Anode in hot water heater?

[B.G. Smith]

Drained the heater today(new trailer in Sept. 03) The anode is eaten half in two in one place. The last trailer I had, the anode was not in that bad shape after five years. Any thing I should look for? bg

 

[waterdonkey]

BG,



The anode is doing its job, thats a good thing. Better than your plumbing system.

Has you source water changed? Are you still filling your tank form the same hose bib is what I want to say. If you have filled up at different locations you could have possibly filled with a load of aggressive water.



Also, take a look around the water system and the heater you could be introducing a stray electric current with a ground wire.

 

[Radshooter]

B. G..... My wife and I are full-timers in our fifth-wheel. We have lived in it for 5 years now. It has been to Nevada, Kansas, Colorado, back to Kansas, and now in Idaho. We replace the anode every 6 mos. to 1 year, whether it looks like it needs it or not. The amount of "wear" we observe when we change it seems to depend on the length of time since the last change, and where we were living at the time. Nevada and Idaho were the worst. We always keep a spare around and look at it as cheap insurance.



Steve

 

[MUDDY]

anode, what is it and whats it do

 

[Radshooter]

It is a "sacrificial" rod in the hot water heater that reacts to the anions and ions in the water. The chemical reaction corrodes the anode instead of the plumbing.

 

[Radshooter]

P. S. Even home water heaters have them.

 

[waterdonkey]

anode

Sacrificial anodes are rods inside the tank and are an easily corroded material (metal). It will sacrifice or give up the anode material to corrosion while the tank or pipes stay corrosion free.

The material used in the anode will corrode first. Once the anode is destroyed the corrosion will start on the tank.

Your home hot water heater will have a sacrificial anode installed on it too.

 

[waterdonkey]

Radshooter... . you beat me by 2 min.

 

[Radshooter]

We learned from experience. The first time we changed ours, it was down to a skinny wire!!!

 

[B.G. Smith]

Thanks for all the replies. I have used the electric water heater most of the time since we have had this trailer, I was afraid the loss of the anode had something to do with that. I always put water in the tank here at home (just enough to use the bathroom etc. while en-route), we don't dry camp so the unit is exposed to lots of different water supplies. It has spent most of the time in the South Fork unit at Lake Lavon near Wylie. bg

 

[Prairie Dog]

Just a note, The anode is the reason you should never consume water from a hot water tank. The anode loads it up with a number of unhealthy things including lots of aluminum which is linked to Alzheimer's.

 

[MUDDY]

hmmmmmmmm, thanks for the info guys. i wondered wht the thing is when u drain the camper waterhtr that is conected to drain cap



15 y o wtr htr in the house. wonderin now how good anode be as it never been removed

 

[JohnE]

Originally posted by Radshooter

P. S. Even home water heaters have them.

Depends on the area. Around here we have to remove them or it puts a terrible stink in the water.

 

[Tim1]

Hey fellas, my brother own a RV shop and he says to pull the anode out and use a kinda 90 degree rubber little hose attachment to spray the inside of the water heater out. Costs a couple bucks. Works great!! Tim