HOW TO: Flush an RV Hot Water Heater

We demonstrate how to thoroughly flush and clean an RV hot water heater.

Rust, lime scale and other debris can build up in the hot water tank on your motorhome, travel trailer or 5th wheel. Left alone, this can shorten the useful life of your hot water heater. Simple annual maintenance and care of your RV's hot water system will save you money by extending the life of the heater.

We recently flushed the Suburban hot water heater on our Newmar, so rather than do it again, we've borrowed our friends' Atwood water heater to demonstrate how to do it.

Only a few simple items are required, including a wrench to remove the drain plug or anode rod, a tank flush wand, and some white vinegar (1/2 gallon for every gallon of tank capacity). If you have a Suburban brand water heater, be sure to have a new replacement anode rod on hand as well (magnesium, aluminum or zinc/aluminum).

The small amount of time required to do this simple but essential maintenance will pay for itself with years of extra service from your RV's hot water heater.

Be sure to confirm that all methods and materials used are compatible with your particular RV.

RV Geeks offers basic DIY (do it yourself) RV service, repair and maintenance tips from full-time RVers who have been handling most of their own maintenance since hitting the road in 2003.

RVgeeks is proud to be affiliated with RVtravel.com.
http://www.rvtravel.com

While we're not RV technicians, we're very mechanically inclined and have learned a lot about RV systems over the years. We handle most of our own minor service, maintenance and repair work on our 2005 43' Newmar Mountain Aire diesel pusher. We also maintained our 2002 39' Fleetwood Bounder Diesel during our first two years on the road.

We meet lots of newer RVers who are eager to learn some basics about maintaining and caring for their rigs. After more than 8 years on the road, we want to share what we've learned (some of it the hard way).

We hope our experiences can help other RVers go DIY, saving some time, money and effort, while experiencing the satisfaction of a job well done.

We do not pretend to be experts on any particular RV topic, and mostly know about maintaining our own rig. But lots of things are the same on RVs in general, and diesel pushers in particular.

Video Intro Music: Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag from 1899, performed by Peter on a Knabe baby grand piano.

Comments welcome! Thanks for watching!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• rinse
• clean
• flush
• drain
• motor
• home
• motorhome
• bus
• coach
• rig
• trailer
• camper
• 5th
• fifth
• wheel
• camping
• do
• it
• yourself
• DIY
• instructions
• demonstration

[superhawkn]

I would think vinegar is bad for pump

[RVgeeks]

@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.

[kb7iq]

Great Videos! Q: Why do the Atwood water heaters not use a sacrificial anode? Have they made different choices on materials? Would it be a good idea to add one?

[RVgeeks]

@kb7iq I think the reason is Suburban uses a steel tank and Atwood uses an aluminum tank, making an anode unnecessary.

[MrYTTAB]

Great. Love all your descriptions of work around the RV, but, in the water heater flushing video you omitted to mention about turning the city water off before draining the vinegar/water mixture. i spotted this but others may not and they would be stood there forever waiting for the tank to drain!!!!!!!!

[RVgeeks]

@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!

[RVgeeks]

@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.

[RVgeeks]

@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.....

[RVgeeks]

@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.

[ken1226930]

Thanks, very helpful. We have a Suburban WH, and I like that brass anode retrofit - I am going to look into that. Does your tank flushing attachment fit into the smaller suburban anode opening?

We bought our camper used and I have no idea about the last time the anode was changed. My initial few tries to remove it were unsuccessful - I wonder what I am going to find (or damage!) when i really force it. Any hints on that would be appreciated!