Sanitize & Descale ANY RV Water Heater w/ This Simple Hack

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How to Clean & Descale ANY RV Water Heater Tank w/ This Effective Method Cleaning, sanitizing and descaling are all important RV water heater maintenance jobs to keep your water clean and your water heater running efficiently. We will be using white distilled vinegar for our descaling solution. This will break up dissolved solids, calcium build up and flush dirt from the bottom of your RV water heater tank. Let us know if the video helped you understand the process and if you have any further questions. PLEASE click like, leave us a comment & subscribe so you don’t miss any of our future videos.
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[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

✨⭐ *PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO* ⭐✨ 🔹 Water Heater Flush Wand amzn.to/45i4c2K 🔹 Borescope Camera amzn.to/46xYXge 🔹 Anode Rod amzn.to/3EYNhrj 🔹 Nylon Drain Plug amzn.to/3PXkr0F *I recommend to buy these items below locally since they will be less expensive:* 🔹 1/2" NPT to 1/2" Pipe 🔹 1/2" Pipe Elbow 🔹 1/2" Pipe 🔹 3/4" NPT to 1/2" Pipe 🔹 3/4" Pipe Elbow 🔹 3/4" Pipe 🔹 White Distilled Vinegar *OTHER VIDEOS YOU MAY LIKE* 🎥 RV Bypass Valves Explained: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH2kn555i8udhZY *How to Clean & Descale ANY RV Water Heater Tank w/ This Effective Method* Cleaning, sanitizing and descaling are all important RV water heater maintenance jobs to keep your water clean and your water heater running efficiently. We will be using white distilled vinegar for our descaling solution. This will break up dissolved solids, calcium build up and flush dirt from the bottom of your RV water heater tank. Let us know if the video helped you understand the process and if you have any further questions. PLEASE click like, leave us a comment & subscribe so you don’t miss any of our future videos. Check out my friend Joshua: @rvgearandfar #rvlife #rvliving #rvtips #rvtravel #rvtips #rv ✨⭐ *OUR FAVORITE RV ACCESSORIES* ⭐✨ *ESSENTIALS:* ✅ Camco Rhino Flex Sewer Hose & Elbow Kit amzn.to/3wxaiyG ✅ Camco 90 Degree Clear Sewer Elbow amzn.to/3eezBe7 ✅ Camco RV Water Filter amzn.to/3VzcMqi ✅ Rubber Wheel Chocks amzn.to/3v0lL5I ✅ Hughes Watchdog 30 Amp Surge Protector/EMS amzn.to/3hAmgCy ✅ Hughes Watchdog 50 Amp Surge Protector/EMS amzn.to/3HKrpm1 ✅ Liquified RV Tank Treatment amzn.to/3ksg1Ck ✅ Tire Minder TPMS amzn.to/3mjuBg0 ✅ Water Pressure Regulator amzn.to/3m3ZFzZ ✅ Rubber Gloves 6 Mil amzn.to/3XNo7Dc ✅ Collapsible Water Hose amzn.to/3SvNubw *MAINTENANCE:* ✅ Boeshield T-9 Rust Preventative & Lubrication amzn.to/3sjcjMx ✅ Eternabond Roof Tape amzn.to/3Ad290J ✅ Geocell Proflex Sealer amzn.to/3KGMOyb ✅ Road Tool Kit amzn.to/41NIQKj *INTERIOR:* ✅ Camco Cross Bar Door Handle amzn.to/3o8WWS5 ✅ Shower Caddy amzn.to/3bdU80W ✅ Soap Dish amzn.to/3pKheSn ✅ Oxygenics Shower Head (White) amzn.to/3nhDMYW ✅ Oxygenics Shower Head (Brushed Nickel) amzn.to/2O8YcYC ✅ Perfect RV Paper Towel Holder amzn.to/3tZxd1K ✅ Dimmer Switch amzn.to/3rQdfFD ✅ Sliding Door Latch amzn.to/3EkpTT0 ✅ Puppy Paw Hook amzn.to/2N9JaRV ✅ Foldable Storage Bins amzn.to/3tIp01f *EXTERIOR:* ✅ X Chocks amzn.to/3m3ck2i ✅ Carmtek 10 Digit Keyless Entry System amzn.to/3t4IMpB (see the video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZSohpqpedxpoc0) ✅ Low Point Drain Valves amzn.to/3Jd6adb *OUTDOOR GEAR:* ✅ Blackstone Griddle 22” amzn.to/3MDDiL0 ✅ Blackstone Griddle 28" amzn.to/3eBnOuD ✅ Outdoor Gravity Chairs amzn.to/3Sb1p4M ✅ Ground Mat amzn.to/41u3wXg ✅ TurboAnt Electric Scooters shrsl.com/27grx-1yiz-ub6o 💥 Sign up for our FREE Newsletter: view.flodesk.com/pages/6497c6a9d1998fa8c7623e9f ✨⭐ *MORE RV ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON* ⭐✨ www.amazon.com/shop/rvtipstravels 💥 *NEW TO OUR CHANNEL?* Check out our catalog: kzbin.infoplaylists 🙏 *If you found this video helpful & want to support our channel with a small donation* click here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=J2KKM9NR3BJJA ✨⭐ *DISCOUNT CODES TO SAVE MONEY* ⭐✨ 🔨 Learn how to *repair & maintain your RV* like I did w/ this COMPREHENSIVE training course: rvtechcourse.com/?ref=rvtips&travels 🚐 *10% off RV Snappads!* rvsnappad.com/discount/RVTT10 🛌 Get *25% off your RV Mattress* by Brooklyn Bedding at rvmattress.com/rvtips Use discount code: rvtips 📡 *GPS Tracking for your RV!* www.wheresafe.com/rvtipsandtravels Get 10% off by using discount code: RVTIPS10 If you find a dead link, let us know so we can fix it! 📺 Want to see more RV videos? Please *SUBSCRIBE & CLICK THE BELL ICON* 🔔 so you're notified when we release new videos! *Follow us* on social media: 📸 Instagram instagram.com/RVTipsAndTravels 🕺 Facebook facebook.com/RVTipsAndTravels We may receive a small commission for purchases made through the affiliate links above. There is NO additional cost to you when purchasing from our links & it helps cover some of our material and equipment costs to make these videos. We also may receive products or payment in exchange for content discussed in this video, however our opinions and feedback are based only on our experiences, regardless of any compensation. *We GREATLY appreciate your support!*

