RV Water Heater Maintenance w/ Custom Vinegar Fill Pipe (RV Living Full Time) 4K

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Watch our Sanitize Your Water Holding tank Video kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipS4iGCDfNx2bpI

[@Ubergirlie]

My husband watched your video, before cleaning ours & changing the anode last year. It made such a difference in how quickly our hot water heater heated up the water, & showers required less hot water because the water was hotter. He says it’s time to do it again! Thank you for these videos! I’m sharing with friends.

[@elisamuelcuadrado2144]

I’m definitely going to do this. Awesome video. Honestly the best water heater maintenance video I’ve seen.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Elisamuel, wow. Thanks. We hope it helps others make sure they do it, make it inexpensive and make easier. Alice

[@hayeswildrick]

I love the custom fill device you made! Being able to handle projects like this by myself is both fun and cost effective! Great video.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Jeff, Larry loves to DIY and invent. He made room for his 3D printer 😂 Alice

[@karinwest919]

Easiest way and easiest gadget yet to get that job done!! Thank you so much for sharing such a neat and cheap tool!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad we could help. Larry is always coming up with stuff like this 😉

[@46fd04]

Great job. Note to all. When the water heater is heating cold water, the water will expand and pressurize, and leak out of the pressure relief valve. Once the water is heated to the preset temp, the leak will stop. This is normal.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s a great tip, I knew it would drip, but that’s a great explanation of why. Thanks. Larry

[@canwelook]

Makes sense. I noticed the PVC piping seemed to be leaking when heating, but on closer inspection realised it was a slow overflow out of the top PVC arm. I figured the overflow was because the water expanded on heating.

[@donwilliams6879]

Nice to see that you put the teflon tape on correctly. To avoid leaks it's necessary to go clockwise as you're holding the fitting with the threads facing you. That way the tape doesn't unwrap as you tighten the rod. Also, vinegar and baking soda make a great household toilet bowl cleaner. When you drain the water heater recycle some of the vinegar into your toilet and sinks. Add a bit of baking soda, swish it around and let it sit over night. Cheap and very effective.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I have put the teflon tape backwards before, thats how I know to make sure I put it on correctly. Great tip about using baking soda and vinegar in the toilet. Larry

[@canwelook]

Brilliant. I initially assumed this system wouldn't work here in Australia because our PVC pipes sizes are metric while the Suburban anode hole sizes are imperial = mismatch. I was wrong! This system works nicely with the imperial to metric connectors readily available. Too easy. Thank you!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing. This comment can help others. Love to visit Australia one day - watch so many movies filmed there 🤗 Alice

[@johnneedy3164]

I've watched these videos and it amazes me NO one talks about filtering, those blue THINGS ,COULD GO ON BUT TAKES ME TO LONG TO TEXT, RETIRED RV MECHANIC, STARTED BACK IN 1974,IVE SEEN SOME MESSES

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We use the blue filter as a pre-filter, then we have a whole RV charcoal filter with a replaceable cartridge. Then we use a brita for our drinking water. We will eventually do a video on filtering after we have a better solution, but this works for now. Larry

[@TexasR1]

I'm on Team Larry. Best total solution I've found, and it works!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wow. What an awesome compliment. Thanks so much

[@GrandAdventure]

Great job to both of you on this! Larry, you're so good on camera explaining everything, and Alice we love the unique camera angles! Very creative for a how-to video. Loved the mod for putting the vinegar in the tank, too. Finally, yeah -- we've ourselves pulled out an anode rod that looked like that. LOL

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Marc, thanks. Larry does come up with unique solutions. He loves DIYS and helping others. Yeah, that rod was definitely past it’s due date 🤣. Thanks for your input. It means a lot coming from you. Alice and Larry

[@mattwhite3862]

"Insert the rod"... Can't get away from work can you LG? 😂 These videos are awesome. The benefits of your DIYs are not isolated to just RV'ing. Thank you L&A...

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks Matt, youtube is a lot more work than spine but i enjoy it much more, haha

[@brendanwalsh1675]

We "LARRYIZED" our hot water heater this year. Brilliant pvc attachment! Thanks again for sharing this wonderful technique. Happy and healthy travels! Brendan & Lena

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

“Larryized”😅 Love it. Maybe we will make it into an RV dictionary 🤣 Larry is so inventive and comes up with unique solutions. We just don’t have enough hours in the day to share them. Happy and healthy travels to you guys, too 🤗 Alice

[@DGFavorite]

Thank you so much for this video. I have been raving 40 years and have always changed anode rods and flushed WH with water. I was amazed that after letting vinegar solution soak overnight on how much additional scale came out of the tank.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Vinegar is such a great item to have your RV or home. We plan on doing this maintenance more often since we are full time travelers and use so many different water sources, Alice

[@billdailey3253]

Thanks for the great video. The custom filler pipe makes descaling the heater very straightforward.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad we could help. Larry is often coming up with unique ways to make this lifestyle easier

