sacrificing itself during operation. Where a steel tank needs the anode rod.
I can see this need on a coach that is used continuously, carrying around a water heater tank full of water. Our toy hauler fifth wheel was mostly in storage and used only a month a year in several vacation stretches. We'd pull the drain and just allow it to drain before heading home. Do you have suggestions for this type of use?
Hi Erika. Regardless of the brand of water heater your toy hauler has, draining it when not in use for long stretches is absolutely fine. We'd suggest that if you have an Atwood heater, that the plastic drain plug it came with is all you need when it is in use, as the aluminum tanks do not require an anode. If you have a Suburban heater, you should use the anode rod that came from the manufacturer when the tank is in use. Using the heater as seldom as you do, it's unlikely you'll need to replace the rod very often, but you should still use it. It's no extra effort to use the anode rod instead of just a plug, since the anode rod is basically a plug with a rod sticking off the back. Suburban includes the rod for a reason, and we'd suggest using it.
hI!, As I was rinsing with the flush tool, the 14'' part of the flush tool broke off at the base and was catapulted inside the hot water heater. it is now a hot water eater digesting a wand piece. how do I get that out. should I just leave it. will it melt on the element,,, It is an Atwood.
Oh no, Julie! That certainly does not sound good. We think you should NOT run the water heater until you get that piece of wand out of there, as it will almost certainly melt, and could damage your water heater, or cause other problems. Getting it out could indeed be a tricky operation. You might want to invest in a borescope like the one we showed in our water heater inspection video, so that you can see what’s happening and where it is. You might need to get creative by using something like a coat hanger to try to guide it out through the opening. We think that this is going to be a challenging operation, but hopefully some persistence will lead to a very happy moment when that thing pops out of the drain opening. Best of luck, and please let us know how you make out.
@@RVgeeks Thanks very. I have a boroscope, I bought it when I saw your video. I just don’t have the patience right now for yet another difficult « stupid » problem 🙆🏼♀️. I am going to get a mechanical pick up tool. Neighbor offered to help. I did start the hot water on gaz. I thought it would be ok, the plastic should be floating ?? Ah là là !! 🙃. No more shower. COVID style 😍
A pick up tool is a great idea! We know you can do it!!!
@@RVgeeks ok,, I got this 😘😘😘😘😘😘😘✅
@@projet2907 👊🤞👍
Thank you so much for this video! I am a new rv owner so this was very helpful. I have all the manuals but it helps me much more to read then see it done.
Thank you for this video! Well done and appreciated!
Excellent! Thank you so much for this simple video.
Thank you so much for your videos. They are a huge help to us newbies. We have a Dometic heater. I notice you only have instructions for Atwater or Saburban. Also, where do people normally do this draining? Thank you in advance for your help.
Hi Cydney! Dometic bought Atwood, and has been rebranding everything. So your Dometic heater is actually an Atwood, and you can follow those instructions (no anode rod, etc). You can do this any place you have a water hook-up.
@@RVgeeks Thank you. We do not have that hose that pumps the vinegar into the hot water heater. Did I see a video where you mention using a funnel and tubing?
You can use a funnel and tubing if you remove the overpressure relief valve at the top of the tank (requires a pipe wrench) and pour it in through that (with the threaded nylon drain plug in place of course, to prevent it from running right back out).
Can’t it just be drained from the tub using the pump?
Nope. Has to be drained. The pump adds cold water to the tank, pushing hot water out. Can’t pump it dry.
HI....I just bought a 2002 ROad TRek 190P THe anode connection (that I would unscrew) is COATED with rust. WHat do I do>?
Hi Charles. Have you tried unscrewing the anode yet? If the anode is rusted into the opening in the water heater, there is a danger that you could damage the heater itself trying to force it out. We'd suggest using some Liquid Wrench penetrating oil on the threads if it resists coming out. Just apply some to the threads, tap lightly on the head of the anode with a hammer for about 20-30 seconds, which sets up a vibration to draw the oil into the threads. Then wait a little bit for it to penetrate and try again. If it still won't come loose, repeat the oil & tapping again, wait a bit and try again. Liquid Wrench and patience could save you from damaging the threads or fitting on the heater, thereby saving you the cost and effort of replacing the entire heater. Let us know if we understood the problem correctly, and let us know how you make out.
