Suburban Water Anode

[happy]

We have an Atwood Suburban 6 gallon water heater. The anode rod is already fairly used up. Tank had lot of gunk. Glad we decided to rain it and rinse it out.


There are anode rods that are Aluminum/Zinc and others that are Magnesium. Is one better than the other?


Any tips concerning this water heater and the anode?

[lwmcguir]

Originally Posted by happy

We have an Atwood 6 gallon water heater. The anode rod is already fairly used up. Tank had lot of gunk. Glad we decided to rain it and rinse it out.


There are anode rods that are Aluminum/Zinc and others that are Magnesium. Is one better than the other?


Any tips concerning this water heater and the anode?

Magnesium

Try to find a better source for water, lower TDS preferably

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by https://www.333help.com/blog/short-guide-anode-rods-water-heaters/

magnesium
magnesium rods are used for screw-in applications and for sacrificial rods that are installed in-line on the cold water feed. If your water has a high ph reading, a magnesium rod can help reduce some of the scale that forms inside your water tank due to the high alkalinity. Magnesium rods are also recommended where you have high levels of chlorine and chloramines in your water.

If you start noticing a trashy smell coming from your water heater, have your plumbing professional check out the anode rod. If they notice clear, gray, or blue gel or beads at the bottom of your water tank or anode rod, your aluminum anode rod is reacting with the high chlorine levels in your water to create aluminum hydroxide. Switch to a magnesium anode rod to get rid of the beads and the stench.

Aluminum
aluminum and aluminum/zinc anode rods are used in similar ways as magnesium sacrificial rods. However, aluminum rods are the better choice for a water heater that heats up sulfate-tinged water. Sacrificial anodes change sulfates into hydrogen sulfides. When a magnesium anode rod is used, the level of hydrogen sulfide can get too high and cause a rotten-egg stench in your hot water.

If your water heater will accept an aluminum anode rod, your plumbing professional can change out a magnesium rod and hopefully kill the bad odor. You may also need to have your well shocked or your plumbing lines flushed to refresh your water tank.

Titanium
titanium is used in non-sacrificial, powered anodes that screw into your water tank. Titanium is tougher than steel and does not get sacrificed as it protects your water heater. A titanium anode will also never create bad smells in your water tank.

The electronic titanium anode delivers a small bit of dc current to help prevent corrosion. The amount of current delivered increases as your water tank degrades. Powered anodes can act as low-water sensors and monitors of water-tank integrity. When the dc current is as high as it can go, you can expect your water tank to fail very soon.

fyi.

[happy]

Thank you!

[Travelin' Texans]

Atwood (now Dometic) water heaters DO NOT require anode rods as the tanks have some sort of lining preventing corrosion. It should only have a plastic drain plug.
Suburban water heaters DO require anode rods, the type is up the user. I've used them all & honestly couldn't say that one was better than another, as long as there's one installed & inspected annually you should be good. IIRC the last I bought were aluminum from Walmart.

[happy]

T Texans, I'm glad you posted. When I put my VIN in at Thor the documentation says we have an Atwood. I went out and found the water-heater label it says Suburban.


I keep getting smarter all the time!

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by happy

t texans, i'm glad you posted. When i put my vin in at thor the documentation says we have an atwood. I went out and found the water-heater label it says suburban.


I keep getting smarter all the time!

ftfy

[happy]

Thank you!

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by happy

We have an Atwood Suburban 6 gallon water heater. The anode rod is already fairly used up. Tank had lot of gunk. Glad we decided to rain it and rinse it out.


There are anode rods that are Aluminum/Zinc and others that are Magnesium. Is one better than the other?


Any tips concerning this water heater and the anode?

For your information. Suburban RV Company is owned by Airxcel which is division of Thor industries and uses a steel water tank which requires an anode to prevent galvanic corrosion of the steel tank.

The Atwood Corporation is a division of Dometic Corporation which itself a Division of the Swedish Corporation EQT. The Atwood Corporation in 1969 bought the Bowden Corporation who developed the aluminum tank, propane powered water heater for RVs in 1962. Aluminum tanks do not use or need an anode.

When you have been RVing for 4 decades you learn a lot about the things you need to repair.

[happy]

This is good info to tuck away.
RV and farm machinery both seem to change ownership regularly.
Hard for new comers to keep track.