Beware Camco Water Heater Tank Rinser

[chuckbear]

I bought one of these to clean my hot Water tank. Five seconds after I started, the long tube blew off inside the water heater where it now permanently resides. I don't know what this means for the future of the water heater but would advise others to use extreme caution in using this poorly designed and manufactured device. Chuck

 

[Rene T]

I bought one of these to clean my hot Water tank. Five seconds after I started, the long tube blew off inside the water heater where it now permanently resides. I don't know what this means for the future of the water heater but would advise others to use extreme caution in using this poorly designed and manufactured device. Chuck

The odds of it landing directly in front of the hot water outlet IMHO would be nil. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[chuckbear]

I hope you're right. I also have to wonder how the heat will affect the plastic tube. Chuck

 

[Rene T]

I hope you're right. I also have to wonder how the heat will affect the plastic tube. Chuck

I don't believe it will get affected.

 

[lynnmor]

I had a Camco wand for the black tank, it blew apart and I had water everywhere.  The common denominator here is the brand name, avoid it as much as possible.

 

[LarsMac]

I had a Camco wand for the black tank, it blew apart and I had water everywhere.  The common denominator here is the brand name, avoid it as much as possible.

I've had one of those wands for a couple of years, and it has not been a problem. I suspect too much water pressure may have been a factor.

 

[Isaac-1]

I saw a report on another forum a few months ago about the tube blowing off one of these Camco water heater rinsers, the guy spent days trying to fish it out the water heater heater tank.  I went and looked at the one I bought a couple of years ago and saw the tube was splitting around the fitting, appears to be a design flaw, poor choice of plastics, so it went in the trash.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The odds of it landing directly in front of the hot water outlet IMHO would be nil.

Especially since the water outlet is closer to the top than the bottom and exits upwards.  8)

 

[NY_Dutch]

I "rescued" the copper tubing nozzle from a homemade water heater cleaner a few years ago using an inspection camera and a small pickup tool. The fellow was convinced he'd need to replace the heater.

 

[8Muddypaws]

I've been using the same wand for for over 10 years without a problem.  Just lucky I guess.


You can buy a bore cam on Amazon or eBay for not much money.  Using that I'm thinking you could take an old wire coat hanger and bend it into whatever shape you need to to snag the sprayer and guide it out.  Carefully and with patience of course.  I think I would tape the bore cam to the wire so it has a good view of the hook.

I used a bore cam to help me get the spout of a broken oil filler out of my oil pan.  The yellow plastic shows up really well.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311&_nkw=bore+camera&_sacat=0

 

[Clyncher]

I "rescued" the copper tubing nozzle from a homemade water heater cleaner a few years ago using an inspection camera and a small pickup tool. The fellow was convinced he'd need to replace the heater.

Great advice! I bought an endoscopic camera for less than $30 on Amazon and was able to fish the plastic tube out of my heater with the help of the lighted camera, some stiff electrical wire to get it close, then a long kabob skewer to get it out. Didn’t think it’d be a good idea to leave it in there.
Thanks again!

 

[chuckbear]

I just left the plastic section in the heater. It was there for months with no ill affect. It finally washed out on its own when emptying the tank. Chuck

 

[Domo]

Our 2008 is just fine. Every few years, when changing/checking the sacrificial anode I blast water in through the pressure relief valve connection (with it removed) and the c**p comes out the anode hole. I usually get wet in the process so I do this task in July.

 

[OldWEB]

Our 2008 is just fine. Every few years, when changing/checking the sacrificial anode I blast water in through the pressure relief valve connection (with it removed) and the c**p comes out the anode hole. I usually get wet in the process so I do this task in July.

 

[Ray-IN]

I have one too. I've tried many different glues, epoxies, and nothing sticks to the )()*& plastic. Finally I just drilled a hole through the entire thing and ran a thin cotter key through both sections, then wrapped it with silicone tape to keep from getting a shower with every use.

 

[Foto-n-T]

This post made me chuckle. I've been using one of those wands (the same one) now for 20 years. I should probably have a look at it. But here's what made me chuckle...

A number of years ago I had the epiphany that the tank would drain faster if I could relieve the vacuum in the tank during draining. Yes I know some folks trip the over pressure valve but I don't because I don't want to replace it. ln lieu of that I took one of my wife's bendy plastic drink straws and stuck it in the hole during draining so that the air could get in, easy peasy. The problem was after a couple of years I got complacent and let go of the straw to reach for something (probably my beer) and the damn thing sucked itself right into the tank. Long story short I spent the better part of an hour shooting water into the tank with the flush wand and letting it drain waiting for that stupid straw to appear. FINALLY the straw poked it's little head out of the hole and I got my hands on it, won't do that again. Now I just stick the wand in there during draining to achieve the same effect.

The things we learn when we aren't trying. Good judgement is the result of poor decisions.

 

[Ray-IN]

That saying came from:
Quote Investigator: The earliest match located by QI appeared in “The Muncie Evening Press” of Muncie, Indiana in 1932. Emphasis added to excerpts by QI:[1]

Fred Rose quoted this comment at the Rotary Club-Central Senior Class meeting Tuesday: “Good Judgment depends mostly on experience and experience usually comes from poor judgment.
However it all began with": “Experience is the teacher of all things.” Julius Caesar

 

[Isaac-1]

Sometimes it is best to observe others making those poor decisions and learn from seeing them rather than making the poor decisions yourself.

 

[gwinger]

I have one too. I've tried many different glues, epoxies, and nothing sticks to the )()*& plastic. Finally I just drilled a hole through the entire thing and ran a thin cotter key through both sections, then wrapped it with silicone tape to keep from getting a shower with every use.

The tube is probably made of polypropylene or polyethylene. Nothing will stick to it. Only a few chemicals have any affect on it.