Anode rod

[erjs05]

I winterized our camper today and when I drained the hot water tank there was no anode rod just a plastic plug. Should I replace the plastic plug with a anode rod or is it not necessary?

[SAD]

I winterized our camper today and when I drained the hot water tank there was no anode rod just a plastic plug. Should I replace the plastic plug with a anode rod or is it not necessary?

Depends on the brand of your HWH...

What brand do you have?

Two popular brands available... One with a steel tank, one with aluminum.

[JRTJH]

I winterized our camper today and when I drained the hot water tank there was no anode rod just a plastic plug. Should I replace the plastic plug with a anode rod or is it not necessary?

Suburban hot water heaters have an anode rod. Atwood heaters do not. They only have a plastic cap in the drain hole. No need for an anode rod on Atwood heaters.

[erjs05]

Yes it is an Atwood.

[erjs05]

Thanks for the replies.

[airforceret]

I replaced the plastic with an anode in mine and 3 years later it was almost completely deteriorated. Sure you don't need one?

[billb800si]

I replaced the plastic with an anode in mine and 3 years later it was almost completely deteriorated. Sure you don't need one?
====================
Are you sure someone before you used a nylon plug when they should have used an anode rod??
All my Atwood's only had a nylon plug in them.
Happy trails,

[airforceret]

I bought the camper new so it was likely that way from Atwood. I know some will advocate not using one if the tank is aluminum, but from what I (at least think I understand) about what an anode rod is used for, I believe it is beneficial to use one all the time. I've seen arguments for both sides of this one...

If Atwood would specifically state to "NOT" use one then I'd change my ways, but their lack of specifics on the subject leads me to believe they are content for the hot water heater to just wear out and be replaced.

I would think the process that eats away at anode rods must surely eat away at aluminum tanks since some anode rods are aluminum while others are magnesium (these are routinely considered the better choice in what I've read over the years).

[Festus2]

Roger -

Try sending an email or phone Atwood and ask them specifically if your HW tank needs an anode rod or not. Surely, since they designed and built the tank to operate without one, they must have a sound reason why a rod is not required and should be able to state either "yes" or "no".

[JRTJH]

I tend to agree with you with reference to the "sacrificial anode" vs the "sacrificial tank lining" I too would much prefer a replaceable rod rather than replacing the tank.

Review this: http://beamalarm.com/Documents/atwood_water_heater_troubleshooting.html

Here is a relatively good "troubleshooting guide" for Atwood heaters. It covers pretty much anything that can (and does) go wrong with Atwood's HWH. About 2/3 down, there are comments on tank corrosion and sulfucation in the tank. He indicates that the tank is actually a "two layer" aluminum with the outer skin being made of strong 7072 grade aluminum and the inner layer being made of a softer aluminum and zinc mixture. That, I believe, makes the entire tank lining "one big anode."

My agree with you, using an anode rod can not hurt, and may even slow the process of tank corrosion/deterioration. It would seem that if the anode rod is "less noble" than the tank lining, the anode rod would corrode first, but on the other hand, if the anode rod is "more noble" than the tank lining, it would corrode slower and much less than the lining and give a "false sense of security.

In other words, zinc is the reason the anode rod corrodes first, it is "less noble" than the aluminum. so, if the tank lining is made up of 15% zinc and the anode rod is made up of 80% zinc. the anode would corrode first. But, if the anode rod is made up of 10% zinc, it would still corrode, but the tank lining would corrode faster because it has more zinc, thus giving a "false sense of security."

I'd be curious to know what Atwood's real take is on anode rods. As you say, they really don't address them in the owner's manual.

[Randy_K]

Just winterized my 2013 Passport 23RB. Atwood water heater . Plastic plug only. Bought it brand new.