Need ideas for water heater cleanout

[Richard]

We seem to have a lot of calcium in our water. Our long term plan include getting a water softner but with all the sticks we have in the fire, Mr. Budget says it’s later rather than sooner. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

On my current water heater, I’ve removed the drain spigot and replaced it with a ¾” nipple and a ¾” shut off valve (3/4” the entire way through it with no restrictions).

I hate having to replace a burnt element and at the same time, try to scoop bits & pieces of calcium deposits out of the tank using the little scoop I made.

I put the larger drain in so I could get a lot more flow & pass through the drain hoping that would help.

Today I went to drain the tank hoping I’d get (for example) 1 bucket of calcium chips blowing out the drain, rather than 2 buckets plugging everything up.

Didn’t seem to work. (or I have hardly in there)

So, I removed the hose, put a piece of clear tubing (1” ID I think) and a hose clamp to hold it on the OUTSIDE of the spigot end. This tubing was maybe 12” long and I put a bucket under it, opened the drain so I could get SOMETHING inside the tank to try to move the deposits around & get them to blow out. (there was minimal water in tank at this time)

The ¼” copper tubing I had just bent. I tried a cut section of co-axial cable and that actually seemed to work a bit. I then used my electricians fish tape and wiggled the end of it around on the inside of the tank. All the while, I still had some water seeping out the drain into the bucket I used, so THAT part worked very nice for me.

Ok..that’s sort of the painted picture.

Other than taking the element out & going through that hole, other than taking the ENTIRE tank outside like some do, I’m hoping the collective brain power here can tell me the secret, or that we can collectively come up with a simple way to allow water to drain out the tank drain at the same time something is used to “mix” the sediment in the tank to help the sediment move out the drainpipe.

This tank is (supposed to be) a self cleaning (with the supply tube going to bottom of tank and turning sideways to help the water swirl) type and my initial hope was the larger drain and the swirling water would help blow any deposits out. This process doesn’t seem to be working.

What are some ideas of a tool to put UP the ¾” opening & agitate the sediment?

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Richard

 

[Richard]

Hmm..I just thought of something... I wonder if I could snake my AIRHOSE up the inside, or maybe make an attachment for the hose (smaller diamater) and let the air blow around some?

Then, turn water supply back on and see if that's helped dislodge some of the sediment.

What would/could you put on end of airhose that is maybe 2' long and in a perfect world, would maybe have a 90 degree outlet on it so you could blow it sideways & "rake" it back/forth inside the tank?

 

[Inspector507]

Maybe a small drill powered snake up through the pipe? or try to blow air in from a shop vac?

Might try draining it more often if it fills up that quick /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Richard]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Might try draining it more often if it fills up that quick )</font>


That's a good point. I found out the hard way I have this issue. We were probably in house 2 to maybe 3 years when I first discovered this.

As it is, think that gave me a "base amount" of sediment that I can never get out because of how hard it is through that tiny hole. Couple that with the continual additions and it turns out that I need to yank the element out about once every year. My hope is/was by putting a larger drain on this, I could hopfully drain it out much more often hence, having a lower buildup.

It's certainly possible I do not have that much in there as I did a major dig at the beginning of winter...I just know that my luck doesn't run that way /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I'm kinda iffy on putting a dril that close to the hose with water coming out of it. (I have no idea how long a drill powerred snake is). I don't want to be on the the evening news.

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Inspector507]

First of all.....I'm sure you do anyway......turn off the power to the tank when draining. It will burn an element up in an instant if it has power but not submerged in water.
If the drill is plugged into an GFCI protected outlet, you're better off. Most of the smaller drill powered snakes are about 25' but you only need to feed 2-3' at the max in.
Water systems laden with minerals need the tank drained quite often, maybe every 30 days. I had a problem with my well pump sucking up sand last year. I had to install a filter to filter it out or the water softener and iron filter would get the venturi's plugged up. The only way I realized it, was the faucet screens got plugged with sand particles.

 

[rockinmywaypa]

You just got me to thinking. I also have the same problem maybe not so bad. My thinking is leaning more to a water to air exchanger that I want to keep clear. I wonder how much vinegar it would take mixed in with the water to dissolve the sediment in order to get it to flow out the drain and clean up the surfaces in the tank. Maybe somebody knows of a stronger acid that is still within the realms of being safe to use.

 

[Richard]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I wonder how much vinegar it would take mixed in with the water to dissolve the sediment in order to get it to flow out the drain and clean up the surfaces in the tank )</font>

Will vinegar disolve little chips of (what I belive to be) calcium? (little white chips that flaked off the elements)

Doesn't that require the unit being brought back up to temperature? (fill "X" amount of vinegar into upper element hole, close, fill with water, turn on/turn off... then drain?)

I don't know that my situation is significantly worse than any other, I just find it annoying...and I tend to put off things that annoy me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[rockinmywaypa]

That probly how it would have to be done. might not be a great solution [pun] to the problem.Something else on the market here is a product called CLR it removes calcium stains on coffee pots etc. which made me think of the vinegar since I boil it in the electric kettle to remove deposits which is on a smaller scale than the hot water tank.

 

[EdKing]

<font color="blue">Will vinegar disolve little chips of (what I belive to be) calcium? (little white chips that flaked off the elements) </font>

I used to rent a mobile home before I bought my own place. The water heater was electric and the water was very hard (lots of calcium). The bottom element would burn out every six months if I didn't clean the tank very regularly. The easiest way I found to get rid of the calcium deposits was to drain the tank to just below the top element, then pour a bottle of Lime-Away in through the hole for the top element. I'd let it soak for about an hour then drain the tank completly, fill and drain it a couple of times to flush it out. The bottom drain still worked well (not clogged with calcium) for the last year I lived in the trailer. I have a natural gas water heater and much softer water at my place now, so I have had no more troubles.

 

[Egon]

Muratic acid may work. It should be available at hardware stores. Use protective gear when handling it. Should not have to use heat when it is in the tank working. Perhaps have nutralizing agent at hand if there is an oppsie.

Perhaps try and set up a system so you can let the acid plus water filled tank soak a few minutes/ flush system and then repeat the procedure. When finished make sure all acid has been flushed from system.

It would be best if system was set up so there is a continuous recirculating flush system set up with settling tank, screen and testing for strength of acid.

If you do a net search refering to acid pickling tanks you may get some hits on chemicals and procedures.

Egon