[@PintDrinker60]

Great job. Brilliant. Been rving for 9 yrs amd never thought of those pipes. Thank for that!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Larry is always inventing, coming up with new ideas. You should see his 3D printed stuff 😂 Alice

[@cindylee6968]

I sure like your videos, we are newbies and are needing to learn all about our RV. We had a hot water problem, calcium, and just recently we had a surfer and cloudy yucky water! We are now sanitizing our water holding tank and lines; your way seems easier then what we just did,lol! Thanks again!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We try our best to get out info that can help other RVers. But there’s so much and we decided not to make KZbin more important than enjoying this life. So if you have a specific question, go ahead and email us - if we don’t already have a video about it. Hopefully we can answer your questions. And thanks for coming by and letting us know you appreciate our videos 🤗 Alice

[@stevedefrees5388]

I used your technique and it was really easy. I use a T instead of the elbow and added more pipe and a shut off valve below. Thanks!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

T with shut off is a nice touch, I’m going to add that next cleaning. Larry

[@damnyankee656]

Ingenious idea on the filling of the Suburban water heater with Vinegar and water. Great informative video

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you. Glad to help

[@janetdellinger6633]

I did this and it worked great! My husband was happy I did it without bothering him! Thank you!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s awesome. Because of Larry’s recent diagnosis and months of incapacitation, I know I need to learn to do more.

[@chasinspring]

BEST EVER, NO BS< NO BIG INTRO< DID NOT MEET YOUR DOG....THANK YOU!!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

😆 Yes. Larry is pretty no nonsense when making DIY videos. And we have up on intros on our campground tours, too 😉

[@chasinspring]

@@DownsizingMakesCents doing this tonight.

[@canwelook]

Worked perfectly. The one improvement I'd like next time is the ability to have water pump access to cold water for the kettle, washing up, drinking, etc while the vinegar solution is doing its job. I'm thinking a simple PVC cap end pressed on the top of the verticle PVC pipe arm should seal that pipe long enough that I could temporarily turn on the water pump and tap. Cost: less than a dollar. Here's hoping it works.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

When i did the water heater, i put it in bypass so i could still use the cold water in the rv. Larry

[@canwelook]

@@DownsizingMakesCents good idea. Here in Australia it seems vans don't have bypass systems because we don't have your freezing winters.

[@chadkoller7809]

I considered my self pretty thorough about taking care of my travel trailer. I think I need to learn some more. Thanks for the video I’m definitely doing this in the spring

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

There have many seasoned campers that wrote something similar. So it may be more common to not do it. Let us know how it goes 🤗

[@cherishhughes9796]

Great video explaining how to flush the water heater. Our family just bought an RV and is catching up on maintenance. My dad is having me find the videos and order supplies so we can get things done. Your video makes me feel like I can handle this job.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Cherish, we are glad we could help. It can be overwhelming at first. Make sure to contact us if you have any questions- not just about water heaters, Alice

[@tadtravis]

my"like new" roadtrek was garaged for FOUR years, needless to say, the iod rod was ka-poot !!!!! I JUST did this and tomorrow will rinse out-what a life safer considering I THOUGHT I may need a new hot water heater-thanks!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

With proper care these water heaters should last a long time, but changing the magnesium rod is important. Why was your Roadtrek garaged for four years? Those are great RVs. Larry

[@tadtravis]

@@DownsizingMakesCents quick question and I hope you get this..... I've drained the vinegar and flushed once and sprayed a bunch with the wand.... pretty much clean, yet I still get an occasional sliver of black.... maybe plastic? or maybe decomposed anode rod..... I'm gonna get my lizard cam in it tomorrow..... should I JUST keep flushing until it's crystal clean.... will these tiny speck impede on my water flow-damage anything???? thanks a lot! this is all foreign territory for me

[@virgilblanton]

I have never thought of using that method, but wow that was great! Good job.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you

[@dwightjr88]

Been camping my whole life. I replace the anode rod every year but I never even knew to descale my hot water tank. Thank you for the information and demonstration.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Dwight, we were surprised how bad it was. And while working on our current video about fresh water holding tank sanitation, we looked at the rod again. Yikes. We need to that whole routine more often as full timers, Alice

[@dwightjr88]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I use my Keystone Retreat on weekends and vacation weeks. A little tip that I do for the Black water tanks is, at the end of the weekend I empty the black water tanks while letting the water run for about 2 minutes to flush the tanks. I close the shut offs and dump in my Aqua Kem. When I come back next weekend the first thing I do is reopen the black water tanks to drain out before using. More than the dumping of the Aqua Kem is the removal of the tank gas that built up. Doing this greatly reduces that blast of nasty smell when you first flush the toilets. I reapply the Kem before using for weekend. It also helps keeping the tank level sensor clean. 👍

