# Sediment/calcium Buildup?



## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

I'm finding that lately our screens in the water lines are getting clogged by some kind of sediment. I assume it's calcium but not sure. It looks like tiny gravel that is white/greyish color and if you rub it between your fingers, it pretty much turns to dust. It mostly happens in the line going to the toilet and the faucet in the bathroom. I clean it out but it get clogged back pretty quick. the faucet is easy to clean but the toilet takes some time. The last time I did it, I let the water run for a while and it finally was clear. I'm worried more stuff is building up. We mostly dry camp but lately, if I take the trailer to the track, we do have full hookups there. At the same time, we also use the electricity for heating the water heater instead of propane. Not sure if any of that matters. Normally, after a trip, I will drain the fresh water tank before we put it in storage. Should I leave some water in there and put some additive like water softner? Any help would be appreciated.


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

Water clogging the toilet line has me confused as it should be cold water but at the tap it could be a dirty hot water heater, do you have an anode rod on your heater? When they dissolve they produce the clumps of powder you describe. Try flushing your water heater and see if you get the same sand clumps your talking about. Also check the anode rod if you have one. If you have a plastic plug on the heater you don't have an anode rod.

Good luck.


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

Ok, I'll take a look and see if I have an anode rod. thanks. Is there any thing special about cleaning it?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

2500Ram said:


> Water clogging the toilet line has me confused as it should be cold water but at the tap it could be a dirty hot water heater, do you have an anode rod on your heater? When they dissolve they produce the clumps of powder you describe. Try flushing your water heater and see if you get the same sand clumps your talking about. Also check the anode rod if you have one. If you have a plastic plug on the heater you don't have an anode rod.
> 
> Good luck.


Don't discount that the hot water could have been plumbed to the toilet. The house I have right now was done that way in the master bath when it was built new. It can happen.


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

2500Ram said:


> Water clogging the toilet line has me confused as it should be cold water but at the tap it could be a dirty hot water heater, do you have an anode rod on your heater? When they dissolve they produce the clumps of powder you describe. Try flushing your water heater and see if you get the same sand clumps your talking about. Also check the anode rod if you have one. If you have a plastic plug on the heater you don't have an anode rod.
> 
> Good luck.


Oh oh...I have plastic plug on my heater....








How do I add an anode rod?

I have calcium build up with my Espresso machine at home, which has a high pressure pump. I use plain white vinegar to clean its plumbing. I wonder if vinegar would work with water line in TT?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

If you have an aluminum tank you do not need a anode rod or maybe I should say the standard RV water heater anode rod would offer no protection. Anode rods are to help protect steel tanks from corrosion..


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

CamperAndy said:


> If you have an aluminum tank you do not need a anode rod or maybe I should say the standard RV water heater anode rod would offer no protection. Anode rods are to help protect steel tanks from corrosion..


I'm going to check this tonight. Can i see if I have an anode rod from the panel on the outside of the tt? I also assume there is enough of the tank exposed so I can put a magnet up to it to find out if it's aluminum or not?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Silvrsled said:


> If you have an aluminum tank you do not need a anode rod or maybe I should say the standard RV water heater anode rod would offer no protection. Anode rods are to help protect steel tanks from corrosion..


I'm going to check this tonight. Can i see if I have an anode rod from the panel on the outside of the tt? I also assume there is enough of the tank exposed so I can put a magnet up to it to find out if it's aluminum or not?
[/quote]

You can tell if it is a steel or aluminum tank from the outside access.


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## outback loft (Sep 22, 2008)

CamperAndy said:


> If you have an aluminum tank you do not need a anode rod or maybe I should say the standard RV water heater anode rod would offer no protection. Anode rods are to help protect steel tanks from corrosion..


I'm going to check this tonight. Can i see if I have an anode rod from the panel on the outside of the tt? I also assume there is enough of the tank exposed so I can put a magnet up to it to find out if it's aluminum or not?
[/quote]

You can tell if it is a steel or aluminum tank from the outside access.
[/quote]

The Atwood water heater is aluminum, the Suburban water heater is steel. Atwood has a rectangular access door with a little round peekhole in it, Suburban has a Square access door with a steel vent grate on the top right side. Atwood has a plastic plug on the bottom left side, Suburban has a metal plug with anode in the bottom center.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Have you ever added bleach to your water tank to clean out the lines? If so, did you follow it up with baking soda? Could there be residue from the baking soda?


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## Just Add Dirt (May 5, 2009)

If you go to the store and buy some CLR, then put some of the residue on a plate and add a few drops of CLR to the material; if it bubbles, it is calcium carbonate/ limestone or scale. If it does not bubble then it is probably, soda ash, calcite, or a salt; water treatment plants use it to nutrilize acidic water. some use a lot. If it does bubble then I would pull all the strainers and soak them in a solution of the CLR and then put them back. If it does not bubble the replace them and get a 5 Micron inline filter and run all your supply water thru that filter. That should eliminate the buildup of substrate in your fixtures and strainers.
Eric


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

Well, thanks for all your help. It looks as though I have a bad/deteriorated anode rod. When I went to drain the water heater tank, barely any water came out. I pulled the anode and all the water came out of that opening. Not only did water come out but all kinds of crud. I spent about a hr trying to clean it as best as can from the anode rod hole. Got most of it but I see alittle bit still in there. Is there a way to get into the actual tank to clean it better? is there something I should put in there to help desolve what ever the white build up is? Again, most of it is cleaned now. So based on this, what should I have done. We use our trailer about once a month, but I have never drained the hot water tank. Should I be doing that? I guess I should be checking my anode rod more often. how long are they suppose to last? here's a pic of what the rod looked like when I pulled it out.


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

Well, after some research, I guess I need to drain the water heater tank between trips and probably should at least check the rod every six months. Still hoping to clean it a little better tomorrow and will pick up a new rod. Also found out our San Diego water is pretty hard so that's not good.


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## Just Add Dirt (May 5, 2009)

Silvrsled said:


> Well, after some research, I guess I need to drain the water heater tank between trips and probably should at least check the rod every six months. Still hoping to clean it a little better tomorrow and will pick up a new rod. Also found out our San Diego water is pretty hard so that's not good.


I take it you fill your tanks and get most of your camping water from the water supplied by San Diego public utility, or are you refering to local well water? If the water from the utility is real hard them maybe you should install a water softener in your home and feed your camper from treated water. If your camper's water heater and fixtures are in such terrible shape as a result of very hard water; can you imagine what your home's water heater and fixtures look like? If you are on a well then you should absolutely get a softener if the water is real hard. <BTW> most water heater manufacturers recommend that you remove the sacrificial anode from the water heater if you are on a well. CamperAndy is correct if you have an aluminium W/H then remove the anode permanently. If you have a steel W/H and the anode is corroding it might be a result of acidic water, the water will smell like rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide); a by-product of the reaction between the acid and the steel, especially in cases where the pH of the water is very low, typically below 6.5. In that case you need to install an acid nutrilize on your water; the water you supply to the camper.
Eric


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