[@barbgrey7947]

Thank you, Ross. Bring back the bloopers!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You got it!

[@drgummibear4396]

Just a point to mention, that you should flush away the vinegar that comes out of the pressure relief valve after filling is completed. You don't want vinegar sitting on your hot water tank parts and electrical connections overnight, or they will start corroding these items. Rinse away any spills. Great video.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Great point, thanks!

[@216baja]

Even after owing 2 RV’s and camping for 20 years in a row, I still learn new things from your channel. This is definitely a method that I will use in the future. 👍

[@kevinjones6924]

So true!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thanks Paul!

[@wynamaarp7024]

​@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELSgood video. The drain valve on ours isn't straight out like yours , it is an older rv. It goes a little down so we will adjust the parts and make one like you did. But did drain the tank 4 times trying to flush out a lot of the chunks of calcium . I will have to watch the other video you mentioned something about the shutting off the tank valve to understand what you mean. But we messed up watching another video first and wasted our time. We have no water at all coming throught the bathtub or the sink in the bathroom . Got some pressure now in the sink in the kitchen . We have I believe a 10 gallon tank and will be using your method to take care of that issue. Just going to watch a few videos of yours on how to deal with the back bathtub and sink back there now to figure out what we can do to get full water back in the back . We are not savy and it's stressful at this time . But we definitely will be using your methods and sending other rvers here your way.

[@seanlisacomstock2767]

Spot on. Thanks for telling people to turn off the power before draining. Other videos don’t.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad it helped

[@Robnord1]

Great video in every respect. Sometimes my customers ask why I don't shoot and upload some repairs and maintenance. THIS is why. No need for my input. 26 yr mobile RV repair in western WA.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

I am humbled to hear that from a pro like yourself. If I ever get out your way first rounds on me.

[@pierrefortin8687]

Top notch advice where even a 5th grader could understand...you are "THE" place to get information. Thanks again for your perfectionism 😊

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

I appreciate that my friend.

[@jojester21]

Man, I wish I could add another like for every 3 months (full time) I have had this for a quick refresh. His method rocks by the way 😊 Thanks for posting

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thanks Jo, glad to help bud.

[@rvgearandfar]

Great tutorial - I'm very curious to see the deposit differences when I clean mine that has an anode rod!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

so am I Josh, i think what youll see is actually from the anode rod itself... i think that is the big difference.

[@johnnieblackburn3182]

@@rvgearandfar We just did ours last night. Its 20 years old, and the anode we removed is almost non existent. Yikes.

[@RCRVadventures]

Great video! Definitely release pressure before taking the plug out. Ask me how I know! 🤣

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

🤣🤣🤣

[@David65702]

I just bought my 1995 squire lite 185 its in good shape but been sitting for years lots of work to do on it so glad I found this site, thanks in advance lol.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Enjoy it!