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sounds like that works great for you 👍 Larry doesn’t like the smell of that chemical- plus of course we are full time. We did do a video with bathroom tips. Have a great weekend, Alice

[@dwightjr88]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Happy Camping and Easter. I will watch more of your videos when I can. I'm sure I will learn things. My 53 years of camping started in my parents 19ft trailer in a crib. No hot water, no shower. Mom had to boil water for a sponge bath. Finally TV around 8yrs old. Black and white tv with a 40ft radio shack antenna. 2 channels on a clear day. Skip to today 42ft Park model. Central air, DirecTV with 4 hd TVs, 2 bedrooms and bathrooms . Wow have times changed

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@dwightjr88 Boy has it changed. Someone told me about a rig that has avoidance for the slides? It’s amazing what they are doing. Alice

[@bobtomes4977]

HE is a GREAT TEACHER, DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Bob, thank you. I’ll let him know. But I might say “great.” I don’t want him to get a big head 🤣 Alice

[@rickmerriman8967]

Good Idea with the PVC pipe even for just draining the tank! I like your Algonquin T-shirt,it is my go to place as It’s just over two hours from my home! 🛶🏕🍻

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Rick, I grew up in Oakville and loved camping and canoeing in Algonquin. We both loved it there, Larry

[@moc4642]

This was a great video and method! I used this, built a fill pipe, used hot water since I wasn't going to turn on my heating element. Then when draining, I turned the fill pipe down so the vinegar/water solution ran out it and then down into a 5 gallon bucket. Although my trailer specs said my tank was 6 gallons, (and I fully drained it), I could only fill with 3 gallons of vinegar and 2 gallons of water. Thanks so much for a great DIY!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

a six gallon water heater really only heats 5 gallons of water because of the large air pocket at the top which is there to allow expansion when the water is heated. Glad this worked out for you. Larry

[@hmainville]

Hello, we used your pipe idea to fill the tank with vinegar, after i closed the heater water valves inside. Great thanks. H

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I’m glad this technique worked for you. Keeping your water heater clean is important. Larry

[@dotcodan]

This is an awesome way to fill the hot water tank with the vinegar. Well done, sir.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks Dan, I like to try different things to solve problems. The thing I really miss being a full timer is not having a workshop. Larry

[@melvinharvey8279]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Don't I know it ........

[@factcheck5017]

The vinegar actually pickles the rank as well… great video

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Exactly. And thank you

[@thelonestarranger]

Thanks for the great video. I "borrowed" your idea and tweaked it a little for my use. I used black iron tubing and added a ball valve shutoff because I wanted to heat the mixture and was afraid of the pvc tubing and heating it. I let the vinegar and water heat for 12 hours, then turned off water heater and let simmer for another 12 hours. The results were amazing! Tank looks brand new now. I thought I had damaged the threads in the tank for the anode rod, but it was only calcium build up on the threads that kept me from tightening the anode rod into the tank farther than I could. I can now screw in the rod with just my fingers.. Thanks again for the video

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Great idea using the black pipe, i didnt think of that. Did you have to use teflon tape on the black pipe connections to keep i from leaking? I had a very small drip from the pvc pipe connections, I didnt want to glue them so it would be easier to store in pieces. Larry

[@thelonestarranger]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Yes I did use teflon tape just for lubrication on the threads. Only tightened connections hand tight so as to be able to store in sections after use. I did have a small drip from the 3/4" to 1/2"adapter, but that didn't worry me.This is THE BEST idea I've come across in a long time, and now I have the equipment if I need to perform this task again. Thank you sir for this easy way to descale my water heater tank!

[@SHORT22]

@@thelonestarranger that is a good idea as heat does accelerate things. If you don’t want to use black iron, as it’s heavy and taping can be a chore, use CPVC. It’s specifically for hot water. Also, adding a union between the 90 and 3/4 male adapter will help with storage and orientation.

[@paula.2422]

Fantastic video! So well done. I wish I had seen this before rigging up the clear hose, etc... I will be stopping by home depot for some pvc, an elbow and adapter for my tank. Happy to be a new subscriber.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you so much for subscribing. We are glad you found us and we could help

[@peterhill648]

Great info and I made an adjustment/improvement. I put in a t-junction and added a ball valve in order to drain it easier

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

T handle is a great mod, I’m going to get one. Larry

[@charlesfroeder1035]

Dometic directions say add 6 gallons and 3 gallons water into pressure relief valve . After adding 6 gallons vinegar the tank would not take water, it was full. The tank was completely drained first. A friend mentioned the low point drain must be drained also , but I have not heard that elsewhere. I don’t know why it wouldn’t take 9 gallons, it was full at exactly 6 gallons. There is a label stating it’s a 10 gallon unit

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

The top of the tank has an area where water cannot go above, this way the tank wont explode, air compresses when the water expands, so even though technicallly the tank has 10 gallons volume, it probably only holds 6-7 gallons of water, that’s what the water outlet is not at the top of the tank. Larry

