Dear List Members:
When our electric water-heater accumulated quite a lot of mineral deposits,
it became clear to me that simply draining the tank with a water hose was not
going to work satisfactorily. I drained the water from the tank and then
removed the bottom electrical element, which left a hole large enough to insert
a three quarter inch pipe. I bent a piece of copper tubing, which was three
quarter in diameter, and then connected the end to my shop vac. I then turned
the water back on to fill the tank to a depth of eight inches or so worked the
coppertube in to the bottom of the tank,
, and then turned on the vacuum until I had filled the vacuum cleaner tank. I
repeated this procedure until I had cleaned out the tank, which took quite a
lot of effort, as the sediment was roughly a foot deep in the bottom of the
tank. I then replaced the electrical element and refilled the tank before
turning on the power.
Anyone working on an electric tank should make sure that the power is
turned off before attempting to work on it
, or serious shock could result.
Yours Truly,
Clifford Wilson
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