Check Your Water Heater Anode Rod

[Redrider007]

I have owned two new trailers and each one I had checked my water heater anode rod within months of purchasing it and both rv's rods were at about 25% life left. I don't know if they fill these things up on the line when completed and never drain them or what. My first RV I changed the rod and sold the rig 14 years later and the rod I put in had probably 85% life left. Just a heads up!!

 

[Bob&Patty]

It's Riverside county's water. Try the water in Murrieta and Temecula. "It will turn a straight stick crooked"...WC Fields. BTW, It ain't far from Riverside to Temecula for our Socal rally. 4 sites left...info in "events" column in right side of portal page. Hint...Hint.

Bob

 

[Crumgater]

And... check your electric water heater ELEMENT, too!

Here's ours after 5 years - and we routinely checked and replaced the anode rod as needed, too!

This was bad enough that we kept tripping the breakers at the 30A posts. It took us a few tries to figure out what was causing the problem (and help from great people here on the forum, too!).

 

[Westwind]

I have a 2012 Bighorn and snowbird in Florida at a resort that has well water, the first year I used just two whole house filters and could see the calcium. The last two years I have had a water softener and the two filters processing the water before it gets to the Bighorn - I chew up about 60 - 70% of a rod in a 4 month season. We do have a w/D so we are doing laundry, but it is a front loader so water use is low. It's all in the water for sure. I don't know why a new trailer would have a expired rod in the water heater, that is very curious. Don't know how redrider77 got that amount of time out of his. A reminder to everyone is flush that tank out every time you replace the rod, all the stuff that came off the rod is in the tank it doesn't dissolve.
My first TT had an Atwood and you didn't have to fret over rods - which my Bighorn did.

 

[Mrsfish]

What's the best way to flush your water heater?

 

[TxCowboy]

MrsFish, here's the link to the user manuals, some of which were created by Forum members. The User Guides put into plain language how to care for the mechanical systems of the RV, including the water heater.

http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/?man=User Guides

 

[danemayer]

Hi Ann,

I believe the Water Heater Usage Guide makes passing reference to using a wand to flush the water heater. Here's a link to a wand that will fit on your water hose.

 

[Mrsfish]

Thank you Dan. The order has been placed. I need groceries tomorrow- can you help?

 

[danemayer]

Thank you Dan. The order has been placed. I need groceries tomorrow- can you help?

Sure. I was just saying we have to use up the stuff in the shed refrigerator here in Breck.

 

[Mrsfish]

Awesome! Load it up and bring it down! Would love to see you both! But if that won't work - you can bring a big helping of smack talk to apply to Rick in a couple of weeks.

 

[wdk450]

Question:
Since the allegation is that the water present in new RV's water heaters eats up the sacrificial anode rods, what's the water quality like in Elkhart?

 

[TomandJacquie]

I was going to make a new thread about changing your anode frequently but I am pleased to see it exists already. Here is my 2 cents worth.

We have been using well water for the past 6 months...it has a great deal of iron in it and isn't the best so we drink bottled water. We were at the plumbing store yesterday to get a replacement water filter for our well and was talking to the owner who said we should actually replace the anode as well as that might help get better water. Our water was worse if it was from the hot water tap. We did this last night and I apologise for this picture as it is gross but this this was our anode. Our Landmark is only 11 months old. The plumber said we should change it every few months on a trailer. I would highly recommend this!!!

 

[RoadJunkie]

Looks the same as when I cook marshmallows on the campfire! :angel:

 

[JohnD]

And I was all worried after our anode rod looked like this after three campouts:



It didn't look much worse than this after two more campouts when I winterized it last month.

As for flushing out the water heater, I drained it and refilled it two or three times until it drained clear.

 

[wdk450]

Question:
Since the allegation is that the water present in new RV's water heaters eats up the sacrificial anode rods, what's the water quality like in Elkhart?

I did some websearching to answer my own question. Here is the most recent Elkhart water quality report (2014) which shows most everything mid scale (except organic byproducts of water purification). No Ph numbers given, though: http://www.elkhartindiana.org/egov/documents/1435590730_56516.pdf

Another websearch hit gave the Elkhart area a general water quality number of 60 (on a 100 scale), but the U.S. national average was listed as 55: http://www.bestplaces.net/health/city/indiana/elkhart

 

[danemayer]

Some detailed information on anode rods, what eats them up, and a view of the difference between aluminum and magnesium rods.

Here.

 

[wdk450]

Some detailed information on anode rods, what eats them up, and a view of the difference between aluminum and magnesium rods.

Here.

Thanks, Dan!!! Good website on water heaters, although it is geared toward residential water heaters. All of the principles should apply, though.

 

[JohnD]

Question:
Since the allegation is that the water present in new RV's water heaters eats up the sacrificial anode rods, what's the water quality like in Elkhart?

I doubt if any Elkhart water ever sees the insides of any of our trailers . . . unless bought from a dealer there!

It is our dealerships that put water in them so they can do our PDI.