What is in the water heater?

[John Young]

draining the water heater today, and I find a blue/purple ceramic/glass type fragments flooding out the water heater drain..

did my heater's lining die? do I need a new water heater?

[BB_TX]

Probably just the remains of the anode rod. It is there to protect you water heater. But it will erode over time. Get a flush wand (as sold at Camping World or other RV stores) and flush the tank good and replace the anode rod.
Had the same in mine, although it was more of a grayish crystal like stuff. But a lot of it.

[dennisl]

I hope BB TX is correct, but if it is a glass-like substance it may be the lining of the water heater. Pull out the anode rod and see what it looks like. Most of the corrosion on my anode rod is kind of a white, lumpy material. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

[John Young]

Yeah.. anode rod is pretty much gone.. and it is white/crumbly...

found a cut away photo of the suburban water heater.. and it looks like the lining... ahhhh...

how hard is a water heater to replace? and.. WHOOOA.. they be expensive!!!

[blarkman]

I think I would replace the anode first,check to see if heater works and you don't say how much of that stuff. I have found that by grabbing hold of my right hand with my left before doing some of this and saying to self "why are you doing this" I have saved lots of money. Just my thoughts
bob

[jimcol]

John,
I agree with Blarkman. If after replacing the anode rod fill it up and see if it operates properly w/o leaks. If it does, go with it. With quality control being what it is in most of these products who knows what could have been left in there during manufacturing.

[kerry]

Typically the glass lined WH don't have or need the anode rod (Atwood brand) Surburban has the anode rod and is not lined. Kerry

[skypilot]

As Kerry said - the Suburban water heater is not glass lined -- that is why it needs the anode rod. The anode sacrifices itself as it electro-chemically bonds itself with the various metals in the water you are using (this is one reason why most manuals say to not use a lot of sealing tape on the rod -- it must have metal to metal contact on the threads to work properly).

Regardless, you might find a small mirror (dental mirror perhaps), or a auto cylinder camera (I'm having a brain cramp right now and can't remember the proper name for this device). In any case, you can rent them from some rental centers or perhaps borrow one from your favorite mechanic (bore Scope is what I think it is called). This will let you look into the tank (with a small light around the lense even) and let you see what the inside of the tank looks like. I know when we went out east last fall we got a lot of reddish crysals from our hot water tank when I drained it -- we normally get almost pure white.

Keep us posted if you would.

[BB_TX]

Did not realize it, but the Suburban water heaters are porcelain lined steel tanks. Could be the porcelain has broken off.
Suburban description and cut away view

[IAMontana]

As a an rv repair shop owner I can tell you for sure that the SUBURBAN water heater is porcelain lined and the only way that the lining would break is if the tank was hit with a sudden impact like using a hammer to remove the anode rod. If you saw blue/purple or white glass like fragments you will need to replace the water heater you canot buy just the tank as you can for the atwwod water heater. It may not leak right away but is going to start showing some rust coloring in the water and then start a small pin hole leak if it starts in the wrong spot where you can not see right away it will cause damage to the floor and wall.

[BB_TX]

Thanks for that insight, Bryan. Always good to have input from someone with first hand knowledge.