[@coreymerritt7742]

Great video Ross I’ve done that on my suburban a few times i usually pull 10 gallons through the water pump then I bypass the water heater and let it cook 👨‍🍳 overnight also I’m sure the vinegar might clean the water lines as well love the bloopers 😂 have a good one

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

some folks use vinegar to santize the whole system instead of bleach, something I might look into. Thanks bud.

[@paulbenoit1351]

Another great video Ross. I aways learn from your videos! Thanks!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Thanks Paul!

[@VegasPoolGuy1]

I’m a relatively new rv owner, great video. Just discovered rotten egg smell. From what I’ve seen on KZbin doing this method would be enough to clean up our problem. Thx!!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@yankeesusa1]

Thank you again for keeping things simple. Keep it up.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You bet, old friend!

[@jad67jd]

As a newbie Owner to an RV your videos are very helpful. Thank you.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Great to hear!

[@chato1977able]

First time viewer here and new subscriber. Great job, I look forward to watching more of your videos!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Welcome aboard!

[@seeingtheinvisible7439]

Thank u so much for sharing this nugget of gold!! Truly appreciate it to help save our water heater in our RV to last longer!! God bless!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You bet!

[@scottb.7553]

Love your videos, Ross. Real-life issues/problems with real-life solutions! Plus, the real-life bloopers!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Thanks Scott, glad they help!

[@Lendon68]

Perfect DYI with great detail on procedure and part sizes

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad you liked it!

[@markphillips590]

I have appreciated this video more than once, as well as so many others. Just an FYI: on our 2022 2600RB it required a 1/2" FIP (female) since my water heater has a cap. So just advising for everyone to check before you buy. My 6 gallon tank could only hold 5 gallons, perhaps there was more water in hot water in the tank, but I had drained and opened the low points. Either way it is much better & THANKS AGAIN!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Thanks for sharing

[@Joan-qz1ck]

Thank you, Ross. Your videos are so easy to understand, you explain everything so clearly. My husband passed away last year, and he took care of all the maintain stuff. Guess I should have followed him around more and asked more questions. Lol

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

im sorry to hear that, and dont be afraid to ask questions if you need anything!

[@moreensmith5006]

Fantastic. This answered so many questions for me. Thanks for sharing!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

glad to help!

[@cris_miko]

Perfect timing I found this. Answered all my questions as I'm about to clean out the water unit on a rig I just acquired. Very well presented and I love the out takes 😂

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad I could help!

[@campingforever2879]

I always learn something here, even on processes I’ve been doing for years.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

glad to help

[@williamgunby8017]

Awesome info on cleaning the hot water heater. Very easy! Thanks

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thank you for watching and commenting!

[@B-rads]

Thanks im new with a camper now i know how to do this

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

glad to help

[@jetterbuglove]

This is perfect! I just got an older 5th wheel. I've never done maintenance myself, 1st time owning on my own. Just de-winterized yesterday. Well, the previous owner did not handle the water heater correctly! It was full of antifreeze, and white chunks are bad! I cleaned it the best I could. I have a new anode rod ordered and a cleaning wand. This video is perfect because I am certain it needs this done!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

hope it helped, have fun!

[@anthonymchiles]

Just completed mine tonight. Not much deposits came out so I’m glad it wasn’t that dirty

[@johnnieblackburn3182]

We did ours, and not much came out. But, we put an inspection camera inside and the buildup was scary. We're definitely going to do the vinegar to descale it as much as possible.

[@JRock-wr1xn]

Outstanding information! Keep it coming! Safe travels!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

youre welcome

[@deanchapman6425]

Great information. No where does Domestic tell you how to clean hot water tank. Love the Bloopers.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@amyandwade4738]

Best video of them all.... about this subject.. trying to do stuff myself as it is so expensive tablet shop do it and you are very good at explaining

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@leslieservantofgod8601]

Yes thank you I was trying to figure out how to do it and you got the right way to do it thank you 😃👍

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

glad to help, welcome aboard!

[@kevinhermes]

This is the best and most understandable video I've seen on this process. You have another new subscriber! Do I need to use teflon tape on the drain plug when reinserting it back into my dometic tank.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

ive never put the cap in without teflon tape, so I'm not sure, but I would say you should.

[@denniskissinger7937]

don't mean to be one of "those", but your video made me want to clean my water heater. I have a dometic, so what I did was to use pex. fitting off the drain into pex tube bend with my shut off valve above the water tank. Thanks for the idea. Did this as the water system was sanitizing, drained them both the next day.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

No worries Dennis, I'm glad it did actually, its eye opening how dirty these get at the bottom, even clear water is coming through the faucets. Pex is another great way to do this mod, thanks for sharing.

