Anode or not??

[ohwally]

maybe a dumb question but is there an anode rod in the hot water heater on my 2005 28' safari ?????

i thought all water heaters had an anode ?? maybe it's staring at me and i can't see it......

if no anode...what protects the lining of the heater >

thanks in advance.

[Schu]

You have an Atwood water heater and due to the composition of the tank you do not need an anode rod.

[overlander63]

Like Dave said, the Atwood doesn't need an anode rod. The one that does get one is a Suburban (which I hate with a purple passion, but that's a subject for another thread). I would make sure I drain the water heater this coming fall, and maybe even get one of those little plastic flushing wands to go on a garden hose to spray inside and wash out the scale and deposits. You would do this through the drain plug hole, just flush until gunk stops coming out.

[nm1oqrz]

Originally Posted by ohwally

maybe a dumb question but is there an anode rod in the hot water heater on my 2005 28' safari ?????

i thought all water heaters had an anode ?? maybe it's staring at me and i can't see it......

if no anode...what protects the lining of the heater >

thanks in advance.

I talked to an Atwood tech at the factory and he informed me that if you install a anode in an Atwood water heater it will void any warrentee,
Regards nm1oqrz

[masseyfarm]

I believe you misunderstood the Atwood advice.
Atwood does not warranty if a "HOT ROD" of similar heating element is retrofitted in a tank not originally designed for it.
An ANODE rod is simply a sacrificial device to protect dissimilar metals from electrical attack and is a must even on your RV. The Atwood tank itself is aluminium and will generally only react where another metal is in contact.
If you have aluminium, I believe you need a sacrificial metal to limit the damage. " They are made from a metal alloy with a more "active" voltage (more negative electrochemical potential) than the metal of the structure."
Dave

Galvanic anode - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
hott rod

Originally Posted by nm1oqrz

I talked to an Atwood tech at the factory and he informed me that if you install a anode in an Atwood water heater it will void any warrentee,
Regards nm1oqrz

[Bill M.]

I threw away the instructions that came with my new Atwood so I cannot double check, but I am pretty sure it said not to install a anode in the tank.

[nm1oqrz]

[S]
I did not misunderstand the Atwood service advice. They were very explicite in thier instructions of NOT using an anode rod in their water heaters. They also told me that they asked Camco to stop making anode rods and advertising them for use in Atwood water heaters but Camco still has them for sale. Use them if you like but if you do don't try to get warrentee service from Atwood as it wil be denieded
Happy camping nm1oqrz

[masseyfarm]

You are correct and I stand corrected. Thats what I like about this forum. The proper procedure/technique will be found eventually.
However, the main concern seems to be that the rod is installed without anti-seize and the resulting reaction with the aluminium causes difficulty removing it at a later date.
However, if my rod is depleted within one year then it is, in my opinion, serving a purpose and protecting something else from attack.
Dave

"Atwood Mobile Web Site Response

Anode rods are unnecessary in Atwood water heaters.
Even though manufacturers of those devices claim they are made for our
water heaters, we do not advise using them.

"The Atwood water heater tank is constructed of a core of high strength
aluminum. The interior of the tank consists of a 15% thickness of type
7072 aluminum (pure aluminum and zinc) that is fused to the core during
the rolling process.
This material protects the tank from the affects of heavy metals and
salts found in waters throughout the country. It is anodic to these
heavy metals and acts much like an anode in a steel glass lined tank
except it will last much longer."

Also, if an anode rod is used, many times the metal that used for the
threads is incompatible with the aluminum and differential metal
corrosion occurs. The anode rod then becomes frozen in place and is
difficult, if not impossible to remove.

Anode rods are only necessary in glass lined tanks.

Todd Reitz, Customer Service
Atwood Mobile Products
1120 N. Main St
Elkhart, IN 46514
Ph. 866-869-3118
Fx. 574-206-9655
http://www.atwoodmobile.com/

Originally Posted by nm1oqrz

[S]
I did not misunderstand the Atwood service advice. They were very explicite in thier instructions of NOT using an anode rod in their water heaters. They also told me that they asked Camco to stop making anode rods and advertising them for use in Atwood water heaters but Camco still has them for sale. Use them if you like but if you do don't try to get warrentee service from Atwood as it wil be denieded
Happy camping nm1oqrz

[Skater]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

You are correct and I stand corrected. Thats what I like about this forum. The proper procedure/technique will be found eventually.

Except for questions about hitches.

However, if my rod is depleted within one year then it is, in my opinion, serving a purpose and protecting something else from attack.

Do you use one? I'm asking because my B190 had a 20 year old Atwood WH, and the trailer's is now 16+ years old, and neither one has developed a leak. I'm wondering if it's possible that the rod is only depleting because it's in there; i.e., the tank would be fine without one.

[masseyfarm]

Yes, I use an anode rod in an Atwood WH.
Atwood says it does not need one. My WH is over 15yrs old also.
My theory is that the anode rod neutralizes the electrical charge in the system and saves some lesser metal from the attack. If not the WH, maybe something else. And I do remove it every winter for storage and use tethlon on the treads when it is installed.
Dave

Originally Posted by Skater

Do you use one? I'm asking because my B190 had a 20 year old Atwood WH, and the trailer's is now 16+ years old, and neither one has developed a leak. I'm wondering if it's possible that the rod is only depleting because it's in there; i.e., the tank would be fine without one.

[nm1oqrz]

Hello . You are correct in suspecting that the reason the anode rod in your Atwood WH gets depleated is simply the fact that it is there not that it is protecting the WH.
According to Atwood service advisors, they told me that an anode rod in an aluminum tank does nothing to protect the tank.
Happy camping nm1oqrz