Anode rod hard water?

[Steve S]

I replaced the anode rod this morning, does this look like normal wear or would it be from being on well water?

[chuckster57]

Depending on how old it is, it's not as bad as some I've seen. Water quality is another issue and not knowing what's "in" your water, I would say the rod is doing its job.

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Depending on how old it is, it's not as bad as some I've seen. Water quality is another issue and not knowing what's "in" your water, I would say the rod is doing its job.

K thanks My brother in law figures it'll last another 6 months but I think that preventive maintenance is better then an $800.00 bill in the middle of winter.

[JRTJH]

Steve,

Your RV is about 6 or 9 months old as I recall. So, that anode rod is relatively new in that it's the same age. Usually an anode will last at least a year, often much longer (depending on the condition of the water in the HWH).

If you start going through anode rods faster than once a year, you might want to look at a magnesium anode. The ones that come standard are aluminum and deteriorate (or sacrifice) rather quickly. Suburban also produces a magnesium anode that costs a little more ($19 vs $13) and will last much longer than the aluminum rods.

Somewhere "tucked way back in the owners manual" is the comment about which rod to use.

Realistically, your old rod looks OK. There is some deterioration fairly close to the threaded end, but you've got about half the rod left. I'd continue to use it until it's almost corroded though. The brown tint is either rust or organic matter. Most home wells will have a certain amount of organic material in the water and rust is dependent on what type of water you have.

[SGardiner]

The rod is corroding, which is what you should expect as that is its function as a sacrificial anode. Hardness from well water should not impact the rate of corrosion. However, water from wells is often high in alkalinity, which could increase the corrosion rate of the Zinc anode. My concern would be that it breaks off in the tank and would be difficult to remove.

High hardness waters from wells will expedite the formation of mineral deposits in your water heater. You may wish to reference the owners manual for information regarding the cleaning of heater to remove mineral deposits (scale). There is a couple of youtube videos, which demonstrate this procedure.

[Jager]

You're Anode looks like nearly new to me. You should see mine.

[TDF5G]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Steve,

Your RV is about 6 or 9 months old as I recall. So, that anode rod is relatively new in that it's the same age. Usually an anode will last at least a year, often much longer (depending on the condition of the water in the HWH).

If you start going through anode rods faster than once a year, you might want to look at a magnesium anode. The ones that come standard are aluminum and deteriorate (or sacrifice) rather quickly. Suburban also produces a magnesium anode that costs a little more ($19 vs $13) and will last much longer than the aluminum rods.

Somewhere "tucked way back in the owners manual" is the comment about which rod to use.

Realistically, your old rod looks OK. There is some deterioration fairly close to the threaded end, but you've got about half the rod left. I'd continue to use it until it's almost corroded though. The brown tint is either rust or organic matter. Most home wells will have a certain amount of organic material in the water and rust is dependent on what type of water you have.

To John: I've been reading all the threads about anode rods today. I find a contradicition in your posts concerning the material of the anode rods. Below is a copy and paste from another thread.
http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ighlight=ANODE

QUOTE:
There are, I believe, two types of anode rods. One is the Suburban OEM rod, made of a magnesium alloy and the other is an after market anode made of an aluminum alloy. The "claim to fame" of the after market anode is that it lasts longer than the original anode. This may well be true, but when you consider that if it's not being "consumed" as the sacrificial metal, then the metal that is supposed to be protected is being corroded away.

While it may "seem thrifty" to buy an after market anode that lasts for several years, I'd have to ask what is being protected and what corroding away in the water heater? I wouldn't put my water heater at risk trying to be "thrifty" by buying an anode rod that doesn't deteriorate.

Something to think about, eh?
__________________
John
END QUOTE

What my concern is, does the Suburban come originally with a mag rod or aluminum? And is best to replace it with a magnesium or aluminum?

Thanks, don't mean to berate you or anyone, just wanting get the best rod to protect my HWH.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by TDF5G

To John: I've been reading all the threads about anode rods today. I find a contradicition in your posts concerning the material of the anode rods. Below is a copy and paste from another thread.
http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/sho...ighlight=ANODE

QUOTE:
There are, I believe, two types of anode rods. One is the Suburban OEM rod, made of a magnesium alloy and the other is an after market anode made of an aluminum alloy. The "claim to fame" of the after market anode is that it lasts longer than the original anode. This may well be true, but when you consider that if it's not being "consumed" as the sacrificial metal, then the metal that is supposed to be protected is being corroded away.

While it may "seem thrifty" to buy an after market anode that lasts for several years, I'd have to ask what is being protected and what corroding away in the water heater? I wouldn't put my water heater at risk trying to be "thrifty" by buying an anode rod that doesn't deteriorate.

Something to think about, eh?
__________________
John
END QUOTE

What my concern is, does the Suburban come originally with a mag rod or aluminum? And is best to replace it with a magnesium or aluminum?

Thanks, don't mean to berate you or anyone, just wanting get the best rod to protect my HWH.