[@jenfugit7801]

That's a lot more work than what I've done in the past. I usually do the same process as if I was going to run anti-freeze through the system to winterize, but I use vinegar instead and don't by pass the hot water tank. I do the same cleaning process, and then cap my tank, insert the hose in the vinegar bottle and turn on the water pump. The first place the system wants to put solution is in the hot water tank.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You can definitely do the entire system with vinegar but a bleach solution is a much more effective sanitizer, especially against mold and bacteria, than vinegar. That’s why I’ll still use a bleach solution for the rest of the system, and then vinegar for the metal water heater tank. It’s also costing much more for extra vinegar to sanitize the rest of the system too, especially when bleach is cheaper and just chemically better to sanitize a fresh water system. Thanks for the info and watching!

[@jenfugit7801]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS Oh I'm sorry if I was confusing in my response, I got hung up on the PVC adapter pipe situation. That is what seems superfluous to me. You are right, I only use the vinegar for the hot water tank, but again I have an empty hot tank in normal mode and then go through the same process I would to put antifreeze into the system. Instead I used vinegar, it fills the hot water tank first, and then I shut off the pump and if I need to use water elsewhere I'd isolate the hot water tank again until cleaning is complete. Once that is descaled and flushed I turn it back to winter mode and will use bleach in the fresh water tank to flush the rest of the system. Sounds like we are on the same page, reading different paragraphs. LOL Thanks for your tips and tricks, I subscribe just for information like this!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Jen, sorry I misunderstood your response. Thanks for sharing, and thank you for being a part of the channel! Safe travels my friend!

[@paulkoehler7061]

First, you are, and have been a GREAT source of information and I have benefited greatly since finding your channel. A BIG THANK YOU! Now for my question. I too have a Dometic/Atwood water heater and when I winterize the water heater in our 5 year old fifth wheel every year, I flush sediment (mostly white chunks) out of the tank. Depending on where we are camping, we either use electricity or propane to heat our water. I mentioned this white sediment to my local RV service tech and he said the sediment is coming from the inside of the water heater as a result of corrosion in older aluminum water tanks and I should replace the plastic drain plug with an Magnesium anode rod. These have 1/2' NPT threads that I would wrap with Teflon tape when using. The questions are: 1.) Does an older Atwood/Dometic water heater really corrode on the inside? and 2.) Would the use of a Magnesium anode rod (when Teflon tape is being used) really accomplish what the rod is intended to do? That is, will it self sacrifice quicker thereby protecting the inside of an aluminum water heater? It seems like the Teflon tape would "insulate" the magnesium rod. Thanks for your help with this. I read in one of the comments about your thoughts on using these sacrificial rods in an aluminum tank so I would appreciate your thoughts.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Paul, the chunks could be corrosion.. I cant say for sure because ive never seen that happen with mine. it could also be dissolved solids forming during the normal operation of the water heater. i talk to atwood/dometic and they said there is no benefit to adding an anode rod. One viewer said they can help with hard water, but i never did any research to confirm or deny it. the manufacturer advises against adding an anode rod. watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaKvmoyYrrOne7s

[@paulkoehler7061]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS Hi Ross! Thank you for the clarification. I'll continue flushing the water heater to remove the sediment and reinstall JUST the plastic drain plug. I'll also be purchasing the metal flush wand you recommend as it will no doubt work better than what I've been using - a flexible aquarium style plastic tube. Thanks again.

[@dalee.mccombs8571]

Yep, I need to do this !!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

its pretty painless, the difference is definitely noticeable.

[@jollygreenfe1]

Love it! Very easy solution for cleaning the Hot Water heater. Safe and effective!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

We agree!

[@AllBodyCareKelowna]

Another great vid. It's been super helpful your vids. Thank you.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad to help

[@Over_the_Hill_RV_Rookies]

Great video. Very informative.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thank you!

[@CowboyRob1960]

Ross, I have an Atwood/Dometic water heater. One RV maintenance pro said I can and should use an anode plug if the rig is more than 2 yrs old. You’ve earned my confidence so I would appreciate your opinion. Thank you, Rob

[@seanlisacomstock2767]

This is why I listen to other RV’ers like Ross before I listen to RV techs. Atwood tanks are aluminum, there’s no need for an anode rod. It’s not going to fit anyway, the thread size is different.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Sean is correct, no need.... maybe there is some science behind it that i dont know about, but the reason for an anode rod is basically to prevent the steel tank from rusting. I'm not a scientist, but from what I understand the anode rod takes the beating so the tank doesnt. Atwoods have aluminum tanks, they wont rust. He's also correct in that they wont fit. I would run away from this "rv tech".