[@markt7291]

Not sure there’s a better way than this. Good job.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. Larry is always coming up with tweaks

[@sherriweber7105]

Thank you so much Larry and Alice fir showing this video on maintaining your water and water heater. Very great job! 👍 it looks hard to do but easy. Vinegar I know cleans everything. My mom had to use vinegar at the restaurant she worked at. She used it to McDaniel tables. Thank you for this nice video. Have a great weekend and see you soon!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sherri, the process isn’t hard or expensive. It does take awhile, but it is so important to do. See you soon. Alice

[@RalphWalton]

Thank you Larry and Alice for this video. I am obsessed with self maintenance on our new rig. This video will help me this weekend when we take her out (1st time ever) for a dry run. Will like and follow. 😁

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Awesome. It’s been awhile, but I remember our first trip in our current rig. Enjoy And thanks for subscribing - we have been moving every 2-3 days for awhile so we are behind on our longer videos. Should be back at it soon. In the meantime, we have lots of DIY/how to to catch up on 😉

[@Remodelaholic]

Great video. I'm working in this today! Your a life saver!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad we could help.

[@wilbard6708]

First of your videos I've watched, but won't be the last if they are as good as this one. Will be going to the store for supplies to do this as we noticed a bit of a sulfur smell to the hot water. Video was very informative and very well explained. Thanks!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s such a great compliment. Larry tries his best to be thorough but concise. And some people have termed his unique touches/inventiveness as “Larryizing” 😁 Glad you found us. If you have any questions, easier to email or message on Facebook or Instagram Let us know how it goes 🤗

[@darisanshanger1616]

I’m still catching up.. this is a good one .. I like “Larry Touches”

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Darisan, he is quite inventive. It comes in handy. He’s made some cool stuff on his 3D printer, too. Alice

[@thecritterandthebutterfly]

Saw the thumbnail and now have to make one of those. Now to watch the video.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

😂 Oh, the thumbnail dilemma. Let us know how it works out, Alice

[@thecritterandthebutterfly]

@@DownsizingMakesCents No dilemma. It's an easy build and a great idea. Easier than yanking the high-press valve. I'll be heading out for parts tomorrow.

[@thecritterandthebutterfly]

Well, finished up the de-scaling and the fill tube worked pretty well. I like the idea of not running the Ammonia through the fresh water tank and not having to pull the pressure relief. Two issues I had with it (1) mine leaked about a gallon overnight so I glued the NPT fitting and the 90-degree elbow to the short tube for the next time. (2) The water in the heater can't be safely heated during the process. That may or may not be a problem depending on who you talk to. Once I get my raw footage downloaded and give it a look, I'll decide if I want to post this process being done on a 6-gallon Suburban water heater in a Trailmanor. Of course, I'll be mentioning your channel as where I got the idea. Thanks for the video and safe travels.

[@dmills7375]

What a great video. Where I live, I won’t de-winterize my RV for another 6-8 weeks, but this will definitely be one of my first chores. I’m embarrassed to say how long it has been since mine has been changed/cleaned. Thanks again.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We actually just looked at our anode again because Larry is working on a video about cleaning out the fresh water holding tank. The anode is already getting nasty and some serious muck came out. Since we are full time, we are going to clean it more often, Alice

[@MrKidQueso]

Great video! I had no idea what I pulled out when I removed the anode rod to release the water, but knew it was a build up as in this video. It was great to see that the element was just to the side and I’m fortunate to have a 4’ Ridgid plumbers camera to look at the element to determine whether or not I should replace it. The kits from Amazon are great, and I like that it has a double sided tool to work on either, or both, the heating element and the anode rod, which are two different sizes.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I wish i had a camera when i did this video, i have gotten a bore camera since to take a good look into the water tank. When i do a follow up video I will show the inside of the tank better. The kits are great because they come with all the tools you need. I should put one of the kits in our Amazon Store. Thanks, Larry

[@kimedwards6657]

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[@scottpecora371]

Thanks your a good teacher and this is a simpler way, plus with the plastic pipe it doesn't spray all over the RV or ME!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Larry tries his best to make these projects easier to do. Glad it helps Alice

[@jaywhite1850]

Great video! One thing though. I’ve been told to avoid the anode rods that come in 2-packs and the ones that have the dark socket end. Apparently, you should really use the ones that have a silver looking socket end as they’re high quality and last longer. I know Camco makes some.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

The ones i get in a two pack seem to work great, i replace mine every 6 months or so and they appear to be doing their job, as they are devoured and need to be replaced. Larry

[@521CID]

They make nice borescopes that Bluetooth to your phone, that you can inspect the inside of your tank with.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I would love to use a scope to look into the water tank, the grey tank and the black tank. I’m not sure if KZbin viewers are ready to see what’s in our black tank! I am going to look for a scope that is inexpensive but can record good video. Thanks for the suggestion, Larry

[@521CID]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Check out the Vividia VA-400 ablescope. Great picture, 180 degree articulating, and locking head. The picture quality is great. I use it in aviation, and it's in expensive. Now I'll use it on the RV.

