What came out of my Hot Water Heater ???

[PJW73NH]

I have owned my unit for about a year. 2003 Roadtrek 200 Pop. I am not positive, but I am pretty sure I HAVE used the hot water in the unit before. I drain all the lines and tanks after each trip.

I properly winterized the unit myself last fall. May of 2017 I installed a new anode rod in the water heater. The anode rod IS the drain plug in this particular unit.

Getting it ready for a 2018 maiden voyage, I flushed the lines, and proceeded to fill the water system. I left the heater anode rod out. turned on the water and all this white, sand-like particulate matter came flushing out. Never seen it before. The anode rod was ever so slightly eaten away way up by the threaded hex part. Maybe 1/16 inch. The rest was like new.

I KNOW I have used the cold water in the unit may times. Both tank and city.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by PJW73NH

I have owned my unit for about a year. 2003 Roadtrek 200 Pop. I am not positive, but I am pretty sure I HAVE used the hot water in the unit before. I drain all the lines and tanks after each trip.

I properly winterized the unit myself last fall. May of 2017 I installed a new anode rod in the water heater. The anode rod IS the drain plug in this particular unit.

Getting it ready for a 2018 maiden voyage, I flushed the lines, and proceeded to fill the water system. I left the heater anode rod out. turned on the water and all this white, sand-like particulate matter came flushing out. Never seen it before. The anode rod was ever so slightly eaten away way up by the threaded hex part. Maybe 1/16 inch. The rest was like new.

I KNOW I have used the cold water in the unit may times. Both tank and city.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Yes, all is ok, fine, please go here:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Rinser-.../dp/B002XL2IBS

Bud

[Doneworking]

Like Bud replied, this is just fine and perfectly normal. Bud's link to the little Camco washer is something I have used for years. About once or twice a year I pull the anode and flush the tank out. I am not overly vigorous when doing that because sediment can seal a small leak sometimes and my Roadtrek tank is now 12 years old. Your residential tank will often get the same kind of sediment and that is why the instructions that come with the tank say to drain them occasionally.

Since the older tanks on the Roadtreks don't have a separate drain when you pull the anode you automatically purge the tank to a degree.

Paul

[PJW73NH]

Thank you folks. Good info.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by PJW73NH

Thank you folks. Good info.

Not everyone sees the white deposits you found. Of course, those people don't ever flush their water heater and probably have a totally destroyed anode rod.

Good for you for doing your own routine maintenance.

[rvsprinterguy]

As others have already said, the white stuff is just the magnesium in the anode reacting with the water and sacrificing itself instead of other components, as intended.

The first time I pulled the anode from my water heater, all that was left was a bare wire, about 1/4" in diameter. It came out along with a flood of white crud. It took significant flushing of the system to keep the sink faucet from clogging.

The second replacement was less exciting. After a year in place, the old anode showed only a little pitting, and there was minimal accumulation of crud.