[@chriscatron3864]

They actually DO make anode rods that will fit in these tanks. They are aftermarket. The Dometics use a PLASTIC drain plug as a last ditch safety device. If the tstat and eco do not do their job for some reason, the plastic drain plug will melt out and keep the tank from exploding. That’s why you NEVER replace with a metal drain plug.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Chris, what you’re saying is not true at all. I’ve already spoken directly with dometic engineers about this, and I have plenty of emails I can forward you if you’re not going to believe me. The nylon plug will not melt or shoot out as a safety device. Whoever started this rumor has no idea how a water heater is built. The safety device is the P&T valve, not the plug.

[@chriscatron3864]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS i absolutely would like the emails, because we are getting conflicting information.

[@pauljconroysr4080]

@RvTips and travels >> Ross , This method also works great for cleaning your peculator coffee pots as well been doing that for decades . :)

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Great tip!

[@DianeStille1]

great video, get right to the point. Thanks for the refresher!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You bet!

[@drs3055]

Awesome channel! Always stimulates my learning!!! By isolating, as you suggest the hw tank (not including the rv's plumbing), aren't you concerned the decomposed particles from the anode rod and calcium material are circulating and building up in the rv's plumbing, too? Thank you for your vids.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thank you... when you bypass the water heater, it closes off the plumbing from the water heater, therefore nothing should circulate back into the plumbing, at least any further than the bypass valves.

[@bardapotter2734]

Just made up the pvc tubing contraption...works great

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Excellent, thank you for your feedback, it is appreciated!

[@Aj-hp3yy]

Great video… Any suggestions for on demand tankless water heaters?

[@christopherjackson210]

Second this! I see lots of maintenance videos covering hot water tanks but have yet to find anything useful regarding on demand tankless heaters which are becoming more common.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

theres no tank, you dont need to clean anything.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

theres no tank, you dont need to clean anything.

[@tonyc7420]

Great video and easy to follow. Got my hot water tank descaled. Just subscribed too!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

its pretty easy right?

[@DG_ontheroad]

Excellent video very informative 👍👍👍👍👍.Thanks

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JS-ud7ml]

Great video... thanks for the info. Unfortunately I didn't turn my suburban water heater button to off so time will tell if I burned up the element lol

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Thanks for watching!

[@christinecowen7677]

Great video! And yes keep those bloopers coming!! So good! Question…if I have never done the hot water tank cleaning since I owned it, will I ruin it if I start doing this process now? You may scratch your head at this LoL but I took a brush (finally!) to our BBQ and the bottom fell out so I’m a little scared LoL) thanks for giving us so much great info!! 💕

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

THANK YOU! if cleaning your water heat now and the bottom falls out, its probably a blessing in disguise. I wouldnt worry about that because by not doing it, its going to happen eventually. you will be surprised what comes out if youve never cleaned it.

[@frankswitzer3045]

I have a suburban, looking forward to seeing what comes out.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thanks for watching Frank.

[@aimeyblessedmayberry]

Thank you so much for showing me how to do this😊

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

welcome!

[@billymcdaniel8491]

This was a great tutorial and greatly appreciated.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@62impalaconvert]

You can also use a short length of male hose end and a NPT to female hose adapter fitting (Ace Hardware $2.59).You may already have the male hose end for pumping bleach solution into your fresh tank.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

👍

[@grantk6250]

This was an incredibly helpful video. Thanks!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You're very welcome!

[@randyrule8985]

Ross, I have a suburban water heater and this process worked great Only question I have is that even after pulling the pllugs on the low point drains, the water level never went below the threads for the anode rod Is this normal or did i miss something? Thanks for the great content.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

the anode rod and the low points are the only means to drain it. You will have to get creative... the first thing that comes to mind is an attachment that is small enough to fit in the anode rod hole that connects to a shop vac. you might be able to start a siphon too if you dont have a shop vac. Hope that helps. they really need to start putting a drain on the bottom, but i understand some of the complications that come with doing that as well.

[@chriscatron3864]

Remove the top and side screws holding the tank in, then all you have to do is tilt the water heater and the water will come out. When you are done put the screws back and seal it back up.

[@ohioclassCcamper]

Thanks for a helpful video

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

My pleasure Dave, thanks for the comment!