[@RVOnTheWayside]

Really detailed job. Thank you for sharing this DIY video. We're going to have to do ours. I had no idea it could get like that. Stay safe, Donovan and Jodi

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. It’s shouldn’t get that bad. Oops. But it’s so important to change it- supposed to be once a year. Alice

[@brockhutz1]

Thanks for the details and parts listing. We are just weekend warriors but sadly affected with rotten egg smell after only 3days of use with the water heater. I hope this method will solve the problem. Very clever use of pvc. Totally admire the mind of a guy who thinks outside the box. Bravo my friend! I just subscribed and will follow you guys' adventures.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Part timers have move a problem with water heater smell because of sitting unused for long periods of time. The vinegar should definitely improve the smell considerably. Thanks for the encouraging comment, i really appreciate it.. Larry

[@canwelook]

If water has been sitting in your tanks for extended periods then any chlorine in the town water you initially filled it with will have leached out. At a minimum, you should dump all the stale tank water and replace it with town water which will be freshly chlorinated.

[@13yearsaprepperr.jtilbury.51]

i did mine 2006 winnebago explorer class A , great vid Rob NSW Australia

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

The thanks Rob, we dream about visiting Australia someday, do some RVing there would be awesome, Larry

[@TheRealBiggerAl]

I like the use of the PVC. I will be doing this the next time I have to flush it out. Thanks.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Alan, Larry is always looking for ways to make things better. Let us know how it works out, Alice

[@cliftonharper8444]

Thanks for the great rv water heater maintenance video, I have been waiting until I see a video for vinegar cleaning video that I felt safety worked for my Suburban 6 gallon water heater tank.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Clifton, I’m glad you feel it will help. Let us know if you have any questions. Alice

[@rvdogfl]

That is the best way I have seen it done. Great way of doing it.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. Larry watched a lot of videos on this and wanted to make it easier. I hope others find it helpful too. Alice

[@TheSkite575]

Just finished this and it worked great. Thanks!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know

[@zoydo]

Thanks for this great video, I love your way of explaining things (Larry), and shooting the video (Alice) you really rock, we are a family of RV guys, three of us, just starting in this journey, me and my wife in one, my daughter who is a Chef in orher and my son who is a Paralegal in another, we bought old-second hand RVS, one of it is giving us problems with the water heater, it takes too long to heat it, so my son is burning a lot of propane which is not cheap. I already bought all of the parts you mentioned and will follow your instructions precisely. I will post afterwords to share how it went. Thanks for sharing your lifestyle, we live in Wallaceburg, ON (not that cold yert...). Regards, EZ.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hey Ernesto, love to hear from Canadians, especially from Ontario. It is important to get to get a good look into the tank before and after the treatment to see if the calcification is gone. If he is using a lot of propane, i would take a good look at how the burner is performing, there may be a problem with the orfice where the propane comes out of the burner, cob webs can be a real problem. If the propane is not providing a flame deep into the burner inside the tank it will not work efficiently. You can also check the regulator and make sure the propane flow rate is correct at the burner. Good luck with the tank, love to hear how it worked out. Larry

[@rl5220]

I used your method two weeks ago with vinegar. Unfortunately the smell came back after a week. I think we didn’t heat it up or leave it sit long enough. So I re-did it using two bottles of hydrogen peroxide instead Heated the tank up with both propane and electric for 45 minutes and then turned them off. Then let it sit for about 7 hours. The only different thing I did was put a pail under the long vertical pipe. As it heated up and cooled down, it would drip out the top of the pipe. I manually flipped the pressure relief valve open and closed many times. To relieve the pressure. Then poured the drips back into the tube and tank. So far so good after a week.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you for sharing your tips. How big were the bottles of hydrogen peroxide? To get the smell gone all the calcium scale bits in the bottom of the tank have to be flushed out. They hold the smell. Larry

[@rl5220]

Two 16 ounces or 500ml. Also I changed my magnesium anode rod to an aluminum one. We will see how that works out. Apparently once the bacteria and smell starts, the magnesium helps to keep generating the bacteria. At least that’s what I read. When I was draining the peroxide out of tank, I shoved the anode rod in before it emptied out. Then I ran the taps and shower briefly to hold some of the solution. Then I let it sit overnight as I drained the tank out late in the evening. So far it’s been 9 days with no smell at all. Don’t know if the extra steps were needed but I figured it why not. Ps: I had flushed out the tank just the regular way, then your vinegar solution and then the peroxide all in a week and a half. So the tank was definitely clean of any bits.

[@rja12]

​@@rl5220All I had to do to get rid of our rotten egg smell is to change our rod from magnesium to an Aluminum/Zinc one and that did the trick. So I'm curious as to if your smell comes back or not now that you also switched to an aluminum one.

