[Shop-talk] anode rods-- was the air saga continues

[old dirtbeard]

Hi Tim,

I order mine online:

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/English/OrderPages/XCart/Flex-Hex-Zinc-Anode.html


Mine looked like the "before rod" in that picture. I imagine any plumbing supply 
store would have them as well.

Here is another one that is cheaper if you want to go with aluminum. I think 
they are fine as long as you are not drinking the hot water:

http://www.plumbingstore.com/sacrificial_rods.html 
best,


doug






________________________________
From: Tim <tputland at charter.net>
To: old dirtbeard <dirtbeard at pacbell.net>
Cc: Jack Brooks <jibjib at att.net>; shop-talk at autox.team.net
Sent: Thu, June 2, 2011 11:02:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] anode rods-- was the air saga continues

Here's a question: Where can I get an anode rod? I have not seen them at the 
HomeDespot or the Ace Hardwares I have been in--but often admit to being blind. 
I doubt the Farm&Barn would have them either.

Thanks


On Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 12:46 PM, old dirtbeard wrote:

>> You do change out your hot water heater tank anode every 3-5 years and flush
>> the tank every year or so, if it's bottom gas fired, right?>
>> 
>> Jack
> 
> 
> Yes, I do, anyway. I pulled the anode out of my 75 gallon tank when it was five 
>years old and it only had a few inches of magnesium left at the bottom of the 
>rod. Since it is in a closet, I got a segmented rode that you can "fold" so you 
>can put in a full length rod even though you do not have sufficient clearance. 
>The basic wisdom is that a rod will last about five years without a water 
>softener and only three years with a softener.
> 
> I also put a 3/4" ball valve on the drain so that it can really flush the tank 
>with some "gusto" (the original small drain valve really would not flow enough 
>water to suck up the large decayed rod sediment off from the bottom of the tank. 
>The hose on the ball valve now will shoot water and sediment 30 feet into the 
>air). :-)
> 
> I know the standard information says in order to flush, just drain a few 
>gallons out of the tank. What I found works the best is to completely drain the 
>tank by flushing it out the 3/4" ball valve, then open the cold water inlet just 
>enough to pressurize the tank and put a few inches of water on the bottom of the 
>tank, then open the ball valve to flush the few gallons of fresh water off the 
>bottom of the tank. By repeating this process multiple times, it removed a great 
>deal of sediment off the bottom of the tank that normal draining did not remove 
>(I was amazed how much sediment remained in the tank after "normal flushing").
> 
> The tank also is much quieter now (no knocking/thudding) when the burner is 
>running.
> 
> best,
> 
> doug
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