[@curtmartini66]

Thank you. Direct and to the point.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@spuggybush8715]

Thanks for the info. Now I know why my faucet is clogged and no water coming out

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

check the aerator in the faucet. they sometimes clog up and need to be cleaned

[@shawnmcgee7475]

Presentation A+

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Thank you kindly

[@Stanf954]

Learning a lot from your videos. Thanks

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad to help

[@charlesfroeder1035]

Hey I called Dometic about an issue I had while trying to add vinegar in the pressure relief valve hole as they suggest . I didn’t know anything about opening drain valve until after doing the procedure and I don’t know if that’s the answer to my problem. When I drained the tank by pulling drain plug then used wand to flush out, I added 6 gallons of vinegar and then was supposed to add 3 gallons of water. Mine is a 10 gallon water heater and that is what Dometic told me to do and they also say same thing in the instructions they emailed me. The tank took all 6 gallons of vinegar but when I tried to add water it was full, it would just come out the pressure relief valve hole. So I then put valve back in, turned off bypass, opened relief valve lever, turned on water and within 10 seconds water was coming out relief valve so I knew tank was full. Shut water off, put back in bypass mode and turned water heater on to finish the rest of the procedure. I am the 2nd owner of Jayco Pinnacle 5th wheel and we were getting egg smell so that’s why I did this tank descale. I don’t know if this was done at all by previous owner but I need to start doing it. It’s a 2020 that was used to travel according to map decal on slide out. There was some mineral deposits when draining but I didn’t see anything ridiculous come out. The vinegar smell is now gone, but water now getting extremely hot and unit turns off when turning unit on. I run on electric mostly. Your video is the only one saying anything at all about low point drainage. Dometic doesn’t tell you to do that either. They also can’t explain why only 6 gallons of vinegar is all that my tank would hold. It’s definitely a 10 gallon unit, cut out size of unit in wall is 15 1/2 “, a 6 gallon unit is smaller size box so I know my 10 gallon unit was not labeled wrong at factory. Jayco and Dometic both never heard of this problem, and now my water heater is getting too hot and shutting off. At least I have hot water but it’s scalding hot. The previous owner put an adjustable thermostat on and it has letters A to E for setting temperature limit. It was on C and I lowered it to B and then A but it still turns on, heats up too high and then cuts off. I am thinking I should replace thermostat and ECO with regular thermostat kit. I tried to do the right thing, watched many videos, even got directions from Dometic and now this happens, and nobody knows why the tank was full at 6 gallons . The water was definitely off, the drain plug was out and all water came out when I opened relief valve lever. Do you have any idea what’s going on here? You seem to know more than anyone and I wish I could speak to you because I’m in a bad place here and nobody has a solution.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

does it get this hot using gas? with an aftermarket thermostat, i would revert back to the orignal. one of the cheaper options. you may also want to change out the electric heating element too. it almost sounds like that might be the problem, maybe it was so caked from not being cleaned and now it is clean so its working better? its hard to say exactly, but i can promise the vinegar wouldnt damage anything inside the water heater tank to cause this issue. it sounds like something else is failing. another thing you can do is fill your water heater as normal, and then drain it into a 5 gallon bucket. have a second bucket ready once that fills up, and see if you are gettting 6 gallons or 10.

[@charlesfroeder1035]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELSthanks for responding. I did not try it on gas. I did consider using my outdoor shower and put it on hot and fill up a 5 gallon bucket, hopefully 2 buckets full of hot water. I’m hoping the element is ok because I didn’t have any problems before the cleaning. Possibly a coincidence the thermostat went bad? I have a kit to replace eco and thermostat and thermal shut off fuse. There was liquid in the clear plastic sleeve after tank flushed all over that area. Do you think I should try replacing the thermal shut off first?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

good luck, keep me posted on what you find

[@westernsoutherner1]

Super handy thanks for the video!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

you bet!

[@davideubanks7578]

Great video. My RV will needs a female NPT 1/2" vs a male NPT. Can I use 30% vinegar or should I dilute it.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

30 is fine from everything i read.

[@GimpyCamper]

Good video, never have descaled it. May add it to the list

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

anode rod for you im guessing? youll see a bunch of stuff come out Barr.

[@GimpyCamper]

Yeah I have a Suburban water heater, I did buy a wand last year but nothing flushed out of it. I think the main reason for that was because I drain the tank a lot

[@TJK50014]

for the 1/2 plug, what socket size should I use. I have seen 4 different sizes tossed around.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

on an atwood dometic water heater the drain plug is 1/2" npt thread, the most common size for an anode rod is 3/4" npt i believe. the socket size is less relevant, but the replacement plugs ive gotten over the years have all been 24mm.

[@Robnord1]

use pliers. Using a socket = often overtighten = may break off= you've got a problem.

[@manyfeather2knives423]

Question: there is a product called CLR (calcium-lym-rust). Can this be used instead of vinegar? Would it damage a dometic heater.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

im not sure of the ingredients in CLR, but if its not consumable, even on a small level, I would not use it.

