Grit in Suburban hot water heater and disolved anode rod

[PleinAirCedar]

Seems like time has taken its toll on my anode rod in the 2018 17B Suburban water heater. It was so-so in early May but when I opened it to do annual maintenance on it today, the anode rod was gone and there was about 1/4" of chunks and grit on the bottom of the water tank.


I've flushed it numerous times and used a baby bottle brush to encourage the grit to get out.



Q: What happens if I can't get every piece of grit out of the tank? Will this block something and ruin the plumbing? Or will the pressure of the water flush the small amount of sediment out through the faucets? I think not as there are screens on the faucets.

I got a new anode rod plus a round rubber ring as a washer. I will put some nylon tape on the threads, too.

What process should I follow to get this ready to work for the summer? thanks


Also, is the angle of the pressure release spout correct? I think it is but not sure. Here is a photo of it.


thank you all for your input, wisdom and help. Plus wise cracks.
-Cedar in Western Colorado

[Mucram]

I need to replace anode about every two years due to hard water. I used to flush tank with a hose but purchased one of those camco hot h2o flush devices & it really works well getting all the sludge out of the tank.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by PleinAirCedar

Seems like time has taken its toll on my anode rod in the 2018 17B Suburban water heater. It was so-so in early May but when I opened it to do annual maintenance on it today, the anode rod was gone and there was about 1/4" of chunks and grit on the bottom of the water tank.

Attachment 55880Attachment 55881
I've flushed it numerous times and used a baby bottle brush to encourage the grit to get out.



Q: What happens if I can't get every piece of grit out of the tank? Will this block something and ruin the plumbing? Or will the pressure of the water flush the small amount of sediment out through the faucets? I think not as there are screens on the faucets.

I got a new anode rod plus a round rubber ring as a washer. I will put some nylon tape on the threads, too.Attachment 55883

What process should I follow to get this ready to work for the summer? thanks


Also, is the angle of the pressure release spout correct? I think it is but not sure. Here is a photo of it. Attachment 55882


thank you all for your input, wisdom and help. Plus wise cracks.
-Cedar in Western Colorado

A little grit won't hurt. But I recommend using a tank wand to completely flush it out. You don't need a rubber washer. Just insert the new anode and use Teflon tape on the threads. Remember that the anode should not be overtighenened. I think the spec is about 7lb/ft of torque, which is really 'just snug'. The ideal direction for the pressure relief valve is with the outlet facing straight down. I would see if you can turn it with a wrench, but I would not force it. If it's tight, leave it alone - no biggie.

[rubicon327]

So from the looks of the first two photos the anode rod broke off the threaded portion and dropped into the tank. Am I seeing this correctly?

The hot water comes off the top of the tank. The heavy grit will naturally stay in the bottom of the tank and should not get out into the plumbing. That said, I do recommend an occasional flush like others have advised.

[StarvingHyena]

Hello PhleinAirCedar,
If that first picture is off your anode and you called it's condition ... "So so" ..... I'd call it something else and replace it immediately. When buying anodes .... you have two choices. Rods made of aluminum and rods made of magnesium. The magnesium rods are more reactive .... meaning more protection for your tank than the aluminum rods. They will corrode away faster but that is their purpose.

I'm not sure if this is important but I think I'd take out the anode, hook trailer up to shore water (turn off the hot water element and water pump) and with water flowing out of the anode hole, using a bent coat hanger, try to snag that central anode wire. Might take a needle nose pliers and a good dose of patience to haul it out of there. Can't do it .... well there are other things to think about.

The magnesium rods will corrode faster so check something like every three months and note in log when the last time you looked so you will know how fast they are corroding. If a third of the rod by volume is missing then it's time to replace. WAIT too long and your water heater tank walls could be rusting away. Careful when pulling the anode .... turn off water heater button, wait a couple hours, open the hot water tap inside trailer to relieve pressure .... then unscrew the anode. I have forgotten to do this and as a result gotten hosed with an amazing amount of hot water ... dangerous!

Good luck! ... Tom

[PleinAirCedar]

Originally Posted by StarvingHyena

Hello PleinAirCedar,
If that first picture is off your anode and you called it's condition ... "So so" ..... I'd call it something else and replace it immediately. When buying anodes .... you have two choices. Rods made of aluminum and rods made of magnesium. The magnesium rods are more reactive .... meaning more protection for your tank than the aluminum rods. They will corrode away faster but that is their purpose.

