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Old 10-18-2020, 04:05 PM   #1
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Anode rod replacement

Bought a used trailer earlier this year, and found a well-used anode rod while draining for winter season (will try to attach picture)

Question: are all anode rods the same size, or do sizes vary? Believe the heater is a Suburban model (possibly the original). Trailer is approx 20 years old.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 10-18-2020, 05:20 PM   #2
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Question: are all anode rods the same size, or do sizes vary? Believe the heater is a Suburban model (possibly the original). Trailer is approx 20 years old.

Thanks in advance!
Aluminum / Magnesium, short / long. But Amazon says you need this one.
https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-2327.../dp/B003VAYRNM
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Old 10-18-2020, 05:58 PM   #3
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I think the rationale for choosing aluminum over magnesium is that aluminum will last longer.
IE. from the web: Aluminum anode rods are best for places with hard water. The aluminum rod will withstand harder water better than a magnesium or zinc rod.
HOWEVER, since the whole point of the anode is to sacrifice itself to protect the tank, you don't want an anode that lasts longer.
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Old 10-19-2020, 10:18 AM   #4
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OK, so where does the stuff from the anode rod go? Into the water?
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Old 10-19-2020, 10:42 AM   #5
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OK, so where does the stuff from the anode rod go? Into the water?

Falls to the bottom of the tank, which is why you want to flush the tank before replacing the anode.
If you are concerned about consuming, keep mouth closed while showering.
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Old 10-19-2020, 10:57 AM   #6
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Ah, so… no worries as we don't use the shower anyway. in the camper, that is.
At home though, the water heater (notice I did not say, "Hot Water Heater") has an anode rod too. which we tend to forget about.
That tank needs to be flushed about once a year too, eh?
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Old 10-19-2020, 11:04 AM   #7
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That tank needs to be flushed about once a year too, eh?

Probably could, but nobody does it. Above my pay grade.
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Old 10-19-2020, 11:08 AM   #8
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Ah, so… no worries as we don't use the shower anyway. in the camper, that is.
At home though, the water heater (notice I did not say, "Hot Water Heater") has an anode rod too. which we tend to forget about.
That tank needs to be flushed about once a year too, eh?
Flushing.. At least once a year... I actually do a partial flush of my home water heater every one or two weeks and a full drain and flush once a year. Partly the weekly flush is because the prior owner did NO maintenance for years and it got full of junk which cannot be fully flushed out.

I think you will find that there is some debate about replacing anode rods in home water heaters, but my take is that they are intended to last the life of the heater (that is to say when they go, so the tank does also ). If you are going to replace the anode, do it regularly if the manufacturer calls for it to be done at all. In my case it was not done in 18 years and was firmly stuck.. removing it was more likely to break something than to fix any problem. 18 years and still working, but with some crud in the tank (and a good water alarm under it).
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Old 10-19-2020, 11:55 AM   #9
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Flushing water heater

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Probably could, but nobody does it. Above my pay grade.
I do . My first used RV water heater had a LOT of sand in it. Now I flush mine out with a wand (like the one pictured) when I winterize.
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Old 10-19-2020, 11:57 AM   #10
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I do . My first used RV water heater had a LOT of sand in it. Now I flush mine out with a wand (like the one pictured) when I winterize.

I was referring to home water heater, not the one in the trailer. The trailer anode comes out for winterizing.
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Old 10-19-2020, 11:58 AM   #11
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"HOT" water heater

[QUOTE=Wayne Collins;796569]Ah,r (notice I did not say, "Hot Water Heater")

THANK YOU: There is no reason to say HOT water heater, Hot water is by definition all ready hot.
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Old 10-19-2020, 12:03 PM   #12
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Flushing home water heater.

[QUOTE=Glenn Baglo;796580]I was referring to home water heater, not the one in the trailer.

Yes, I flush mine every summer. I also tie a "sock" over the end of the hose to see what I get out. My home water heater is installed in a manner that makes it les work to change the heater than the anode rod. Yes I have changed the heater.
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Old 10-19-2020, 12:04 PM   #13
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[QUOTE=AC0GV;796581]
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Ah,r (notice I did not say, "Hot Water Heater")

THANK YOU: There is no reason to say HOT water heater, Hot water is by definition all ready hot.

More, it is inaccurate, since the incoming water is not hot. It's cold. So one should say "cold water heater".
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Old 10-28-2020, 03:36 AM   #14
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I don't mean to hi jack this thread, but the Dometic water heater, Model # GC6AA-10E, in my Big Foot, does not have an anode rod. I went outside to look at it and also just now checked the exploded view drawing of the heater and, nope, no anode rod. There is a plastic plug where one would think the anode plug should be. Also if an anode plug were located in that spot, the heater would have to be taken apart to replace it.

Is this correct or am I missing something?
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Old 10-28-2020, 05:15 AM   #15
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Flushing.. At least once a year... I actually do a partial flush of my home water heater every one or two weeks and a full drain and flush once a year. Partly the weekly flush is because the prior owner did NO maintenance for years and it got full of junk which cannot be fully flushed out.

I think you will find that there is some debate about replacing anode rods in home water heaters, but my take is that they are intended to last the life of the heater (that is to say when they go, so the tank does also)
I can’t say I agree with the line of thought that they are intended to last the life of the heater. I pull the anode from my (home) water heater annually to check it’s degree of degradation. Plumbing supply stores sell replacements. I have replaced it once. My water heater is 16 years and has not failed, yet a neighbor with the same water heater in a house completed two months after mine had to replace theirs at 9 years. When I pull the anode, I also drain the tank, although I do not make any effort to trap whatever gunk may come out.
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Old 10-28-2020, 07:51 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
I don't mean to hi jack this thread, but the Dometic water heater, Model # GC6AA-10E, in my Big Foot, does not have an anode rod. I went outside to look at it and also just now checked the exploded view drawing of the heater and, nope, no anode rod. There is a plastic plug where one would think the anode plug should be. Also if an anode plug were located in that spot, the heater would have to be taken apart to replace it.

Is this correct or am I missing something?
While I have no idea what model our water heater is offhand, we have one without an anode rod in our 25RQ, as well. You are correct!
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Old 10-28-2020, 08:26 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Rzrbrn View Post
I don't mean to hi jack this thread, but the Dometic water heater, Model # GC6AA-10E, in my Big Foot, does not have an anode rod. I went outside to look at it and also just now checked the exploded view drawing of the heater and, nope, no anode rod. There is a plastic plug where one would think the anode plug should be. Also if an anode plug were located in that spot, the heater would have to be taken apart to replace it.

Is this correct or am I missing something?
You probably have a heater with aluminum body. No anode needed.
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Old 10-28-2020, 08:27 AM   #18
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Thanks Lauren. My houses have anodes, my Casita had an anode so I was not quite sure about the BF. So that is what that plug is, just a drain plug after all.

Thanks Wayne, I did not know that an AL tank does not need an anode.
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Old 10-28-2020, 08:28 AM   #19
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I will need to check the WH model for my Scamp, but I drained the tank yesterday and didn't see any separate spot for an anode. Is it meant to be integrated into the drain plug or a separate plug? I'm wondering if its just possible that mine was already fully dissolved?


This is a good reminder that I should drain down our HWH and flush it out. No idea about the anode situation there either, but I have a concrete lined HW heater so I'm not sure if they use an anode in it or not.
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Old 10-28-2020, 10:39 AM   #20
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Anode does not dissolve completely.
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