Here is the quote from the Suburban Owner's 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. (See Figure 12) To prevent a water leak when replacing the anode rod, a pipe thread sealant approved for potable water (such as Teflon tape) must be applied to the threads of the anode rod. Proper application of a thread sealant will not interfere with the anode’s tank protection. Operating the water heater without proper anode protection will decrease tank life and will void your warranty on the tank. NOTE: Tank is drained by removing anode rod (See “Drain and Storage” instructions). To extend anode life, drain water from tank whenever RV is not being used. Avoid any extended time of non use with water in tank. Also, refer to section on winterizing. WARNING! Do not replace the anode rod with any non-Suburban accessory part, such as an “add-on” electric heating element. Items such as these are not approved to be installed in Suburban products. They could create an unsafe condition and will also void all warranties.

As you can see, Suburban provides both types of anode rods, either a magnesium or aluminum anode. My two most recent RV's have had magnesium anode rods, but that may not be the situation with other owners. Both will protect the heater tank. Which one is best to use in any particular situation depends, I would imagine, on the contents of the water. You'd have to contact Suburban, your RV dealer or possibly a plumber in your local area to ask for more specifics on suggested anode composition for your individual situation. I still believe that the original equipment (Suburban) anode rods should be used rather than an after market anode.

Thanks for identifying your confusion, hopefully this explanation will help you understand the different types of anodes and which is better for a Suburban hot water heater. Of course, the final decision whether to use an OEM magnesium, OEM aluminum or aftermarket anode remains the choice of any owner. My comments from a year ago (tomorrow) haven't changed, they are still my opinion.

[bobbecky]

In the Suburban manual, there is a parts breakdown, which shows the anode rod to be part number 232767, which is a magnesium rod. Our water heater came with the magnesium rod, which I replaced at one year. It could have gone a bit longer, but replaced it for convenience. If the rod does not last a year, the recommendation is to use an aluminum rod, which will last longer. The tanks in Suburban water heaters are glass lined steel, so the anodes are there to prevent corrosion of the steel tank when there are cracks in the glass lining. As was said before, the low cost of a new anode once a year is far cheaper than a new water heater.

[chris199]

Replaced mine Sat as well. Here are the before and after pics....

[Steve S]

On 07-12-2014, 08:40 AM when I started this thread I'll pull mine and post pics
These things are only 30 or 40 bucks and if I have to do it once a yr then it's just preventive maintenance.

[JRTJH]

Steve, It shouldn't cost $30/40 for a replacement. At Amazon.com the aluminum anode is $15.70 and the magnesium anode is $16.27. Even in Canada it shouldn't be much over $18-20.

http://www.amazon.com/Suburban-23276...rban+anode+rod


http://www.amazon.com/Suburban-23276...rban+anode+rod

There was some concern about a "corroded" anode rod possibly breaking into pieces and being difficult to remove from the tank. Here's a picture of a severely corroded anode. Notice that there is a center core of "noble metal" that doesn't corrode. The sacrificial metal is dissolved, but there's very little chance of the anode breaking and falling into the hot water heater.

[Steve S]

Mine came to $37.00 wit 2 day shipping, It's expensive to ship here

[JRTJH]

YIKES !!! Maybe that's a great reason to vacation "south of the border" once in a while LOL

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

YIKES !!! Maybe that's a great reason to vacation "south of the border" once in a while LOL

That or go for the 2 month shipping that Amazon has

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by chris199

Replaced mine Sat as well. Here are the before and after pics....

Looks like a timely replacement.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Desert185

Looks like a timely replacement.

Unless I'm missing something, the picture shown is of a nearly intact anode rod with virtually no sacrificial loss. I only wish mine would look as good at the end of the summer. Did you see something that I haven't?

[Festus2]

Trailer Life's RV Repair & Maintenance Manual recommends replacing the anode when it is 75% "gone". I realize that replacing one before this while you have it removed for winterizing is both convenient and an inexpensive form of protection and for some a rod that is 75% gone has gone "too far".

Steve - Isn't there somewhere close to where you live on the Island that you can pick up a HW anode for far, far less than $40-$50???? What about the RV supply places near Nanaimo? I can get them here in the Valley for $15-$20.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Unless I'm missing something, the picture shown is of a nearly intact anode rod with virtually no sacrificial loss. I only wish mine would look as good at the end of the summer. Did you see something that I haven't?

The top one is the old one and the bottom one is the new one. Maybe I'm thinking the deposits are what's left of the sacrificial metal.

[chris199]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Trailer Life's RV Repair & Maintenance Manual recommends replacing the anode when it is 75% "gone". I realize that replacing one before this while you have it removed for winterizing is both convenient and an inexpensive form of protection and for some a rod that is 75% gone has gone "too far".

Steve - Isn't there somewhere close to where you live on the Island that you can pick up a HW anode for far, far less than $40-$50???? What about the RV supply places near Nanaimo? I can get them here in the Valley for $15-$20.

There is a really large and popular online retailer that has them for $11 and change...free shipping with Prime membership.

I think their warehouse is deep in a South American rainforest. [emoji6]