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LOFAT36's avatar
LOFAT36
Explorer
Mar 30, 2017

water heater

2011 Rockwood TT (new to us since last August). While in Yuma for 5 months I replaced the anode rod. When I pulled it out there was a lot of calcium deposits pouring out. I flushed the tank several times and installed a new rod. Since then every time we put on the hot water heater the pressure relief valve leaks. Never did that until I changed it. Why is that
  • Likely a piece of material caught in it. Unscrew it and change it with a new one.. very easy and inexpensive.
  • What you thought was calcium may have been the loose material from the disintegrating anode.
  • Before replacing the relief valve, you might as well operate it repeatedly to see if the debris letting it weep might come free. Sometimes just pressurizing the tank (with HW tank off) and blowing some pressurized water through the valve will pass the "crud" out.

    Just an idea.
  • What has happened is that you have no room in the water heater for water to expand as it heats.

    Read your Suburban Water Heater owners manual about reestablishing the air gap in the water heater. This will solve your problem.

    In summary, heat the water in the water heater until fully hot. I suggest you use LP since you will be able to tell when the thermostat shuts off the burner. Then, turn off the water supply to the RV. Then open a hot water tap in the RV and let run until no more water comes out. Close the faucet.

    Then go out to the water heater and open the Pressure Relief Valve and hold open until no water comes out. Close the Pressure Relief Valve. Turn the water back on at the supply.

    Keep in mind the water is 135 degrees F. so be careful.

    You have now drained the hot water down to the a level just below the relief valve. In the future you now have room for water to expand as it heats. You might have to do this every few months in an RV.
  • What Jetcare says !! Just had to do this procedure myself the other day.
  • Yuma has very hard water.
    Calcium/crud have built up in T&P Relief Valve
    Let water cool so you don't get scalded (130*F water 1st degree/5 seconds---2nd degree/25 seconds)

    Open T&P with water supply on and BLOW water thru it

    Then re-establish AIR Pocket
    Water doesn't have to be HOT to do so

    Per Suburban (same per Atwood)
    1. Turn OFF water heater
    2. Turn OFF water supply
    3. OPEN a faucet in RV (relieves system pressure)
    4. OPEN T&P Relief Valve via lever..hold open until water STOPS flowing
    5. Let T&P snap CLOSE
    6. CLOSE faucet--turn on water supply

    Air Pocket is established as WH Tank normally fills

    Air Pocket allows absorption of pressure increases as water is heated and 'swells'
  • The water in Yuma is pretty terrible with a very high pH and lots of TDS, Total Dissolved Solids. Follow the advice of those above.

    I was on the Colorado River one winter on a week long canoe trip. I drank some of the local water in an out of the way fish camp which made me puke. The water there is extreme.
  • Thank you. As soon as it warms up enough here in the south Okanagan I'll do that. Once again, thanks for the info. Marty