[@davidrice9714]

This is an awesome video. I really like the idea of using the PVC pipe to fill the tank. Brilliant!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, thanks. Another subscriber calls these innovations “Larryized” 😁 Alice

[@davidrice9714]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I actually went to Lowe's yesterday and purchased the materials to make the filler.

[@robbdrellich9909]

Me too

[@richnorman5017]

Great idea!!! I change my anode yearly and service my heater but doing this just makes GOOD sense!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks Rich, I just checked my anode after 6 months and was surprised how much sediment had compiled in such a short time. Larry

[@trustme7731]

A problem that few realize is that even after you drain the water heater, there can still be a quart or more of water in it that is below the drain plug. That water will freeze, add to the deposits and get skunky during periods of the RV not being used. I keep a soft vinyl tube handy to just siphon out the water.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That is a really good point about the water left behind. The last couple of flushes i have used a bore scope camera to examine after my flush and there was still tons of scale and water in the bottom, it hard to get that last little bit out. I will point out taking the last water out for people putting away for the winter if i make a follow up video. Larry

[@louisag5410]

Ok this was great... I have been thinking of a way to flush the hot water heater with vinegar on my older Class B campervan... Will have to try this next spring. The first time we took the anod rod out after buying the van, I think it looked worse than yours ...lol. Since then I check it every spring and fall and still looks new with a little wear at the end... One thing that I do is after using the wand to flush, I turn on the water pump and the water heater starts to fill and without the anod rod there, it just exits with a lot of force, so I feel that it is also helping to clean out.. Thanks much for sharing !!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Larry did the same thing you did with the water but he used city water. Sounds like you are doing a great job. Alice

[@arhzee3310]

This is what I was looking for. I was trying to figure out a way to fill the heater without pumping vinegar thru the water system

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad we could help 🤗

[@michaellegore2606]

By far the best detailed video on cleaning out the hot water heater. Thank you for helping others that maybe new to the RV world. I will be watching for more videos. This was the first video I have seen from y'all and I have subscribed to see me. Keep up the great work.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Michael, thank you so much. Larry works hard on his videos. So it’s great to hear that someone recognizes and appreciates that. We try our best to put out one video a week. We should have one out today. Did you watch any earlier ones? Thanks again. Alice

[@michaellegore2606]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I haven't yet but I am looking forward to watching them.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@michaellegore2606 awesome. Let me know if you have any questions. Alice

[@FullTimeDreamRV]

Great idea with the pvc to clean our the tank. We have an aluminum tank so we don't have to deal with the anode rod. Thanks for the video.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Atwood’s don’t need an anode rod but still need to be cleaned. Thanks for coming by. Alice

[@thebikejournal0303]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I have an Atwood (aluminum). Before I knew better, I went to the RV dealer to purchase an anode rod. The service manager knew the unit I had just purchased and said "oh no, never put an anode rod in an aluminum water heater." He said the steel threads can easily cross thread and damage the heater. In which case he said would be looking at a new heater.

[@annafraley5388]

You explain everything very well. ✅

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you. Larry asks me to watch and see if I understand before he finishes the video - because I’m not very handy at all 😉

[@SmallSpaceLiving]

I just found you. Like the penny? What does that mean. Lol Larry has a super secret way to do something? Who would have thought it. Nice job explaining the setup. I like the pvc setup. Makes it easy and get it right to the source. That was a cool show to stick the rod in vinegar. Got to see the process work. I hate the smell of vinegar. Nicely done. What you did not hit your head on anything. Now it feels like something is missing. Lol Great share. This will help people.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Funny guy, William. You know Larry has to improve any process. That’s why I keep him around 🤣. He’s really good at the details. The pvc thing is a cool trick. And inexpensive. Larry has vinegar smell but it’s good for so many areas of the RV. I’ll smack him on the head next time just for you🤕 We do hope people now feel they can DIY water heater maintenance Alice

[@bobcross8141]

This way was very easy. Thanks for the vid.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad to hear it. Larry tries his best to make sure it’s easy to follow 🤗 Make sure to share with others it might help

[@COMMANDER-ONE]

Yes! Best method yet! Thanks

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

You're welcome!

[@specialtyfieldservices5661]

Thanks Larry and Alice! Great explanation and great videography. Also like your PVC idea. Thanks again!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks, there are always problems to solve in this lifestyle, i like trying to come up with different ways of doing things. We are working on our video skills, thanks for the compliment, good to hear we are getting better. Larry

[@richnorman5017]

Great idea!! I change my anode yearly but this just makes GOOD maintenance sense!!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Rich, we are probably going to clean it out more often. When we worked on our video about santiitizng the fresh water tank, we took a look and found much more sediment than we thought would be there. perhaps it is because we full time travel and use so many different types of water, Alice

[@thelonestarranger]

