Replacement Anode Rod - Event Date: 23 May 2016 - 30 May 2016

Hello everyone, just finished de-winterizing my R-pod, and I discovered that I need a new 

The first thing I did after purchasing our 2011  177 was to toast the anode rod.  Cost me around 11 bucks to replace back in 2011.  Now they are around 15 - 17 dollars.  The part # for our (a suburban) hot water heater is 232767, it is a magnesium rod.

How does one toast an anode rod? 

For what it's worth, they are still doing their job if there is nothing much left of them.  They can really look like crap and still perform their function.  And for that matter, the water heater will continue to work without an anode rod.  If the anode rod is being consumed quickly though, it seems likely your water heater might rot out quickly without one.  They are pretty cheap and not too difficult to find.  Last time I changed mine I kept the old one as a spare.  Not sure exactly why....

A bit of a pet peeve is that Lowes & Home Depot sell home water heaters but not anodes for them.  And even if you could find one, the originals are practically welded on to the water heater.  Not literally, but I think the recommended tool for removing them is a 1/2 inch drive impact wrench.  Anodes are just as important in home water heaters as they are in the pods'.

TT

From JT to TT.  My bad, you got me on that one.  Actually it was the heating element that I toasted in that I FORGOT to open the bypass to summer mode and 'toasted' the heating element lickity split by turning on the water heater with no water in it.  Soooo.   to make a short story long I did replace the heating element in 2011 and still have that same element  working today.  AND i still have the original anode, pitted somewhat but still in good condition.  Sorry about the mixup.

 A lot would depend on the quality of the water. Aluminum rods would not be available if magnesium ones worked in all situations. More corrosive water can cause a magnesium anode rod to be used up faster. One should not extrapolate for everyone based on his/her personal experience. After all, look at Flint, MI.

Personally, given that there is either a magnesium or aluminum rod sacrificing itself probably means that there is magnesium or aluminum going into the hot water. For that reason, I would never drink water from the hot water tap. If I need hot water for food/drink preparation, I will start with cold water and heat it on either the gas burner or the induction cooker we purchased to carry in the R-Pod.