Anode Rod Socket size

When winterizing yesterday afternoon I was able to do everything but one thing, which was to pull the anode rod so the H2O heater could drain fully.  Try as I might I could not get it to budge with the limited amount of room to get a wrench in and on it, and I did not have a large enough socket to fit onto it.  I need to go and get a socket for it so I can swing by tonight, pull it and drain the tank to finish off everthing, and did a search on here where it appears that the size of the rod is 1 & 1/16th of an inch. 

Can anyone confirm if that is the correct size socket I need to buy?  Thanks!

If you drained using the low-point drains - and opened the over-pressure valve to break the vacuum in the water heater tank - it will be fine.  I only pull my anode rod every couple of years, the other years I do it like I just described.  I've done this on my old popup and the pod without issues.

I pull the anode rod every fall to drain the hot water tank when I winterize the Pod's plumbing. I have noticed that the anode usually has some magnesium loss where the magnesium touches the rod 'bolt head'. I believe that the acidity of the water that is in your tank makes a big difference in rod loss. Last year I found much more rod loss than this year...camped in different parts of the US.
I usually replace the rod before all of the magnesium is gone. Years ago I left a rod in and the end of the rod broke off in the tank because the central wire was the only thing holding the remaining magnesium to the bolt head and the wire broke.

Originally posted by rudyunknown If i want to replace the anode rod, do i have to replace the whole thing (bolt+anode rod)....also where do i buy them from?