Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Water heater anode replace

yea, I think 1 1/16 is standard size

You have to have a cheater bar or an impact wrench.

I had ceiling clearance so I didn't need a flexible one

I talked about doing it a couple of years ago and the resident plumber expert gave me schit for it on here. It was like $13, so it was cheap insurance even if it didn't help.

supposedly if you change them out once in a while and flush the tank , your water heater will have much longer extended life.

I put one in a BRAND NEW tank. (I wanted a different one, to stop possibility of sulfur smell). Tried a breaker bar (with cheater) and it wasn’t happening. The impact wrench was the ONLY way to get it out.

https://www.amazon.com/About-Fluid-...mp;psc=1&refRID=ADR0QE67PS8RAXS2D0Q1

We replaced both of ours after 11 years. The most used water heater essentially had no anode left. The other one had about 25% left. Both are 80 gallon tanks. I will be replacing both in a couple of months. Flip the breaker to the water heater, turn off the water, remove anode, drain the tank, flush the tank and then reinstall, fill with water and energize. I have two flexible 44" magnesium anodes to put in the tanks.

This tool helps immensely. They can be fun to get out. Worst part is draining the tank down. My apologies. Way wrong tool.

Unless your water stinks like a cheap beer and pickled egg fart I’d treat it like a sore pecker and not 9uck with it.

feel free to bump that thread up,

proof positive homeowners can be their own worst enemy.

I'm sorry, but I have no idea where your going with this,

Valve wrench?
for water heaters?

Yup. Sorry. Posted the wrong tool. That one is for the elements. 1-1/16" for the anodes.

It's a cheese dick element removing tool that you'd be wasting your time with attempting to remove a stubborn anode.

Birdwatcher

pay attention....you may have to do this one day

Yup. You're right. It would be a bad idea for an anode. Brain disconnected tonight.

I had one of those sacrificial anodes in my hydronic furnace. I took it out and threw it down in the woods.

And they are about 25 bucks at Home Dumbo.

now I remember who it was

An older retired gentleman comes around every few years and replaces mine, the anode is at the top of the heater and just looks like the top of a bolt from the outside.
Each time he has been here I checked the anode and it was shot with pretty much just the steel remaining, for what it is worth pick up an anode that has grooves machined in to it so that you can bend sections to get it in tight spaces, as most are generally under a low-ish ceiling...or not as the case may be.

It will be a few years before I require another as we put in a new 400 litre heater last year.

They are generally listed on ebay.

They're hard as hell to break loose

Yup. That's what the purpose of the anode is. It attracts the corrosive elements that will rust your Water Heater out

Called Rheem to get part # and then decided to order the anode while speaking to a very nice customer service lady. Asked the usual questions, you the homeowner?, serial number of unit, address, etc, why did I need the anode? Was the old one leaking? No ma'am, precautionary as I'm checking since I hit the 5 year mark in April. Ok, this will ship out FedEx, you'll get tracking # and it should arrive at your door step within 3 days. No charge. Warranty

Working from home due to covid they can't take CC's over their home phones.