The water heater citric acid de-scaling test done

[Mark N.]

I'm done with vinegar! I let the solution sit overnight, and pulled out the anode rod just now. Wow! It was nearly perfectly clean and scale-less. Better than vinegar ever did. I wish I had one of those flexible snake cameras to look into the tank, but if the anode rod is representative of the rest of the insides, that baby is clean!
$3.50 vs. $20? A no-brainer indeed!
Next time I am buying bulk citric acid at my local kitchen supply store. I'll bet that drops the price to about half again.
Here's a pic. of the anode. Nothing but metal! :
https://flic.kr/p/oS4Jdu

UPDATE: I was in a kitchen store yesterday for another reason, but went ahead and bought a bag of citric acid there. It was less than $2 for 8 oz.
I will also me making home-made dishwasher detergent with it and other ingredints that works better and is far cheaper than commercial products.

[DQDick]

Looks like a winner.

[kdeiss]

I think if i was to this I would first soak the anode rod in the citric acid solution then install back in tank then clean the tank this would save all that crude going into the tank.I have found over the years crude on on the anode rod depends a lot on the water.I always use teflon tape in the thread's when installing rod

[Mark N.]

quote:Originally posted by kdeiss

I think if i was to this I would first soak the anode rod in the citric acid solution then install back in tank then clean the tank this would save all that crude going into the tank.I have found over the years crude on on the anode rod depends a lot on the water.I always use teflon tape in the thread's when installing rod

After I let it soak overnight with the anode rod/plug in place (I left the pressure valve open all night) and then drained it the next morning, I did a thorough flushing of the tank to remove not only any dissolved calcium scale, but also any traces of the citric acid solution.
Yes, scale absolutely depends on the amount of calcium hardness in your water. Areas with "soft" water just do not have scale issues.
Yes, teflon tape on the threads is an absolute MUST if you don't want the rod rusted in place. I find it takes about 4-5 complete wraps of the tape.

[Mark N.]

quote:Originally posted by Mark N.

I'm done with vinegar! I let the solution sit overnight, and pulled out the anode rod just now. Wow! It was nearly perfectly clean and scale-less. Better than vinegar ever did. I wish I had one of those flexible snake cameras to look into the tank, but if the anode rod is representative of the rest of the insides, that baby is clean!
$3.50 vs. $20? A no-brainer indeed!
Next time I am buying bulk citric acid at my local kitchen supply store. I'll bet that drops the price to about half again.
Here's a pic. of the anode. Nothing but metal! :
https://flic.kr/p/oS4Jdu

UPDATE: I was in a kitchen store yesterday for another reason, but went ahead and bought a bag of citric acid there. It was less than $2 for 8 oz.
I will also be making home-made dishwasher detergent with it and other ingredients that works better and is far cheaper than commercial products.