I'm not sure if this is important but I think I'd take out the anode, hook trailer up to shore water (turn off the hot water element and water pump) and with water flowing out of the anode hole, using a bent coat hanger, try to snag that central anode wire. Might take a needle nose pliers and a good dose of patience to haul it out of there. Can't do it .... well there are other things to think about.

The magnesium rods will corrode faster so check something like every three months and note in log when the last time you looked so you will know how fast they are corroding. If a third of the rod by volume is missing then it's time to replace. WAIT too long and your water heater tank walls could be rusting away. Careful when pulling the anode .... turn off water heater button, wait a couple hours, open the hot water tap inside trailer to relieve pressure .... then unscrew the anode. I have forgotten to do this and as a result gotten hosed with an amazing amount of hot water ... dangerous!

Good luck! ... Tom

Thanks Tom,
I think I flushed it out pretty good. Tomorrow I'll take a coat hanger and fish around for any fragments of anode rod. I did use the jet spray setting on my garden hose and sprayed out the inside. The bottle brush helped get out a lot of grit and chunks, too.
I read a post of yours from 04-02-2019, 12:25 AM about how your water pump would not shut off. I think it applies to my situation, too. Here is why:

After I cleaned out the WH tank, I lightly screwed the anode rod cap back into the water heater, filled it with water and then went inside the 17B to flush out the chlorine + water I had put in earlier in the day.

I turned on the pump and the water pressure was abysmal. And the pump would not shut off after the faucet was off. I turned off the pump.

I connected the city water and then the water pressure coming from the faucet was good.
I disconnected the city water and then flipped on the water pump and turned on the faucet. Low pressure!!@#@ so I turned off the faucet and the pump kept running. Got out the 5/64th allen wrench and almost unscrewed the little round screw. Turned off the pump and and screwed the screw back in a bit. I went both clockwise and counterclockwise just to be sure.

I decided to go to the liquor store but once inside, I went to the Escape Forum and read many threads about water pumps. I came across your entry and think it may solve my water pump problem. Here is why: I think the anode rod cap is not on tight enough and causing an "air leak" thus throwing off the pressure in the water system. And the pump won't shut off because of that, I think.



Tomorrow I have this planned for my 17B:
-get a wire hanger to feel around and possibly fish out any anode wire left inside the water heater tank
-Teflon tape the new magnesium anode rod sans a rubber ring/washer and hand tighten it.
-Fill WH tank
-give the water pump a try...


Hopefully I'll be able to head to the liquor store for a celebratory beverage. If the tourists haven't done the locust thing like at almost every other business in this end of the county.
Mercury in Retrograde!


Now to figure out why there is a leak under the sink/furnace coming from the black PVC pipe above the cap at the bottom of the p trap.

[PleinAirCedar]

rubicon327,
The anode rod seems to have completely dissolved. But my previous post outlines my plan of action tomorrow.

Thanks for the reply!

[PleinAirCedar]

rbryan4,
Gotcha on the rubber gasket. I'll take it off the new Magnesium anode rod. And I had the Teflon tape handy! love that stuff.
My "hand tighten" is other people's not tightened very much at all. lol I use my ratchet deal-ie and get it kinda tight or my version of everyone else's "hand tighten".

[PleinAirCedar]

After a few days of online forum reading, fooling around with water and semi-deep thinking, I seem to have fixed my water pump.


I installed the anode rod in the water tank, filled everything with water from the hose, closed the fill port cover and turned on the water pump and the kitchen faucet.

It had to run a bit to let the air bubbles out and also fill the water heater up. I adjusted the pressure of the pump with the allen wrench. I didn't realize that the hot water/water heater required more pressure than the cold water so after that bump in the road, it seems like smooth sailing. The pump turns off within a minute after I shut off the faucet.

https://youtu.be/gjAAm6I-ZJg


The pump does get hot when I run if for more than 5-10 minutes as I am flushing out the system to get ready for the season.


thanks to Tom/StarvingHyena, rubicon327, rbryan4 and the Escape owners forum for getting me ready for the road!

