Today, with my 2011 Cyclone Model 3010 RV's Surburban SW12DE water heater (WH) off/cold, I released the pressure valve, removed the anode rod, drained the tank's water contents, rinsed the sediments out with a wand, and filled the WH tank first with 5 gallons of vinegar and one (1) final gallon of water to sanitize. The six (6) gallon vinegar/water mixture was all the WH tank would continue to hold. The refill was accomplished using 3/4" PVC pipe and the necessary PVC fittings to fill and retain the vinegar/water mixture inside the WH tank which I will empty, rinse, and install the new anode rod tomorrow.
As advised, prior to filling the WH tank, I looked inside the RV's left side "pass-through" storage area, just to the left of the water heater vent door, for a way to access the water heater's backside cold water, hot water, and bypass valve levers to turn "OFF"/"ON" to keep the vinegar/water mixture inside the WH tank. In turn, what I found, on the "pass-through's" right wall, was a marine port door, which I opened, and inside was a white valve with its lever "parallel" to the connected hose lines. Thinking this was probably the WH bypass valve, I turned lever "perpendicular" hoping this was all I needed to do and begin filling the WH tank with the vinegar/water mixture. As stated, I was able to fill and "top-off" the WH tank with six (6) gallons of the vinegar/water mixture. However, the Surburban SW12DE water heater is advertised as having a tank capacity of twelve (12) gallons. I do not know if there is a way to "burp" or clear the air from the WH tank allowing more of the vinegar/water mixture to be filled?
If any of you have sanitized your WH tank before with a vinegar/water mixture, does the above process steps I described sound correct to you? I will be looking forward to your response(s).
Thank you,
Allen S.