Powered anode rod for water heater

[freckles01]

Does anyone have experience with a powered anode rod vs sacrificial rod for a water heater?

I have a old gas water heater (afraid I'm jinxing myself just by writing this) that's been working for well over a decade, installed new and never messed with it. We have hard water and it used to make gurgling noises on/off over the years (read its sediment moving around) but hasn't in a couple of years. I rarely hear the gas even turn on.

Thinking its time to at least change the sacrificial anode and came upon powered anode rods- they are more expensive but supposedly lasts 25 years.

I have an outlet close by.

Thoughts? Yes? No?

[123]

If you've gotten 10+ years of service from it I would just let it be and hope for the best.

I was in a similar position with a similar gas water heater. I had only flushed a bucket of water out of it every 2 or 3 years really just a token effort if that. I decided to do a vigorous thorough flush so I turned off the gas, did a flush I was proud of, refilled the water heater, and it would not relight. I had to call a plumber and they had to replace an igniter assembly. Within two weeks of the flush the water heater started to make odd noises and then a leak became evident requiring replacement. I concluded that the complete flush and cool down stressed the tank due to the temperature change.

If it ain't broken don't fix it.

[cmr79]

A gas water heater that hasn't been serviced in over a decade probably shouldn't be messed with, whether to replace the anode rod or to flush it. You are probably at a point where you should be considering proactively replacing it, or at least putting a leak sensor underneath it if you haven't done that already. Servicing something at the end of its expected lifespan when it hasn't been serviced before runs the risk of precipitating a rapid and dramatic demise, usually in the form of a valve that won't re-seal and then continues to leak and necessitates an emergency plumber visit and emergency water heater replacement.

[Poor Rod]

Changing the anode rod on a 10 year old water heater probably isn't going to cause the failure of the water heater. At that age, the anode rod is probably nearly gone, if it's not already.

So I think that changing to a powered anode is a good idea. Not only will it prolonge the life of your existing water heater, but it can also be installed on a new water heater when you do finally replace the old heater.

Having said that, good luck removing the old anode. It's probably going to be difficult to remove. In my experience, it takes a large socket, a long breaker bar, and some select swear words you haven't used in decades. And it still didn't budge.

[livesoft]

I checked prices and one could buy a whole new water heater for some of the prices I saw. For an old water heater that would generally be trivial to replace the whole heater, I think changing the rod is a waste of money.

10 years is not a long time to me for a heater. We have hard water in our home that is 30+ years old. We have two separate heaters and are on 2nd heater for each, so averaging 15+ years per heater so far. And we don't flush the heaters nor do any maintenance on them at all. We do check for leaks into the safety drain pan whenever we go into the attic where the heaters are located.

[oldcomputerguy]

This topic is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (consumer goods).

[oldfatguy]

If you've gotten 10+ years of service from it I would just let it be and hope for the best.
...
If it ain't broken don't fix it.

Agree! Leave it alone, or just replace it proactively ... anything beyond 10 years of service is a bonus.

[PoorPlumber]

A waste.

[lazydavid]

Having said that, good luck removing the old anode. It's probably going to be difficult to remove. In my experience, it takes a large socket, a long breaker bar, and some select swear words you haven't used in decades. And it still didn't budge.

Yep, I actually bought a replacement anode for one of my water heaters (we have 2), but was unable to change it because I couldn't get the old one out. Neither was my plumber, when we had him out to replace the other heater. Big socket + breaker bar + 3' cheater pipe and nothing. Also asked him to break and re-tighten the anode on the new one before installation, to make replacing it down the road easier. Same result.

I suppose I could try my 1,300 lbft impact gun, but I'm afraid a few ugga duggas could damage the tank. So I'm just letting them be.

[lthenderson]

powered anode rods- they are more expensive but supposedly lasts 25 years.

The powered anode rods may last that long but typical lifespans for a hot water heater are only 10 to 20 years at best with average water conditions. Since your water heater is already at the low end of life expectancy ranges, it seems like a waste to put in a powered anode rod at this point. If you consider doing it, you should do it when you replace this water heater with your next.

FWIW - Where I live and water qualities, 10 to 15 years is about all we can get out of a water heater before it rusts out no matter what you do with changing anodes or flushing. With the current cost of water heaters plus installation labor, I just assume having hot water costs me around $750 to $1000/year not including the energy to heat the water.

[cmr79]

The typical lifespan for a gas water heater (shorter than electric for multiple reasons) is only 8-12 years these days. They don't make things like they used to...

[freckles01]

Changing the anode rod on a 10 year old water heater probably isn't going to cause the failure of the water heater. At that age, the anode rod is probably nearly gone, if it's not already.

So I think that changing to a powered anode is a good idea. Not only will it prolonge the life of your existing water heater, but it can also be installed on a new water heater when you do finally replace the old heater.

Having said that, good luck removing the old anode. It's probably going to be difficult to remove. In my experience, it takes a large socket, a long breaker bar, and some select swear words you haven't used in decades. And it still didn't budge.

I hear removing the old anode will be the most difficult if not impossible part of the job.

