Water Heater - Montana Owners Club

Trailer Trash 2 · 12-05-2005, 04:56 PM

Well I changed the anoid in the water heater and it was almost 50% disolved, I went to CW and purchased there new style anoid with a drain in it, I had a problem with it as for leaks there are to many nipples and conectors 3 in all and have to be installed in a sequance otherwise it cant be done, the first thing is clean the tank of course, then you'll need a 1-1/8 socket to install the first reducer bushing I used industral tefoln paste not the tape stuff, I used a 1/2" braker bar to tighten this down ( prity tight too) next the anoid then screws into that with putty on the threds as the first on this you will have to use a 7/8" socket and tighten as the first, next is the valve, simular to the radeator drain valve. this uses a 9/16" open end wrench or a crows foot if you have one those it will tighten better because there is no turning room to realy tighten this valve, after I installed this mess I filled it and turned it on to realy get the heat and pressure to work on the fittings.

and ---- they leaked

so I take the valve off and retighten the first then the second and reinstall the valve, and it still leaked

I took the whole thing out and went to my lacal RV store and got the original rod puttied it up and no problems

.
Also the anoid rod on the new and inproved CW is only 5 inches long compaired to the 10" pluss it's 2.95 more than the original.
My personal recomendation is dont waist your time on the CW one get the 10" it's less work and it will last longer too.

TT2

patodonn · 12-05-2005, 05:14 PM

I can't even think of a reasonable response to all of that!!!(LOL)

Best,

dsprik · 12-05-2005, 05:38 PM

OK, I wrote that all down... not really.

There comes a point in my book when "money is no longer an object"! That would probably be it. Price a new water heater (installed).

Also, as a side note... I just had a plumber pull our old, half dissoved annode out of our water heater at home. I said, "So... how much to replace that?" He looked at me strangely (I get that a lot), and proceeded to tell me like a little child that, "we don't replace those", and he handed the black ulgy mess that used to be the annode to his assistant and capped the hole. I said, "Oh yeah... I knew that." I didn't know that. But he said it so matter of factly, that it sounded like that's what everybody does.

stiles watson · 12-05-2005, 06:09 PM

That you can replace the anode in your water heater is probably one of the best kept secrets in the plumbing business. It is designed to be replaced and greatly extend the life of the heater. The only reason to replace one is that it is leaking. If I can show you the old eaten anode, and you don't know, wallah, profit from a NEW heater.

RVers know to replace the anode once every one or two years or when it is obviously needed by inspection. TT2 is right. Just replace the old one with one just like it and drain by removing it. It gives you a chance to inspect it for deterioration anyway.

sreigle · 12-06-2005, 08:30 AM

I agree. The heater won't last too long without that anode rod. They're available at Camping World and RV dealers everywhere. I think the cost was right around eight bucks. Definitely worth the cost in my opinion.

Trailer Trash 2 · 12-06-2005, 10:20 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

I agree. The heater won't last too long without that anode rod. They're available at Camping World and RV dealers everywhere. I think the cost was right around eight bucks. Definitely worth the cost in my opinion.

I think that CW will have to order the 10" long one, they told me that they don't carry the long one anymore and have replaced it with the one I discribed in the opening post if I get time I'll try and post it with the origanal post and show what it looks like.

TT2

OntMont · 12-06-2005, 11:12 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Trailer Trash 2

I went to CW and purchased there new style anoid with a drain in it,

If memory serves me, I think that anode rod with a drain is for an Atwood of WH, yours is probably a Suburban WH, hence the plumber's nightmare. You should be able to get the correct one at any decent RV dealer. (Sometimes CW is not the best place to go.) That little drain cock is too small to be much use anyway, it will easily plug with scale etc out of the HW tank.

BTW: The easiest way to insert the new anode rod is to use a socket (1-1/8 I think, but check for sure), with an extension bar, this counter balances the weight of the rod and makes it much easier to get the threads started.

Glenn and Lorraine · 12-06-2005, 11:39 AM

I just bought the 10" one at CW. They did not have it on the shelf in the store where you would normally find it. I went to the parts dept and they had it in stock in the parts room. The parts man told me that the short one was for the Atwood and was not recommended by their techs for the Suburban. SO if it ain't on the store shelf go back to the parts dept.

HamRad · 12-06-2005, 01:09 PM

I checked mine out about two months ago. After a about a year I expected it to be pretty much "toast". But to my surprise it was in great shape. Now I have a spare. Will check again in a few months.

HamRad

dsprik · 12-06-2005, 02:45 PM

So the plumber seems to be selling me a new water heater. Probably hard to get any solid numbers on how long a water heater will last with and without the anode replaced - not a newly purchased water heater. I am not that familiar with anode rods, but all mfrs believe they are absolutely necessary, I guess as no one makes a W/H without one installed.