Larry, I've found another great use for vinegar/water solution. I filled my galley holding tank with a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar, and let it sit for 24 hours. When I drained the tank into a bucket, I was amazed at the amount of dirty stinky water. The smell was terrible! There appeared to be solidified grease specks floating on the water, even though we have never poured waste grease down the kitchen sink, so it must have come from washing the dishes. I'm assuming that the galley holding tank is now super clean and doesn't stink. Vinegar and water are like a broken drum, you can't beat it!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s a great tip, our grey water really stinks even though we are very careful about food waste not going down the drain. Lately we have noticed a bad smell coming from the sink drain, must be nasty stuff in the drain trap. We will try the vinegar trick to see if it helps. Thanks. Larry

[@thelonestarranger]

@@DownsizingMakesCents You're welcome! When I started to drain the galley tank, I thought for a second that I had opened the black tank valve, it stunk so bad. Good luck and hopes this helps.

[@BikesBoatsBivouacs]

Very good job. I don't see a lot of scaling when I pull mine because I'm a weekend warrior so the hot water heater is used each day. Great job on the video.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks, my Travel trailer and Class b did not scale that much when were were just using it occasionally, I’m sure all the scale build up we got was from feb to now while we were full time. Lar

[@winginitwithjohn8451]

By far the best clean and flush video on an RV water heater I've seen. I really like the PVC pipe extension with funnel idea. Great job Larry

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

John, thanks. Larry is always trying to make things easier for himself and then share with others. Alice

[@rayjohnson7584]

Pretty simple system and not much of a mess

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Ray, yes. Larry likes to make things simple and inexpensive if he can. Then share with others. Thanks. Alice

[@bnothnagel]

Nice video! We also have a Solitude and I’ve done mine twice using the method of sucking it out of the jugs which works. But I’ve never let the water cool down which could take a long time. I just got some of those insulated gloves like for dishwashing and put those on to keep from burning my hands, works great!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Bob, that’s great that works for you. But Larry pulled out his anode once before it was cooled and hot water shot all over him. That’s why he waits now- just in case. Take care, Alice

[@JUSTINANDCHRISTINA]

Love how Larry puts his own “Larry DIY” touches - it is always amazing. We actually changed our Hot water Propane heater in the Van last year- now we are thinking it was a waste of money in our temperature and replacing it with the Gasoline “wolf” all in one heater and hot water heater- what do you guys think? Ok so you left the vinegar over night.. That is a lot of bypass switches .. Wow that looked like rocks coming out of the water This video is going to keep getting ton of views.. (already did- but will keep getting it)

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I don’t know what a gasoline wolf is but I’m guessing it works like a diesel heater but with gasoline? I like doing the diy videos, but you never know which ones KZbin will push. We are just trying to get a little better with each video. It’s hard to teach old dogs like us new tricks. Hope to see you guys and the baby on the road when all this craziness ends. Lar

[@JUSTINANDCHRISTINA]

@@DownsizingMakesCents yes it works like the webasto but also doubles as a water heater sprinterfreak.ca/store/en/general-component/wolf-air-and-water-heater-gaz-installed-p434/ You are great tech guy - your opinion is definitely appreciated

[@davidlarson7994]

Thank you for the awesome tutorial Larry. Outstanding info!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, he really tries to make it so anyone can follow. He loves DIYs Alice

[@brendanwalsh1675]

Wow! Crazy simple! Thank you Larry! We just winterized. This will be on our Spring schedule. Great tips. Brendan & Lena Muddy Sneakers, Pa.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Brendan & Lena, Larry is always trying to find ways to make things easier. Hope it helps in Spring. And stay warm. Alice

[@lindacraig8105]

Most helpful video I’ve seen!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you. Larry is always looking for ways to make RVing easier 🤗

[@doughasson2073]

You example is the best way to clean the hot water heater. Thanks Larry. Nice haircut and shave. Lol

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Doug, you noticed his clean cut look? Funny, he’s growing the beard back but keeping it shorter. Larry does come up with some cool solutions. Thanks. Alice

[@earthmuffin42]

I loved your video. I hope it helps us increase the amount of hot water in our tank. It used to have hot water longer.

[@earthmuffin42]

We just finished and got so much calcium deposits out! Now to see if we get more hot water! Making your PVC gizmo was a great idea!

[@dontask8979]

I saw your thumbnail and it caught my eye! That how I do it too. Cost me well under $3 But I also turn the water heater back on to heat it up and then shut it back off and let it do its thing all night.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Do you think it works better by heating the water up, do you get it warm or really hot before you shut it off. Larry

[@dontask8979]

@@DownsizingMakesCents I let it heat until it shuts off and then shut it off so it don't turn itself back on. Not sure if it works better hot or not, but I figured "why not"

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@dontask8979 I hear that. I might try that, but make sure the water heater is off and water cool before working with it.

