After Anode Replacement

[Weldon]

I'm not familiar with HW tanks or anodes. I checked mine a few weeks ago, then replaced it with a new one, which already had teflon tape wrapped around it. I realize now I should have cleaned the threads on the HWT and cleaned the tank as well. What you DO NOT want to do is unscrew the anode while there is still pressurized water in the tank. Ask me why!!

Can someone please direct me to instructions on how to "drain and clean" the tank? How do I ensure it is not pressurized before I remove the anode?

I'm a tinkerer and fixer, and have no problem admitting i don't know and asking for help. I don't want to end up with very hot water all over me again when it's 30 degrees outside. I've attached pics from the outside and inside. We have a 6-gallon.

When camping after replacing the anode, it took about 20-30 mins to warm up the water. That could have been because I didn't know what I was doing. We were hooked up to city water and I wasn't using my fresh water holding tank or pump. We didn't need hot water for any reason. I could have used propane if we did, but it wasn't necessary.

I know enough to realize I could ruin my HWT if i turn it on before it's filled up. With that said, after hooking up to city water, do I turn the outside switch to "on" while it's filling up? Do i do the same to the inside switch? How do I know when it is full? Educate me or direct me where I can educate myself please.

[flybouy]

Step one TURN OFF the water heater both the gas and the electric switches (to be sure throw the breaker off) then allow it cool down. Running water from a hot side of a faucets or several faucets will expedite this.
Two - Open a hot water faucet to drain the tank.
Three - Open the pressure/temp relief valve on the water heater.
Four - remove anode and let the remaining water flow out. If it's got a lot of debris
flush it out with water. They sell "water tank rinsing wands" for a few bucks that do a great job. If the threads are rusty clean them with wire brush (I use a small brass one for this). If it's really bad then you will need a tap to "chase" the threads.

Reverse procedure with new anode. Clean threads and apply teflon tape to the anode fitting. No more than two wraps of teflon.
Insert anode by hand then tighten with a wrench. If the pressure relief valve is still open then close it.
Turn water on and go inside to the faucet that you previously opened. The water "spit and sputter" at first as the air moves out of the tank. Be patient, this will take a few minutes for the tank to fill i.e. a 6 gal tank with a 2 gal/min water flow rate will take 3 min.
After the water flows smoothly close the faucet. Turn the breaker on, turn the water heater switch on. You can turn on the electric and the gas and it will heat back up faster.
Now go relax, job done.

[Weldon]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Step one TURN OFF the water heater both the gas and the electric switches (to be sure throw the breaker off) then allow it cool down. Running water from a hot side of a faucets or several faucets will expedite this.
Two - Open a hot water faucet to drain the tank.
Three - Open the pressure/temp relief valve on the water heater.
Four - remove anode and let the remaining water flow out. If it's got a lot of debris
flush it out with water. They sell "water tank rinsing wands" for a few bucks that do a great job. If the threads are rusty clean them with wire brush (I use a small brass one for this). If it's really bad then you will need a tap to "chase" the threads.

Reverse procedure with new anode. Clean threads and apply teflon tape to the anode fitting. No more than two wraps of teflon.
Insert anode by hand then tighten with a wrench. If the pressure relief valve is still open then close it.
Turn water on and go inside to the faucet that you previously opened. The water "spit and sputter" at first as the air moves out of the tank. Be patient, this will take a few minutes for the tank to fill i.e. a 6 gal tank with a 2 gal/min water flow rate will take 3 min.
After the water flows smoothly close the faucet. Turn the breaker on, turn the water heater switch on. You can turn on the electric and the gas and it will heat back up faster.
Now go relax, job done.

Much appreciated. I swapped the anode at storage. I pushed the pressure relief valve but, being at storage, didn't turn the faucet handles on. Will do that next time.

There was A LOT of debris that flowed out. I'll look into the wand. Is there a separate water heater drain, or is that the hole where the anode goes?

[dutchmensport]

The hole where the anode rod goes, is the drain hole. You do not necessarily have to purchase a tank "wand". I have several old washing machine hoses (hot and cold), the rubber ones, not the metal ones. I simply cut one of these in half. Both end have female connectors. Attach one end to a garden hose and insert the cut rubber end into the anode rod hole. Turn on the water and flush it out. It helps if you have one of those garden hose shut off valves attached between the garden hose and the washing machine hose.

I cut several hoses, giving me 2 that are perfect fitting in the water heater drain hole. By the way, that same hose is perfect for filling gravity filled water tanks on campers too. And depending upon your camper set up, they work great for the suction side of winterizing with pink stuff.

Before pulling the anode, always turn your water pump off and / or shut your shore water off. Then open a faucet anywhere in the camper to let the pressure off.

Pull the anode, then flip the pressure relief valve to allow air in the tank to drain it.

[flybouy]

Here's the tool at CW for $8 so you most likely get one cheaper.
https://www.campingworld.com/water-h...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Here's the tool at CW for $8 so you most likely get one cheaper.
https://www.campingworld.com/water-h...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

That’s the one I have in my tool box. You can direct the spray and it allows water and yuck to flow out at the same time, Going on 10 yrs old.