Have you any experience w/a powered anode? I read online reviews but not sure if they''re reliable vs plumber. Plumbers have more experience but these powered anode rods also means less repeat business?

[freckles01]

I checked prices and one could buy a whole new water heater for some of the prices I saw. For an old water heater that would generally be trivial to replace the whole heater, I think changing the rod is a waste of money.

10 years is not a long time to me for a heater. We have hard water in our home that is 30+ years old. We have two separate heaters and are on 2nd heater for each, so averaging 15+ years per heater so far. And we don't flush the heaters nor do any maintenance on them at all. We do check for leaks into the safety drain pan whenever we go into the attic where the heaters are located.

A 29 gallon gas water heater in my city is about $700 (low emission), install will be about the same. Have two (shhh nearly 20 yrs) to replace.

I think you're right, we have had a good run w/them and its time to change.

The last time I mentally went thru a water tank vs on demand debate. Back then, on demand was super expensive but now some units are actually cheaper (on Amazon) than tank? Are they junk?

In my mind I would prefer point of use gas powered on demand/120v water heater (like they have in Europe/Asia) in the kitchen and bathroom vs 1 tank for space saving and to waste less water by reducing distance from heater to tap.

[freckles01]

A waste.

Are they a waste b/c they don't work any better/longer than a sacrificial rod?

[freckles01]

Having said that, good luck removing the old anode. It's probably going to be difficult to remove. In my experience, it takes a large socket, a long breaker bar, and some select swear words you haven't used in decades. And it still didn't budge.

Yep, I actually bought a replacement anode for one of my water heaters (we have 2), but was unable to change it because I couldn't get the old one out. Neither was my plumber, when we had him out to replace the other heater. Big socket + breaker bar + 3' cheater pipe and nothing. Also asked him to break and re-tighten the anode on the new one before installation, to make replacing it down the road easier. Same result.

I suppose I could try my 1,300 lbft impact gun, but I'm afraid a few ugga duggas could damage the tank. So I'm just letting them be.

Would spraying some wd and heating help to loosen the nut?

Was your plumber able to loosen the nut on the new water heater or was torqued down too much? I don't understand why the nut would be torqued down so hard if they are supposed to be maintained on a regular basis...

[Jeepergeo]

If the current anode has been in for ten years, it is likely corroded in place and will be difficult to remove. Removing it could cause damage or the replacement might leak. So be prepared to replace the water heater.

You could just let it go until it starts to leak or fails, or you could pre-emptively have it swapped out the next time they go on sale and you can avoid an emergency call out. At ten years, your heater is near the typical end of life for gas water heaters.

Yeah, I know, someone will let us know their water heater lasted 20 years, but that is not the median or average lifespan of these things for us non-special people.

[Jeepergeo]

I checked prices and one could buy a whole new water heater for some of the prices I saw. For an old water heater that would generally be trivial to replace the whole heater, I think changing the rod is a waste of money.

10 years is not a long time to me for a heater. We have hard water in our home that is 30+ years old. We have two separate heaters and are on 2nd heater for each, so averaging 15+ years per heater so far. And we don't flush the heaters nor do any maintenance on them at all. We do check for leaks into the safety drain pan whenever we go into the attic where the heaters are located.

A 29 gallon gas water heater in my city is about $700 (low emission), install will be about the same. Have two (shhh nearly 20 yrs) to replace.

I think you're right, we have had a good run w/them and its time to change.

The last time I mentally went thru a water tank vs on demand debate. Back then, on demand was super expensive but now some units are actually cheaper (on Amazon) than tank? Are they junk?

In my mind I would prefer point of use gas powered on demand/120v water heater (like they have in Europe/Asia) in the kitchen and bathroom vs 1 tank for space saving and to waste less water by reducing distance from heater to tap.

Before switching to an on-demand tankless water heater from a conventional gas and tank water heater make sure your flue is big enough. In my area, folks that have changed to tankless have had to enlarge their flue and that was a surprisingly expensive upgrade since they had to go up through two stories.

[Poor Rod]

Changing the anode rod on a 10 year old water heater probably isn't going to cause the failure of the water heater. At that age, the anode rod is probably nearly gone, if it's not already.

So I think that changing to a powered anode is a good idea. Not only will it prolonge the life of your existing water heater, but it can also be installed on a new water heater when you do finally replace the old heater.

Having said that, good luck removing the old anode. It's probably going to be difficult to remove. In my experience, it takes a large socket, a long breaker bar, and some select swear words you haven't used in decades. And it still didn't budge.

I hear removing the old anode will be the most difficult if not impossible part of the job.

Have you any experience w/a powered anode? I read online reviews but not sure if they''re reliable vs plumber. Plumbers have more experience but these powered anode rods also means less repeat business?

I have not had direct experience with one on a water heater, but the concept is sound. It is an impressed current cathodic protection system, and I am familiar with these types of systems on large water system steel storage tanks (think 500,000 gallon ground storage tanks). They are also used on pipelines. Here's some basic information on cathodic protection:

https://www.icorr.org/how-does-cathodic ... tion-work/

One supposed advantage of an impressed current cathodic system on a water heater is that they don't have issues with water smelling like sulphur, which might be an issue with a sacrificial anode.