[@suzannabares6076]

Brilliant, thank you so much!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

hope it helped!

[@pierrebeaudet6701]

Hi, is this method will help to clean the mixing valve ( without removing it ) . Just de-winterized and I have a low hot water pressure (valve is fully open) . Thank you

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

this will clean everything in the tank. You can also run this trhough the lines if you wish. some folks sanitize with vinegar instead of bleach.

[@Rooster0529]

If you cap and glue that top pipe without gluing the other fittings and heat the water, the pressure may push those apart causing your solution to leak out over night.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thats a good point, thanks for mentioning that... I leave my heater off so I didnt run into this during my cleaning, but great point and thanks for sharing!

[@Rooster0529]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS I’m new to RV ownership but not plumbing 😉

[@patriciagraham4593]

Do you have a video about an RV water heater plug being stuck?? Thanks!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Not yet

[@bridgettgrimes8187]

What do u do

[@benmoran6973]

How should you dispose of the old dirty vinegar after your done?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

i keep it in bottles to use as a cleaner around the garage.

[@garrygavin-z7r]

can you replace the nylon plug with a magnesium camco anode?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

No, don’t do this.

[@jessicacrawford9904]

I am new to RV living full time. Can I change my suburban hot water heater to electric instead of propane?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

it should be both already, depending on the model. the electric switch may be on the water heater itself.

[@JavierD-qh6fb]

I have a dometic 10 gallon, so that means i have to fill it up with those 10 gallons with vinegar?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

you can do that, or you can do a 50/50 with water. I know a few RV'ers who do that. You probably wont be able to get all 10 gallons in though either, they are usually difficult to completely drain.

[@JavierD-qh6fb]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS sounds good and in winterizing mode i should be able to bypass the water heater but can still use the city water?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

correct, you just wont have any hot water when the water heater is bypassed.

[@yermanfa]

How long can I leave the vinegar solution in the hot water tank? Is it beneficial to leave it longer?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

not really sure, overnight has always worked well for me.

[@lyndcason7516]

Do you just use standard 4-5% vinegar, or can you use the higher cleaning grade (35-40%)? Maybe diluting it down to 8-10% with water? 10-11 gallons of the normal stuff for the larger units seems like a lot.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

I would use cleaning grade, and you can definitely dilute it. Everything I’ve researched though says to only dilute it down to 50% vinegar with 50% water. I haven’t looked into the chemistry side of it because this is what I’ve always done and it works well. Hope that helps.

[@rvgearandfar]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS I use regular food grade vinegar and even cut it in half with water to descale my hot water kettle - I think cleaning grade at full strength is probably overkill.

[@STF68]

Awesome content. Thanks for

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

You bet!

[@christravels360]

Incredible video! Thank you

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thank you!

[@TxDave661]

Great video! I have a suburban water heater. The anode rod has some scale on it but otherwise seems to be in good shape. Does it need to be descaled after flushing and cleaning out the water heater and before reinstalling the anode rod?If so, do you have a recommended way to descale it?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

using the vinegar is descaling it, cleaning, descaling, kind of both the same thing. but vinegar wil eat your anode rod pretty quickly from my understanding so you dont want to put that back in until you are all done.

[@TxDave661]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS so, after descaling the tank it’s OK to put the rod back in with the scale on it?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

The anode rod will look pretty gross, but that is normal, its doing its job. you will have to replace it at some point depending on how worn it is... send me a pic of your anode rod: [e-mail]

[@TxDave661]

OK, will do. I went ahead and ordered a new one as well.

[@TxDave661]

I appreciate your prompt replies to my questions. You have responded quicker via KZbin than some local mobile RV service guys have in the past. LOL

[@johnhines3591]

Reason for not using diluted bleach water in tank? Been sanitizing water heater with fresh tank for 7 years & no issues. 3/4 cup bleach to 45 gallons water.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

bleach is caustic to metal. it corrodes metal. www.google.com/search?q=bleach+on+metal+ok&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS936US936&oq=bleach+on+metal+ok&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigAdIBCDUzOTFqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 I just reread your comment, using it in the fresh water tank is fine. not in a metal tank.

[@johnhines3591]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS Undiluted bleach, yes. The small amount for sanitizing system really shouldn't cause any issues. It's also only sitting in tank for a few hours. No issues with my water heater using sanitizing bleach the last 7 years.

[@brendaflowers130]

Why am I getting orange rusty water when I use the wand? Atwood

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

not sure, could be a lot of iron in there from the campground water sources. i have high iron in my house and added a water softener.

[@lorenkaragozler8498]

Can we sanitize the fresh water tank with vinegar instead of bleach?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

absolutely, its just not as effective. You can also use hydrogen peroxide.

