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Bertrrr · 02-16-2021, 06:04 AM

Pulled my anode to drain tank due to freezing temps , was surprised at the deterioration after only 3 years of service. Checked my buddies and his was almost ate completely up after only 4 years.
Ordered replacements for both of us , looks like 5 yrs maybe is the life expectancy for these things. Just wanted to pass it along for everyone incase yours is getting to that age.

jimjenturner · 02-16-2021, 06:10 AM

I replace mine every year and its almost 1/2 the size it was new. Very hard water in the NE. I guess I'm removing it anyway to drain for winter, I just replace it when I flush tank again in the Spring.

RichR · 02-16-2021, 09:31 AM

I replace mine every other year. Keep one on hand just in case!

Old-Biscuit · 02-16-2021, 09:43 AM

Lucky you got 3 yrs out of it

The anode rod is by design a 'sacrificial' rod....it is doing it's job by deteriorating based on water supply quality/hardness

Suburban OEM is Magnesium ---deteriorates fastest/higher galvanic reaction
Suburban OPTIONAL is Aluminum ----slower to deteriorate then Mag/less galvanic reaction

Louisiana has really good water so not surprising anode rod is lasting that long
***Should drain WH Tank at least at end of season and insect the rod
Tank is steel and needs a good flush

Skip426 · 02-16-2021, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Lucky you got 3 yrs out of it
***Should drain WH Tank at least at end of season and inspect the rod
Tank is steel and needs a good flush

My snowbird park is in the dark red zone in Old-Biscuit's diagram , new rod when I arrive in the fall and scrap when I leave 5 months later .Even with a water softener.
City water at the S&B is about as good as it gets , and the whole coach system gets flushed and sanitized as soon as I get home.

ArtJoyce · 02-16-2021, 10:57 AM

It depends on the water quality and how many months in the year you have water in the tank. I'm with other, keep a new rod sitting inside the WH door. When the steel rod starts to show, I replace it.

Some years I drain the tank and winterize several times. Starting as early as October.
But we camp through the winter. Normaly at least once a month.

Old-Biscuit · 02-16-2021, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip426

My snowbird park is in the dark red zone in Old-Biscuit's diagram , new rod when I arrive in the fall and scrap when I leave 5 months later .Even with a water softener.
City water at the S&B is about as good as it gets , and the whole coach system gets flushed and sanitized as soon as I get home.

Low PH and Softener accelerate the sacrifice of the rod
Magnesium is better for softened water......higher protection but does disappear quicker (which means it is working)

Suburban 9" Anode Rods
Aluminum will have a 'teat' on the Hex Head
Magnesium will be flat on the Hex Head

Bertrrr · 02-17-2021, 04:53 AM

Never pulled my anode before on my previous RVs but had traded them off so whoever bought them used need to look at that for certain , also based on the wear rate ,anybody purchasing a used rv , best look at the anode .
Was really surprising how quickly it deteriorated

Old-Biscuit · 02-17-2021, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bertrrr

Never pulled my anode before on my previous RVs but had traded them off so whoever bought them used need to look at that for certain , also based on the wear rate ,anybody purchasing a used rv , best look at the anode .
Was really surprising how quickly it deteriorated

Hopefully they were Atwood Brand which doesn't require an anode rod.
Did you never drain them either??

Nwcid · 02-17-2021, 11:09 AM

I put a new one in each spring. Cheap and easy.

TXiceman · 02-17-2021, 12:04 PM

We are in our 5er full time and was replacing the anode yearly until I started using a water softener as well. Now we can go 2 years easily, but I pull the anode and flush the tank yearly.

I am surprised you made 3 years on the first anode. Read the instructions for your water heater and follow the maintenance guide there.

Ken

Edd505 · 02-17-2021, 03:34 PM

Replace once a year, they are cheap. I order two packs. https://www.amazon.com/Magnesium-Pro.../dp/B079ZC7LC2

txcpl · 02-18-2021, 05:28 AM

I check my anode rod every fall. Depending upon how much we use the RV, the anode rod lasts between 1-3 years. I keep a replacement in my tool box.

kdauto · 02-18-2021, 08:32 AM

Call me ignorant but I have never replaced an anode rod on any RV water heater. Heck, I never bothered to check if there even is one, but will check this spring once I unpack the 5er.

I drain the tank at least once a year and thus it gets a good flush. I haven't seen ANY rusty water or debris ever come out of it. 90% of the water run in it is pre-filtered, that may help I guess.

I recently had to repair the water heater at my elderly parents' house. 5 year old tank and bottom element burned out. I was floored when I saw how much rust was in there already. Anode is surely gone. This is running decent city water, so I started enquiring as to premature corrosion. It seems they really don't use much hot water, so the minerals and such stagnate and fester for days, then corrosion sets in and rarely stops. I guess this would explain why I can get 20+ years from a heater and my parents get 10-11 before a leak shows up.

They are now advised to use hot water for winter laundry, take more/longer hot baths and stop squeezing pennies.

A 10 or 12 gallon heater in an RV gets cycled plenty in 98% of cases. I doubt corrosion is much an issue...prove me wrong.