What if you don't have a diverter how do you put vinegar in the water heater
Brandon Clary Hi Brandon. I assume by diverter, you mean a winterizing kit? If you don't have one, another way to get vinegar into the water heater is by removing the over-pressure relief valve and using a flexible-neck funnel to pour it in. That does present the possible problem of having trouble removing the valve.... or having trouble getting it back in without it leaking around the threads, so use care when removing and re-installing it. Don''t force it, and use white plumber's tape on the threads when re-installing to prevent leaks.
Getting ready to install a new Atwood water heater and I don't think you should open the Pressure Relief valve! The manual states there should be an Air Gap and if through the season ; If you get a drip from the Valve to empty tank to restore the Air Gap...
Hi Nora. Thanks for your concern. You do want there to be an air gap for sure. But it's only supposed to be a small one at the top of the tank. Here's the exact text on the topic from the Atwood owner's manual:
TO REPLACE THE AIR GAP FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
1. Turn off main water supply (the pump or water hook up source).
2. Let water cool or let run until cool.
3. Open the hot water faucet closest to the water heater.
4. Pull handle of pressure temperature relief valve straight out and allow water to flow until it stops.
5. Allow pressure temperature relief valve to snap shut; close faucet; turn on water supply.
6. Turn on water heater and test.
• At least once a year manually operate pressure-temperature relief valve (FIG 10).
Best of luck with your water heater install! Hope all goes smoothly. :)
you say atwood water heaters dont have anode rods but my friends 94 prowler has one and we changed it and the old one was almost gone. would they have used a metal tank in that year
Can't say for sure if they used them back then. You'd probably have to contact Atwood about that one. You might want to do that anyway, because it's not uncommon for people to think they need an anode rod in an Atwood heater when they don't, and just go ahead and install one. Atwoods (at least modern ones) have aluminum tanks, and we're pretty sure that the company advises to not install an anode rod in them.
Your timing is great on this question, as we just shot a new, updated video about flushing water heaters, which includes an internal inspection with a boroscope! Look for that video real soon. ;-)
thanks for the speedy reply i shall let my friend know and he can check it out and maybe we can use our android endoscopes to look inside
How would I add the vinegar to my water heater if I don’t have the pump as you do on here
You've got two possible options:
(1) you could try removing the over-pressure valve, and adding vinegar from above through a flexible funnel (put the anode back in first so it won't run out)
(2) get a threaded pipe fitting (maybe in the Lowe's or Home Depot plumbing dept) and a short length of hose (about 3 feet long) to attach to it, to create a threaded hose that screws into the anode port. Then hold it above the the overflow valve and pour in the vinegar using a funnel. Keep it held up above the heater during the whole process. If there's nothing to attach the hose to, try standing a ladder next to the RV and tying it to that. It will foam up and out. No worries.
I am having a problem with my atwood(pilot). I can get the pilot to light, hold and then turn to ON,,, and the pilot goes out and the burner doesn't ignite? Any ideas? thks
First check to be sure that your propane tank if filled and the line is on and purged of air (try lighting several times to purge it to be sure propane is reaching the heater). We had a problem once with our Suburban propane orifice on the water heater where it was cracked and not jetting propane correctly. It took a professional tech to diagnose and fix it for us. Since you're dealing with propane/fire/safety issues here, it might be wise to have a tech look at it.
RVgeeks Thanks, but the gas is getting to the pilot and that comes though the same gas valve at the burner gas? I removed the gas line and gas is getting to the valve and the propane bottle has gas in it? I heard that Atwood had sold some faulty valves in the past and this one is 4-5 years old, so maybe the gas valve is gone. I ordered a new one from American RV, 91602 Robertshaw replacement. Thanks again.
Bad thermocouple.
s cook Not really, That is the first thing I had checked and replaced anyway, more than once. I have gone through two Atwood gas valves and one entire water heater, to only find out. That the Atwood was putting out faulty gas valves. Why do you think, they now recommend replacing the Atwood valve with a different mfg gas valve?
Are you filtering your city water on the way in?
Thank you! This is just what I needed.
Awesome tip! Just read all about it. Thanks so much!
Can you please tell me the exact name and size of the tool you used to remove the drain plug, sorry I'm mechanically illiterate lol
There are a couple of different size drain plugs that Atwood uses. It's typically either a 15/16" socket or a 7/8".