Still like to see some research on this though. The rod he pulled out smelled like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) - "rotten egg" smell. Regular well water doesn't normally have that much sulfur in it. Must be coming from somewhere in the W/H then. Hydgrogen gas would come from the water, of course, which the anode is designed by nature to collect (remember your chemistry experiments where you seperated H2 and O2 from water - you used an anode - OK, that's too much chem). Where's the plumbing experts, here?

Trailer Trash 2 · 12-06-2005, 03:21 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Glenn and Lorraine

I just bought the 10" one at CW. They did not have it on the shelf in the store where you would normally find it. I went to the parts dept and they had it in stock in the parts room. The parts man told me that the short one was for the Atwood and was not recommended by their techs for the Suburban. SO if it ain't on the store shelf go back to the parts dept.

Right you are Glenn they probably do have it at the parts counter over here too, but I asked the lady for that long anoid and she said CW was not buying them any more, I tell ya some of those sales personal are not well informed. and it was for the Atwood but CW has made it there universal anoid I guess.
Anyway it's fixed now and did a lot of calcium come out of that heater.

Sweetfire · 12-06-2005, 04:55 PM

A plumber friend of mine cut a piece of wood to plug the end of his wet/dry vac (clamped it) then drilled it out to fit a 1/2 inch copper pipe about 1 1/2 feet long with a short 90 degree bend in the end. It works great to clean the debris out of hot water heaters before putting the new anoid or heating element back in. I made one and use it all the time to get into tight places.

Trailer Trash 2 · 12-06-2005, 06:14 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Sweetfire

A plumber friend of mine cut a piece of wood to plug the end of his wet/dry vac (clamped it) then drilled it out to fit a 1/2 inch copper pipe about 1 1/2 feet long with a short 90 degree bend in the end. It works great to clean the debris out of hot water heaters before putting the new anoid or heating element back in. I made one and use it all the time to get into tight places.

Great idea sweetfire from your plumber friend.

TT2

Yazoo · 12-07-2005, 02:48 PM

I found that if you take that rod out every other month and drain the tank, it will last forever. I had one in my Cougar that was 4 years old and looked brand new.

Trailer Trash 2 · 12-09-2005, 04:46 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Yazoo

I found that if you take that rod out every other month and drain the tank, it will last forever. I had one in my Cougar that was 4 years old and looked brand new.

Thanks Yazoo,
I'm guilty

of not maintaining my water heater on all mr RV's in the last 30 + years, But I'll be doing a drain of the tank every couple of months from now on after seeing that rod,

sorta make you wonder and think about our house water heater doesn't it. maybe thats why they dont last so long.

TT2

BillyRay · 12-09-2005, 06:21 AM

I replace it every few years, but check it each spring and fall.

sgf · 12-09-2005, 01:56 PM

First,I am not a plumbing expert but do work for a facilities maint. dept. for a large school system.The smell(rotten eggs) you get from well water is normally from the fact that water is not treated with chlorine from a plant.All well water anodes have it that I have seen.Secondly,you can get replacement anodes for residential w/h.They are about 12 bucks and can be purchased from any reputable plumbing wholesale house.Lowes and Home Depot do not carry them as far as I know.We are required in the school system to pull them and clean and or replace them every three months,we hardly ever replace water heaters anymore.I always drain our fivers tank after every trip and check the anode,it still looks brand new.Five minutes of maint. time could save you a couple hundred bucks,plus these tiny rv heaters cost alot more than our household type and will cause alot more damage if they decide to leak. Just my 2 cents.

dsprik · 12-09-2005, 03:46 PM

Steve, so you are saying that any water heater with well water, will produce sulfur (black) byproduct? Because this looked really ugly, and the stench was horrible. He actually broke off and dropped a piece of this corroded anode back into the W/H. He said not to worry, because it would eventually dissolve with no ill effects. H2S gas and very black water, was coming out of our faucets when they were first turned on, before the ionizer was installed (the first day we moved in). Landlord paid to have an Ionizer put in. No anode, though. We will be gone in May, but do you see anything wrong with this setup? We are using this ionized water for bathing/cooking, but we drink bottled water.

Sorry about slightly diverting this thread.

old turbo · 12-10-2005, 01:15 AM

A new business for the rv family called All Pro water flow that hydro flushes all your holding tanks and also as part of the package your hot water tank. I had a conversation with the owner who is a retired plumber and a rv owner. He said that his system will super clean all your holding tanks and also get all of the built up scale and mineral deposits out of your hot water heater. They will put a camera in to the tanks to show you before and after. This business is not available in all states at this time. I am getting information to be the first to offer it here in Michigan.The web site is www.allprowaterflo.com

sgf · 12-10-2005, 02:18 AM

Dave, yes all water heaters on well water have the sulphur effect, it comes from the minerals in the water,yes it smells nasty and looks bad;but, it is safe to use and drink.An ionizer will help a great deal along with a water softner.As far as the anode breaking and being in the heater the minerals will attack it and dissolve it with no ill effect to the water. Hope this helps.

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