[@haleylandis5220]

I have drained my hot water heater before, but never used a flush wand or sanitized the tank before. I purchased the vinegar, the wand, and the pipe pieces. Here’s the problem: This Atwood 6-gallon heater (GC6AA-10E) has the stupidest design I have ever seen: It is nearly impossible to remove or insert the drain plug. I have to use a 5/16” swivel socket and an extension to my ratchet wrench just to get the drain plug removed. The pipe tool you show cannot get to the plug due to this tight and angled space. Do you have any suggestions?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

maybe a fitting on the end of a hose?

[@jonlatino9964]

Gosh !! Great job ! Thank you !!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Our pleasure!

[@BigAl52]

How many gallons of vinegar should one use in a 12 gallon hot water heater

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

10-12

[@DavidDeBoe]

So I have a suburban hot water heater. I set up my 3/4 pipe as shown in video. As I start to pour in the vinegar, about half way through the first bottle, 1 gallon each, the vinegar starts to come out my pipe. I can’t fill even one bottle into the hot water heater. My P T valve is opened. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Apparently gravity is not working. Thanks. Dave.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

did you empty the water heater first? try adding an extension onto the pipe.

[@DavidDeBoe]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS yes completely plus I opened up my low point drains, let those drain out so all the water was drained. I also had my PT opened while putting in the vinegar.

[@Robnord1]

@@DavidDeBoe You must have tons of scale and sediment in there. If you remove the anode/drain plug, flush it out with a wand (make or buy one), and still have a cake of sediment, it's new water heater time. Open all your hot faucets too. T&P valves can get gunked up as they age. Auth Suburban service center 26 yrs..

[@anthonymchiles]

How long does it take for the water to warm back up after you turn the water back on?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Never timed it but not long, maybe 10 minutes

[@anthonymchiles]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS yep. That’s right. I had to reset some of the wires in the water heater. It wasn’t warming up. Works now. Thanks!

[@mowens1972]

Question, i flushed my 6 gallon water heater using 3 gallons of 5% food grade vinegar and 3 gallons of water. Put it in the water heater and let it set for 9 hours. I then drained it all and flushed with clean water. Then i installed a new aluminum suburban anode rod. Problem, I still have the egg smell. After two months I just winterized my camper and drained the water heater. The water smelled like eggs and the anode rod smelled like eggs. Why didn’t previous clean and soak work? How can i get rid of this smell?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

not sure, how old is the camper and when was it cleaned before this last cleaning?

[@Heugh1]

Always a ton of info

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

hope it helped!

[@brittanyb5293]

How long do I leave it if I turn it on?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Everything I’ve heard goes from 4-8 hours.

[@brittanyb5293]

@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS even if I turn the heater on?

[@rodney8354]

What do you do with the vinegar after the cleaning?

[@kevinjones6924]

You can keep it and reuse it once or twice more if it's not too full of calcium and lime build-up otherwise pour it down the drain after you've strained out any particles. If you are going to re-use it, make sure you strain it as well and mark your containers so they don't get used accidentally for something else.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

thanks for helping Kevin.

[@sconcrete]

Great information

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bobabooie6389]

I see your RV is dedicated to Mini Lola. was that your dog. I love my little baby 👍🇺🇲

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

yes, we got the rig so we could travel with our pups... we had 1 good season with her. she had a stroke the day I was dewinterizing the rv for our second season and didnt even make it to the vet. only 9 years old, young for a yorkie. thank you for asking FA FA FOO HII.

[@bobabooie6389]

@@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS you're welcome Ross. That's too bad I'm sorry to hear that. I love the babies

[@vickishort5148]

I was washing out with wand and the wand came off and is still in the heater. Any ideas

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

first, fill up the tank so the water level is just below the drain... from there its a fishing game but youll need to get that out before you turn it on. maybe try filling and dumping, that might help move it towards the drain where you can grab it with long needle nose pliers. then pick up this wand instead: amzn.to/3ZY9csx

[@brianburnett15]

I tried it. Could only get 3.5 ga of vinegar in it. 6 ga tank. When closed valve after water started coming out the tank would not accept anymore. Started backing up pvc pipe

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

That’s more than enough to clean it. There’s probably a little water left in there too.

[@lindaevanson2573]

Can you use vinegar to clean the entire freshwater system?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

yes

[@catfishstalkeroutdoorswith530]

Thanks much for video!

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

My pleasure!

[@dennisjennings7027]

What about tankless water heater?

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

since theres no tank to drain and clean, you can just run some vinegar through the lines, open a hot water faucet so it pulls the vinegar through, and let it sit.