Stay tuned for my next repair - the steady drip under the sink/furnace where the p trap is located! Never ending adventure.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by PleinAirCedar

The pump does get hot when I run if for more than 5-10 minutes as I am flushing out the system to get ready for the season.

Bear in mind these pumps are not continuous duty. They do get hot when they run for long periods. Found that out when testing a new water pump before I had the adjustments right. Good news is they have a built in thermal cut-out switch that auto resets.

[Shiny]

When draining my tank, I noticed a significant amount of sediment (as mentioned earlier in this thread) and enough material loss to replace the anode.

There are at least 3 alloys marketed for anodes and I have no idea what was in my trailer.

What is your experience between Zn and Mg? Does one produce less sediment than another?

Mg is more anodic than Zn but they should both protect the steel tank just fine. I'm more interested in reducing the sediment buildup if anyone has compared the two options.

Thanks

Mike

[HABBERDABBER]

Doesn't it matter more for what the water chemistry is of what you are loading into your water heater than the type of anode you may use. That's what little I reckon of the issue. Different water, different anode. I do run magnesium for the Upper Midwest. YMMV.

P.S. Protect the tank,,,,and forget about the sediment load. Flush it out after a trip, and live with it. It is only minerals, the type that you consume everyday with a gulp of sweet water, and some you NEED for life and sustenance..

[MVA]

To remove the grit, I use a tool like https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Rinser-...dp/B002XL2IBS/. Use a magnesium based sacrificial anode (as opposed to aluminum based). To increase longevity of the anode, drain your hot water heater when not using your trailer.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Shiny

When draining my tank, I noticed a significant amount of sediment (as mentioned earlier in this thread) and enough material loss to replace the anode.

There are at least 3 alloys marketed for anodes and I have no idea what was in my trailer.

What is your experience between Zn and Mg? Does one produce less sediment than another?

Mg is more anodic than Zn but they should both protect the steel tank just fine. I'm more interested in reducing the sediment buildup if anyone has compared the two options.

Thanks

Mike

Hi: Shiny...I always remember that what ever sediment I have came in with the water. We start out with soft water from home but campground water isn't!!! A good anual flush out and scrub the anode rod with a nylon scrub pad keeps it in good stead. Replace the rod when it's almost not there. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Shiny]

Thanks to all for the quick replies.

I'll buy a magnesium anode and accept the sediment as evidence the rod is working.

As to "what can go wrong?", the sediment cannot be good for the heater efficiency nor water pump so I'll follow your advice to try and flush it out.

I'm still curious about the pros and cons of Zn vs Mg but don't see a lot of pure Zn anodes marketed for RV heaters. Must be a reason.

Ads on Amazon claim aluminum/zinc alloy rods eliminate sulfur smells but I saw one advertised with a 20-yr warranty so I question how well they work!

I did find this blurb online that explains the hydrogen sulfide:

Link to H2S Blurb

I guess I'll tuck this away and hope I never need to remember it...

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Shiny

I'm still curious about the pros and cons of Zn vs Mg but don't see a lot of pure Zn anodes marketed for RV heaters. Must be a reason.

..

Maybe similar to boating use. Zinc for salt water and aluminum for fresh water.

Ron

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Shiny

...
I'll buy a magnesium anode and accept the sediment as evidence the rod is working.
...

Its reasonable to assume the sediment come in with the water in dissolved state, then turn to solid thanks to the temperature change and chemistry in the tank. In Big Bend NP Rio Grande Village CG, the drinking water was horrible thanks to various calcium & gypsum salts. After a 3 month stay I returned home and flushed. What came out was 2 to 3 cups of white sediment, much was curved pieces that resembled the curve of the heating element. The mg anode was 3/4 used up, also - but it did its job.

I just buy spare anodes and don't worry about it (but obviously substitute beer for water when necessary ).

[TTMartin]

Aluminum has possible links to diseases of the brain.

The data for these control tissues were compared with data (measured using identical procedures) for sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, familial Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis. Detailed statistical analyses showed that aluminium was significantly increased in each of these disease groups compared to control tissues.

Aluminium in human brain tissue from donors without neurodegenerative disease: A comparison with Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and autism

Magnesium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Magnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and making protein, bone, and DNA.

National Institute of Health: Magnesium Fact Sheet for Consumers

My health is more important than sediments in the tank, so, I know which kind of sacrificial anode I'll choose.