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Old 03-30-2023, 08:14 PM   #2
bobbecky
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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Did you replace the magnesium anode with an aluminum anode? If you did, it's likely that the aluminum anode is not sacrificing itself to protect the tank, which is what happens to the magnesium anode when it is leaving the white crud inside the tank. It does not matter whether you are using the water heater in electric or gas mode, the anode will protect the tank in either mode. The water heater comes from the factory with a magnesium rod, and if the rod lasts a year, it should continue to be replaced with a magnesium rod. Only when water conditions cause the rod to deteriorate faster than that, should an aluminum rod be considered. This is copied and pasted from the Suburban manual:

The tank in this water heater is protected by a magnesium or aluminum anode to prolong the life of the tank by absorbing the corrosive action of hot water. Under normal use, the anode rod will deteriorate and because of this, we recommend it be replaced yearly. NOTE: Water with high levels of iron and/or sulfate will increase the rate of deterioration; therefore, more frequent replacement may be required. If anode rod is mostly eaten away, replace it with a new one.
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