remember to check your hot water heater anode!

[John in Santa Cruz]

been about 2.5 years since I replaced the anode, so I decided I'd better check it since I've neglected to...



ok, not completely gone, but pretty much a good time to flush the tank and slap in a new one. I used the Camco RV water heater flusher, and gobs of white crusties came out. I just kept flushing with full hose pressure, and turning it all directions and moving it in and out and as much left and right as I could til it ran clear for several minutes. FLipped the bypass valves back to normal, opened the kitchen sink hot water tap, and turned the pump on til the kitchen stopped spitting air and settled down. Voila!

next time, I'm getting a NPT pipe thread chaser because it was really hard to get the new one started.

[MVA]

Wow!

Was this an Al or Mg based anode, and was the WH full for the 2.5 years or mostly empty?

[Pupfish]

That's my anode every year in Texas. I toss the anode when I winterize.l the trailer. We have, let's say, hard water.

[John in Santa Cruz]

it was MG, and the water heater was never drained, got many weeks or months of usage. probably 25 tank fills of water a year? and the water hot maybe half the time?

[Allan Bornestig]

Hey John in Santa Cruz.
I replaced my anode this spring before the Osoyoos trip.Hard time to get it started then I remembered someone on this forum had used a few quarters as fillers to get started on the thread.Used that trick and it worked like a charm.
Allan.

[gbaglo]

It was loonies.

[Pupfish]

We' are out 4-5 months at a time, unless we get lucky (longer). A lot of carbonates in Texas water, unless you are near the coast
An anode a year is an easy expense. We once went 1.5 years (during the great pandemic of Aught 20-something or other) and, let's just say we were pressing it.

[Allan Bornestig]

Hey Glenn.
I thought that was your trick but not sure.I just happened to have quarters in my pocket but next time it will be loonies.Thanks for the idea.

[gbaglo]

Quarters work, and washers.

[John in Santa Cruz]

you mean like jam a quarter into the hole sideways and turn it to scrape the lead thread clean ?

[gbaglo]

The socket is 1 1/16" and requires something to fill the socket because it is so deep. This allows you to put pressure on and contol the anode. I also use an extension.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

The socket is 1 1/16" and requires something to fill the socket because it is so deep. This allows you to put pressure on and contol the anode. I also use an extension.

Hi: gbaglo... I always put pressure on and could have used an extension. We start out with soft water from home but haven't found a campground with any yet!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[John in Santa Cruz]

yup on 1-1/16 socket (I found a 6 point!), and extension and 3/8" ratchet.

to get mine started, after getting frustrated for a few minutes, I gently pressed in on the head with one finger of one hand, while using the other hand to turn it /backwards/ til I felt the thread 'step' as it backed over the start of the first thread, then while maintaining that pressure hand turned it forward about 1/2 turn which got it sufficiently started that I could torque it in with the wrench. it doesn't help that I'm recuperating from a bruised rib and have a strained left wrist (and am a leftie).