[LHaven]

Typically, the outside switch is only used as a "safety" you flip when you empty the water heater for storage, so you don't turn on the inside switch out of forgetfulness before you refill it, and thereby burn up the element.

If you change the anode on a regular basis and find it exceptionally depleted with a lot of sediment in the tank, you may want to substitute an aluminum anode instead of the magnesium to reduce the sediment. This indicates mineralized water (not necessarily "hard" -- I have 0% hard water, but plenty of other mineral, so I use the aluminum.)

I'm a fan of the wand. It leaves plenty of exit area in the anode hole for the sediment to flush out.

[Weldon]

Thanks guys. how much water do you think is needed to flush the tank? I'm envisioning a response like "until the debris stops coming out." i know...ask a dumb question, get a dumb answer. I'm not asking out of ignorance, but due to our storage place not having a water hookup. We have electricity, but no water anywhere close. I either try to hook a hose up to a container filled with water....or I wait until our next trip, and then do it at the site. I keep my 1 1/16 socket in my camper tool box just in case it's needed on the road.

[1st Chev Diesel]

Weldon take a look at this You Tube video on how to clean a hot water tank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL7AtXJYNcc

Gary

[erm626]

Originally Posted by 1st Chev Diesel

Weldon take a look at this You Tube video on how to clean a hot water tank.

Gary

Thanks for sharing the video, It's hopeful this will extend the life of the WH !

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by Weldon

Thanks guys. how much water do you think is needed to flush the tank? ... due to our storage place not having a water hookup. I either try to hook a hose up to a container filled with water....or I wait until our next trip, and then do it at the site.

I'd be looking at something like this. I just don't think the one-gallon models are going to do the job, and there's not many offering in that gap.

[chuckster57]

You could use the water pump if you have water in the fresh tank. Leave the pressure relief open, put the anode in a few threads and fill the tank a little. Take the rod out and drain.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Weldon

Thanks guys. how much water do you think is needed to flush the tank? I'm envisioning a response like "until the debris stops coming out." i know...ask a dumb question, get a dumb answer. I'm not asking out of ignorance, but due to our storage place not having a water hookup. We have electricity, but no water anywhere close. I either try to hook a hose up to a container filled with water....or I wait until our next trip, and then do it at the site. I keep my 1 1/16 socket in my camper tool box just in case it's needed on the road.

Just do it the next time you go camping.

[BigBobIa]

Are the rods universal? Amazon lists 10 or more brands. Are they physically interchangeable?

[chuckster57]

You need to know length and thread size. They come in aluminum and magnesium depending on hardness of your water.

Length and thread size are about the only thing I worry about.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by BigBobIa

Are the rods universal? Amazon lists 10 or more brands. Are they physically interchangeable?

You can do a search by entering make and model number of water heater folloed by anode. You'll get hits on what fits it.

[bobbecky]

There are really only two brands of conventional tank type water heaters used in RV’s, Suburban and Atwood. The Atwood tanks are aluminum and don’t use an anode, and the Suburban with it’s glass lined steel tanks do use the anode, and the magnesium anode 232767 fits all sizes, and if the aluminum rod is needed, it is 232768, and it also fits all sizes of tanks.

[cliff]

First off, an aluminum tank needs more protection than a steel tank because it is very easy to corrode in either acidic or basic solutions. Steel tanks can use aluminum, zinc, or magnesium anodes. Aluminum tanks can only use magnesium. Go back to chemistry and review the electromotive series of metals. The metals are listed in order of their reactivity. So high on the list corrodes before those metals below it. Aluminum anodes won't work in an aluminum tank. Zinc is below aluminum and thus the tank will corrode to protect it (not a good thing). Magnesium is above aluminum so it will corrode to protect the aluminum. The reason Atwood doesn't recommend any anode is that they apparently cannot explain the above, or they don't want to confuse us with tech stuff, like the above.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by cliff

First off, an aluminum tank needs more protection than a steel tank because it is very easy to corrode in either acidic or basic solutions. Steel tanks can use aluminum, zinc, or magnesium anodes. Aluminum tanks can only use magnesium. Go back to chemistry and review the electromotive series of metals. The metals are listed in order of their reactivity. So high on the list corrodes before those metals below it. Aluminum anodes won't work in an aluminum tank. Zinc is below aluminum and thus the tank will corrode to protect it (not a good thing). Magnesium is above aluminum so it will corrode to protect the aluminum. The reason Atwood doesn't recommend any anode is that they apparently cannot explain the above, or they don't want to confuse us with tech stuff, like the above.

second off, Aluminum tanks do NOT need more protection. That is why Atwood does not supply anode Rods with their tanks. Atwoods are made of ALM and zinc. Suburban on the other hand are made of glass-lined steel and are supplied with Anode rods. Atwoods have a nylon drain plug.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by cavie

second off, Aluminum tanks do NOT need more protection. That is why Atwood does not supply anode Rods with their tanks. Atwoods are made of ALM and zinc. Suburban on the other hand are made of glass-lined steel and are supplied with Anode rods. Atwoods have a nylon drain plug.

I did corrosion studies and cathodic protection work on numerous tanks, equipment, boats, and more. Aluminum is probably one of the poorest metals for application in hard or sea water. It corrodes easily. Like I said before use a magnesium anode on aluminum to protect the tank from corroding.