@@RVgeeks ok yes mines is a 7/8 and i need the correct wording for the, i guess rachet wrench that ur using?, I'm not sure if I'm wording it correctly lol, but i need that whole tool and accessory that ur using to remove the drain plug
Thank you
Khadijah Davis Ah, got it. You need a socket wrench, most likely one with a 3/8 inch drive (which is very typical), as well as a short extension to prevent the handle from banging into the side of the RV as you try and loosen the plug.
@@RVgeeks thaaaaank you so very much
Thank you :) Just what we need folks like your self giving good advise. It helps to keep RVing even cheaper. :)
Thanks Dino! So glad you like our videos. :)
Your welcome.Keep them coming im sure you have the respect of many people :)
I'll take a look and see if that's possible. Thanks for the advice.
What size socket do you need for the drain plug?
what percent of acid should the white vinegar be to be effective?
Hmmm. Not sure, as we always just buy ordinary white vinegar. We just looked at the brand we happen to have sitting here, and it's 5%. Here's an update that might give you a better idea how effective it is over time: ruclips.net/video/TL7AtXJYNcc/видео.html
RVgeeks, thanks! Love your videos, very informative!
My system doesn't have a diverter valve. How do I get vinegar in the tank without sending it throughout the system?
@Carston Wagner Good question !! Hope someone can answer it.
get a cheap fluid transfer pump off amazon...
Just install a winterizing bypass at the pump. It cost me $30CAD and took 20 mins to install. Super easy.
I have class C so how do I get vinegar into water heater?
You either need to 1) Use your winterizing kit, or 2) If you don't have a winterizing kit, install one (like this: amzn.to/2vgB7ZO or this: amzn.to/2qAaFVw ), or 3) Remove the over-pressure relief valve and use a flexible funnel to pour the vinegar into that opening.
So Atwood’s don’t need an anode rod?
Correct. Not needed at all.
very helpful and detailed . Thank you
I need to no why I'm not getting no water resurrect in side my camper
If you're not getting water from your faucets, check to be sure you're either hooked up to a working city water connection, or your water pump is on and running (no blown fuse), and any anti-freeze flush valves are not in the off position. Also be sure that your water heater bypass valves are in the correct position, and if running off the RV's water tank, make sure it has water in it.
With all that vinegar in the system, it would be a good time to put some baking soda and salt in the drains to clean them out. :) The salt is just to give it a scrub.
Jon
Great video but cut the bottom of a round bleach or other container to divert the water from running on my gas port inlet and away from other accessories, also I always open a sink faucet to relieve pressure off the lines because air popping can cause a hose to pop off a fitting behind the wall.
Great ideas! Thanks for adding some more excellent tips to the discussion Max.
Thanks for the awesome videos! As an RV new guy I find them really helpful. Do you suggest/recommend a thread sealant on the drain tube once complete?
Thanks so much! You can wrap some Teflon plumbers tape around the threads before installing the plug.
How did u get such water pressure out of ur faucets?
How do you switch from gas to electric?
Hi Angela! There are two switches for the water heater. One for gas, and one for electric. You simply turn on whichever one is appropriate at the time. Generally, whenever you’re hooked up to power, you switch on the electric mode, and when you’re not hooked up to power, you switch on the propane mode. If you’re in a hurry to get hot water, and have power available, you can switch on both at the same time, and you’ll have a tank full of hot water in no time!
@@RVgeeks I guess my RV doesn't have a switch??
I'm new. Lol
It is possible that you do not have a bi-fuel water heater. There are water heaters that run on propane only. If you have one that will run on either propane or electric, there will be two switches, probably right next to each other, one for electric and one for propane. If you only have one switch, you may have one that runs on propane only.
Very nicely done..thank you for sharing this video.
I just checked, and this one is a 7/8".
Great video's! New to RV'ing and your videos answer alot of questions i have.
Most Atwoods don't have or need an anode. Ours is the "Tank Saver Anode Rod Kit" from NW Leisure Products, sold at rvtoyoutlet (dot com) or adventurerv (dot net).
It's spring time. What order should I do the following: ... de-winterize fresh water, system/sanitize fresh water system, or flush & clean water heater. Thanks new subscriber.
If it was us... we'd (1) de-winterize the water system, (2) flush & clean the water heater, and then (3) sanitize the whole fresh water system (water heater included). If you don't plan on sanitizing the hot side of your water system, (2) and (3) could be flipped if that's easier for you.
We've never heard of anything like purple scale before. Sorry we can't help with that one. Maybe someone else here could comment?