Hello All,

I've learned a lot from this forum, but still basically a novice home improvement. I took advantage of the buy-$50-gift-cards-at-Michael's-for-$40 sale (this sale is still going on, and I do not work or am affiliated with Michael's or Lowe's in any way), and one of the things I was going to purchase (I bought $500 worth) is a submersible pump for help in cleaning my Rinnai system. It has never been cleaned (4 years old), and sadly, I have never realized our home's Rinnai R85 needs regular cleaning. I'll post before and after pics when I'm done. I was only recently alerted to this when our neighbor told us. I've asked around, no one else in our neighborhood knows this either.

Anyway, it looks like an easy procedure and I am getting ready to go buy my sump pump, vinegar, and hoses. Out to the Rinnai heater I go, make sure I get the right kind of connectors, when lo and behold, it doesn't look like I anticipate.

I don't know if this is standard, but I read the other thread (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/plumbi...ur-304590.html) and was expecting a picture like that.

My situation also has three strange electrical things I did not expect: 1) a plug at the end of a cord; 2) an outlet with two sockets; and 3) what appears to be an electrical cord end terminated with a chunk of plastic.

Anyway, I thought about unhooking the braided lines, and plumbing in the vinegar there, but I'm not sure that's the greatest idea.

So, that's my situation. Great forum, glad I found it, and if anyone has any suggestion, I will greatly appreciate it.

Hi Regularlurker

Here, you would shut the blue valves to the off position.

Next, cut the 3/4" CPVC plastic line from the boiler relief valve and then remove the boiler relief valve from the pipe on the left and install a 3/4" boiler drain (looks like the one on the right pipe) like on the right pipe.

Now you can hook your pump hoses up and flush the tank.

To finish this, remove the new boiler drain and install a NEW boiler relief valve for best result. Use a 3/4" CPVC coupling to rejoin the CPVC plastic pipe.

Keep the boiler drain handy and a couple 3/4" CPVC couplings and some CPVC cement handy for future flushings, OK?

Plugs are fine so no need to concern yourself with those.

Questions? Let me know...

Mark

PS: You could also repipe this using a 3/4" brass tee fitting and some 3/4" brass nipples and install the new 3/4" boiler drain and new relief valve and be all set for next time without any additional work.