Blue sediment in my water system?

[Stefrobrts]

Wow, so many options! I'd never thought of the faucet mounted filters, but that sounds like a great idea. I hadn't wanted to go through the trouble to mount a filter in the system - one more potential place for a leak! But on the faucet would be an easy solution!

[mikapen]

Those bluish granules kind of look like what I had after my home water heater used up its anode. "Kind of," but mine were bluer and more of a "bloom."

On my Travel Trailer, my older gas-only water heater had an anode as part of the drain PLUG. Your picture shows a faucet drain but I can't see a drain plug.
Perhaps a PO changed the drain plug for a faucet, and perhaps there isn't an anode where once there was.

PERHAPS, I said! I am casting about, here.

Sacrificial anodes are devised to make up for corrosion due to dissimilar metals in the SYSTEM, and have nothing to do with gas or electric. If there are plastic connections in the system, then anodes are less necessary. If not (as in 1968?) then I get back to the possibility of needing an anode.
Maybe you could find a parts list for your water heater and see if there was an anode in it. It may be necessary to protect the rest of your plumbing.

Or maybe I'm making too much of some sediment that got in your system????
Mike

[Scott J-24]

I seem to recall reading in a post (many months ago) that the anode in the water heater was not replaceable. My apologies if my memory is incorrect.

[ROBERT CROSS]

I believe the Suburban has a steel tank with a replaceable sacrificial anode, while the Atwood has an aluminum tank and does not.

Bob

[Stefrobrts]

That would make sense then, because this one is an Atwood. I think it's original. It has a newer control box because I had that replaced a few years ago.

[richinny]

i believe bob has the answer to anode/no anode. the rods are replaceable.

maybe a smurf got sucked into the water supply? lol

did you do the flame color when burnt test yet.

[Gene]

An electric water heater may not have a sacrificial anode, a gas fired one may. Gas fired has more dissimilar metals inside and more need for the anode or anodes. It depends on what the tank is made of more than the source of heat. An anode would most likely seen as a bolt on the top or maybe the upper side of the water heater tank that has no other obvious purpose. I suppose it could be attached to the drain plug, but probably not.

Home water heaters have steel tanks for the most part and need one or more anodes. Some newer ones have fiberglass tanks and never leak and cost a lot more. Aluminum tanks cost a lot too and are far more likely in a small tank. Often the clearance above the top of residential water heater is small and getting a rod in or out is very difficult; that's a reason for buying an RV water heater without an anode because of space limits.

If you want to check water Ph, hot tub stores sell strips for testing it fairly cheaply.

Gene

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by richinny

did you do the flame color when burnt test yet.

It was inconclusive. I'll admit chemistry is not my strong suit, but I was unable to get it to burn at all and produce a color. It was fun to try though.

[TG Twinkie]

It looks like a basic gas water heater. With a few hours on it. There is no anode on mine and it looks just like yours except for the electronic ignition.