[@remoteroger5767]

@@DownsizingMakesCents There is another water heater descaling video by rvgeeks where they say heating the water/vinegar mix overnight accelerates/enhances the descaling by quite a bit. They use a 'borescope' to show the inside of the tank... but their vinegar injection method using the RV water pump and drawing in the vinegar was not as 'slick' as your pipe / funnel system. I plan to combine your plastic pipe method with heating up the mixture. Only thing is - I would want to be near the tank while the heat is turned on in case the plastic pipe came loose... and the mixture ran out while the heat was on (which would wreck the heat source). I plan to use threaded pipe to get around that potential.

[@JerseyRV]

@@remoteroger5767 is there any concern using plastic pipe while the unit is switched on? Won’t the plastic pipe soften or melt from the very hot water inside?

[@cdevlin79]

Use a 5x20 filter housing with softening resin in a resin cartridge. Soften your water before it enters your system and you’ll not have the build up.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That’s a great point, I don’t know that much about water softening for Rv’s. Larry

[@gloverwilliam374]

Will be doing this soon ! Great job,thanks for sharing !

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you. Let us know how it goes

[@AFKDays]

Great video. Good detail. We are newish RV owners and just coming up to speed on all the new systems! Thanks!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

No worries. Glad we can help. We plan on making more videos aimed at “newbies” since there are so many. Feel free to ask questions. Also, I see you have a Little Guy Max so check out the channel The Roads We Roam- good friends. Alice

[@AFKDays]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Yep. We watched a lot of their videos when we were looking for a trailer! Thanks!

[@davidpittman57]

Thank You i learned a lot. Just went to Home Depot for my PVC pipe and fittings. 😀 Safe Travels

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

David, we are glad. Larry loves making videos like this. We just rehearsed one today about sanitation of fresh water holding tank, Alice

[@garychristison5773]

I'm the original owner of a 2001 motorhome and have never done this. Oh no! It's a miracle my hot water heater still works well.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Gary, I would love to see a picture of the anode 🤣. Let us know how it goes. Alice

[@wingz94]

I did my 03 Flair last year (Dometic so no Anode Rod), but just using the wand... it was overwhelming how much scale came out. Now I'll be doing that every year plus what he did in this video

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@wingz94 Bob, good idea to do it every year. Extends the life of the water heater and reduces the smell. Alice

[@wswerv1]

Great video, thanks. Love your vinegar fill gizmo, I will make one of those!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Ervin, Larry comes up with some great ideas. Thanks for watching and commenting, Alice

[@brianlutz2109]

was just going to do that job and I will go with your method to clean the water heater. thx.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Brian, hope it works for you. We need to do it again already. Saw residue when sanitizing our fresh water tank for our last video.

[@carlwhite4400]

Another great DIY video. I change the anode yearly and flush, but have not done the vinegar soak, I will now though. Thanks

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Carl, thanks. Larry loves sharing DIYs. We hope he will be healthy to do more soon 🤗 Alice

[@randylester1219]

Great information. Thank you. Very good details, it will definitely help to keep those water heaters working properly and lasting longer. Thank you

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Randy, Larry basically asked me if I could do it by watching his video. That’s how he knows he gave a lot of details 😂. Thanks. Alice

[@randylester1219]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Absolutely. That's what I appreciated about it so much. The attention to detail.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@randylester1219 Thanks. His endless labeling can be a bit much at times 😅. Alice

[@randylester1219]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Lol, but it sure comes in handy. I'm much the same way.

[@irenehynes7536]

Thank you for this detailed video. Will be trying it this week.I have subscribed, you are both great!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Awesome. Thanks for supporting us. And let us know how it goes or if you have any questions 🤗

[@markrizzuto8751]

Thanks, Never seen this method before, well thought out, I’ll be doing in the spring

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Let us know how it works for you after you do your spring prep. Larry

[@christopherpoxon9508]

You are a Genius! That's an amazing idea.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

He loves to “invent.” Another watcher called it “Larryizing” We hope he gets back to inventing after he recovers

[@robertomoreno5787]

You are the man Larry! Keep doing it your way.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks Roberto, I’m always looking for a different way at doing things, there are lots of opportunities for that in an RV. Larry

[@DriveNorth]

It was fun coming across you guys while you are still a "small channel". You are YT naturals, make great videos, and are definitely going places! Watch out KYD.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wow. I don’t know about that but thanks. Quite the compliment. But KYD are the kings in this category. Really appreciate the compliment. Alice

[@superwhuffo1]

Thanks for this vid !! My pump has been removed so this is a great way for me to get vinegar in my tank. I was thinking about using a drill pump but you solved my problem. Thanks 😁

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We love hearing that we helped others - the main reason we started the channel 🤗 Alice

[@brucephillips756]

I would suggest filling and draining the tank a couple of times so your hot water doesn't smell and taste like ginger the first time you use it. Other, great video!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

That is a great suggestion Bruce, instead of just flushing, i should have filled the tank with fresh water and drained again. Larry

[@spadog63]

Nice! Very simple.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. It’s worked great