Rondo provided good information. I agree with him that if your water heater bypass switch is in the non-bypass position, when you connect to city water the water heater will automatically fill. If using onboard water, when you turn on the pump, it will fill the heater. In either case, it is helpful to open at least one hot water faucet wide open to allow air in the heater to escape more easily. When it quits spitting and starts pouring out a solid stream of water, the water heater is full and you can turn on the heating element.
It never hurts to replace the anode rod but you don't really need to replace it until you see the thin metal core of the rod. The material surrounding the core is the sacrificial material. So long as some of that remains, the anode rod can remain in use. Since I tend to check ours only after about six months of constant use, I replace it as soon as I see any of the core.
Your question is a good one. If you don't know the answer, then it's a good question. We've all been in your position and some of us (namely, me) still have lots of questions.
|