[Woodshark]

Our electric water heater is 18 years old. I changed the anode (standard. Non powered) 3 years ago and found the original pretty eaten up. Be aware that there are much more energy efficient standard for water heaters coming in a few years.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposed new energy efficiency standards for residential water heaters in July 2023 that are expected to take effect in 2029:
Electric water heaters: Most common-sized electric water heaters will be required to use heat pump technology.
Gas-fired water heaters: Gas-fired instantaneous water heaters will be required to use condensing technology.
Tankless water heaters: Most tankless water heaters will be required to be 91% efficient.

We are all electric with no gas option in our area. If mine can hold out till 2028, I'll replace it with a conventional electric one as the heat pump versions are noisy and are much more prone to failure.

[blortchplop]

I replaced the anode rod on my water heater this January. The tank was at least 6.5 years old (how long I'd been in the house), and hot water would occasionally come out with a rust color. It wasn't too hard to get the old rod out with a breaker bar, and the old rod was severely corroded with what looked like mineral deposits all over it.

I put in a corro protec powered anode rod. The install was easy, and it appears to be working. I flushed the tank during the replacement, and the hot water has been coming out really clear, although I did see some rust colored water using the utility sink in the basement last month...

Wish my water heater luck, lol.

[mhadden1]

If the current anode has been in for ten years, it is likely corroded in place and will be difficult to remove. Removing it could cause damage or the replacement might leak. So be prepared to replace the water heater.

In DIY plumbing situations like this, I have often had trouble getting all the worms back in the can.

[lazydavid]

Would spraying some wd and heating help to loosen the nut?

Was your plumber able to loosen the nut on the new water heater or was torqued down too much? I don't understand why the nut would be torqued down so hard if they are supposed to be maintained on a regular basis...

No, it’s basically painted in. No penetrating lube is getting in there. Not that I want that in my water anyway.

Neither I nor my plumber were able to break the nut on either tank. I don’t know why it’s so tight either. Both are Rheem-built units if that means anything—one Rheem -branded, the other Vanguard, which is a white label sold by Grainger.

[DavidW]

I just replaced my anode rod today prior to coming across this post.

I had to use a 10 foot pole as a cheater. I was that tight.... My HWH is only 4 years old and we have soft water. About 1/2 of the anode rod was eaten away.

I also thought about an electronic anode rod but my first thought is what if the electronics have gone out and I am not aware of it. In that case, the tank is unprotected..... Much like an instant hot water that stopped working. You have zero hot water.....

Most of you know probably know but the socket for the rod is 1 - 1/16. To access the rod, my Rheem HWH has this rubber cup over it. I had to pry it out.... Once I replaced it, I left the socket there as I don't want to spend 1/2 hr in the house looking for a single socket.

[tortoise84]

Having said that, good luck removing the old anode. It's probably going to be difficult to remove. In my experience, it takes a large socket, a long breaker bar, and some select swear words you haven't used in decades. And it still didn't budge.

Yep, I actually bought a replacement anode for one of my water heaters (we have 2), but was unable to change it because I couldn't get the old one out. Neither was my plumber, when we had him out to replace the other heater. Big socket + breaker bar + 3' cheater pipe and nothing. Also asked him to break and re-tighten the anode on the new one before installation, to make replacing it down the road easier. Same result.

I suppose I could try my 1,300 lbft impact gun, but I'm afraid a few ugga duggas could damage the tank. So I'm just letting them be.

Would spraying some wd and heating help to loosen the nut?

Was your plumber able to loosen the nut on the new water heater or was torqued down too much? I don't understand why the nut would be torqued down so hard if they are supposed to be maintained on a regular basis...

A good impact wrench will take it out in seconds. That's how I did mine, with the 5 year old rod shown at the end of the video:
https://youtu.be/F6lfBpAJYQI

[DavidW]

I forgot to mention that the OEM rods is a solid piece. It may not come out all at once. I used an angle grinder to cut it off but I put 2 clamps on the remainder piece from falling back into the tank....

[blortchplop]

I just replaced my anode rod today prior to coming across this post.

I had to use a 10 foot pole as a cheater. I was that tight.... My HWH is only 4 years old and we have soft water. About 1/2 of the anode rod was eaten away.

I also thought about an electronic anode rod but my first thought is what if the electronics have gone out and I am not aware of it. In that case, the tank is unprotected..... Much like an instant hot water that stopped working. You have zero hot water.....

Most of you know probably know but the socket for the rod is 1 - 1/16. To access the rod, my Rheem HWH has this rubber cup over it. I had to pry it out.... Once I replaced it, I left the socket there as I don't want to spend 1/2 hr in the house looking for a single socket.

Corrosion happens slowly. Unless our power is out for significant periods of time, I should think there would not be a problem. My powered anode rod has a little green indicator light that shows it's working. The corrosion protection happens by inducing a current through the tank; if that current stops, the light will turn off.