Anode Rod info?

wildwolfproducts

Well-known member
When we took out the Anode Rod on our Hot Water heater yesterday. It looked rough for sure. Wondering that water in South LA is that bad on them or what? But its looks like 25% or so has gone down the drain. So will be changing it out for a new one. Our old camper did not have one, just a drain.
Will this be a thing that should be changed each year? Or this one just did not like the water it was getting?
Pete
 

Westwind

Well-known member
The manual says once a year, but it depends on where you have been the the type of water you have been heating up in the heater. I carry a spare and used the trailer for 3 1/2 months snow birding in Florida which is know for hard hard water. I'd say 1/3 was gone which was less then I thought would be gone. After the next 3 1/2 months I'll replace it.
 

StephenKatSea

Active Member
We use our BH3670 for about a month, then gone a month, then back etc. We were also getting that rotten egg smell upon each return. I now drain the water heater and flush it out with the wand upon each departure. No more smell. If the rod appears it is beginning to waste away, I replace it. Cheap $12 maintenance.
 

wildwolfproducts

Well-known member
Thanks I was thinking about just buying 2 extras to keep in there. Here's what it looks like and will also be flushing it out good tanks for that ideal Stephenkatsea .

Still unreal that our old camper did not use one of these. And the hot water heater was clean as could be.

Anode-Rod.jpg
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I think the quality of the water going into the heater is a bigger factor than the calendar is. Our anode rod has finished four summer seasons and is still at least 85% of its original condition. It'll see another season, at least.
 

Nabo

Southeast Region Director-Retired
We replace the anode and cleaned out the H2O heater in our 2 previous HL coaches every year when we winterized the coach. Our current coach doesn't have a h20 heater with an anode so we just drained and clean the heater out real good.
 

mobilcastle

Well-known member
We use our BH3670 for about a month, then gone a month, then back etc. We were also getting that rotten egg smell upon each return. I now drain the water heater and flush it out with the wand upon each departure. No more smell. If the rod appears it is beginning to waste away, I replace it. Cheap $12 maintenance.
Put in a magnesium rod-they cost more but may help you with your smell.
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
The sulphur smell comes from sulphur in the water. Higher the sulphur the worse the smell. You will only notice it in the hot water. If you get in an area where you have to use really high sulphur the best solution is to chlorinate and then carbon filter. It will remove all the odor and is cheap but takes a feeder or small chemical pump to set up a system. We had to do that at one or our lake houses for years to be able to shower and breath at the same time.
 

Westwind

Well-known member
Had a Atwood HW Heater in our Sunnybrook TT. Atwood tanks don't use a rod in the tank and it was nice not to have to worry about it. Our Bighorn had a Suburban and it had the rod so now I have something else to maintain and check. Saw somewhere online that the 2013 Bighorns have Atwoods now, guess I bought too soon.
 
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