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02-21-2014, 06:40 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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Mysterious substance in potable water
I had let my bathtub cold water run too long in my Mini Lite, ran out of water, and lost the prime on my pump. This happened on the last day driving back from my most recent trip, so I just stored the TT for the time. A couple days later (today) I went back, poured some water from my house water hose into the tank, and started up the pump.
It went good, got the prime back, except I noticed that the bathtub was still not up to full flow, although everything else seemed to be. I let it run some more.
Then I noticed what I thought was dirt coming out of the bathroom spigot. On closer examination, It was small particles of whitish grit, slightly larger than, say, beach sand at the largest. If I picked it up and rubbed it, it crushed into smaller powder-ish grit.
I have only put clean water from reliable sources in my tank. In addition, I have a water filter that came with the unit that filters all water before in goes to any fixture in the trailer, not just some.
Any Idea what this stuff could be? And what would be the best way to get rid of whatever it is?
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 06:44 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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maybe something from the pump internals? Have you let any other faucets run to see if same residue?
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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02-21-2014, 06:48 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davel1971
maybe something from the pump internals? Have you let any other faucets run to see if same residue?
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All the other faucets seemed to not only be running at full capacity, but I didn't see any grit. I didn't look that close, though, I just shut everything down, and came back home to my computer.
I need to check that, but I think I would have seen it in the kitchen sink.
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 07:03 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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Having this stuff come out in the tub and not elsewhere might be explained by the fact that my tub is the lowest faucet in my TT. I wouldn't have noticed the toilet water. But it still doesn't explain how it got past my filter.
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 07:06 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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have you examined the filter to rule it out?
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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02-21-2014, 07:06 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 677
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Probably crud from the anode rod, thats what uou're discribing.
__________________
Danny & Darlene
2002 Silverado 1500HD
2014 Rockwood 2703WS 'Emerald Pkg'
Days camped 2015=42 2014=48 2013=41 2012=47 2011=18
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02-21-2014, 07:11 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 515
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dannyabear
Probably crud from the anode rod, thats what uou're discribing.
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2X .........anode rod .........
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TV= 2012 F-150 FX4 Supercab
FW= 2011 270ret Crusader
Hitch= Reese Pro Series 16K Hitch
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02-21-2014, 07:13 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rmack
I had let my bathtub cold water run too long in my Mini Lite, ran out of water, and lost the prime on my pump. This happened on the last day driving back from my most recent trip, so I just stored the TT for the time. A couple days later (today) I went back, poured some water from my house water hose into the tank, and started up the pump.
It went good, got the prime back, except I noticed that the bathtub was still not up to full flow, although everything else seemed to be. I let it run some more.
Then I noticed what I thought was dirt coming out of the bathroom spigot. On closer examination, It was small particles of whitish grit, slightly larger than, say, beach sand at the largest. If I picked it up and rubbed it, it crushed into smaller powder-ish grit.
I have only put clean water from reliable sources in my tank. In addition, I have a water filter that came with the unit that filters all water before in goes to any fixture in the trailer, not just some.
Any Idea what this stuff could be? And what would be the best way to get rid of whatever it is?
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Sounds like minerals from the water you have been using.
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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02-21-2014, 07:18 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davel1971
have you examined the filter to rule it out?
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I looked at it in it's clear holder, and it looks OK, but frankly, I don't have a clear image in my mind of how the water flows. I probably flows into the middle ad seeps out around the perimeter, then flows back up the top. I will have to take the whole thing out to fully examine it.
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 07:19 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dannyabear
Probably crud from the anode rod, thats what uou're discribing.
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Is there a procedure for cleaning the rod? Can it be removed?
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 07:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rmack
Is there a procedure for cleaning the rod? Can it be removed?
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with no pressure on system, just unthread it from side of tank. Flush tank out while its out. You will be surprised what comes out of there.
__________________
David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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02-21-2014, 07:42 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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After compiling everybody's kind advice, here's what must have happened, and what I'm going to do:
Pulling my plumbing dry by negligently leaving the faucet on after the tank ran out stirred up funkage somewhere. Maybe my water tank, since it comes out of the cold side, maybe my hot water tank, maybe both.
My filter was not installed until after a couple of trips, so lots of hard water went threw the plumbing at first. Or, the filter could be somehow failing lately. Or both
I'm going to have the whole system flushed, including both hot water and cold water tanks, the filter replaced, and the anode rod replaced on the hot tank.
I'll tell the DH that it probably was time to do it anyway to justify the expense of throwing money at the problem.
Thanks, everyone. I would have worried myself crazy on my own trying to figure this out.
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 09:36 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 67
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I reviewed all of this, and was thinking of how the calcium or whatever deposits could be coming from my cold water faucet.
I had turned on both hot and cold knobs at first. Later, I determined that hot (though not hot at the time) was flowing better than cold. by a lot. The cold was the line I sucked dry. It would have been releasing air against the solid hot line flow.
What if the disturbed hot water debris got pushed down the cold water channel in the mixing area of the bathtub faucet. It would explain the restricted flow, and the white chunks coming out when I only had the cold open.
The particles probably did come from the hot water side.
__________________
Ray and Carol, boxer Duke and his daughter Duchess
2013 FR Rockwood Mini Lite 2104 with Murphy bed.
4 WD Nissan Xterra with supercharger and tow package.
2 Yamaha EF2000iS generators
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02-21-2014, 09:58 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dannyabear
Probably crud from the anode rod, thats what uou're discribing.
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Correct,the (Hot Water) is After the Filter! Youroo!!
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02-21-2014, 10:07 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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Since you prob.dont Winterize your W/Heater,you should remove the anode rod and drain & clean it,per need by water type & usage. Youroo!!
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02-21-2014, 11:29 PM
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#16
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
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Anode bits and calcium nodules can also enter your cold water lines if you use the low point drains to drain your water heater.
Always isolate the water heater using the bypass valves before removing the anode rod for inspection and draining the water heater from the anode hole.
This prevents that crud from entering the COLD water pipes (the low pipe in the water heater). Running the water empty allowed that crud to enter the cold water pipes. Once you repressurized the system the incoming cold water pushed that crud up to the faucets.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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02-21-2014, 11:35 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,443
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Hard water scale was probably in the pump and when it went dry it flaked off then when you added water it moved through the lines. Take the screens off the faucets run some water through the lines and it should flush out.
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