Forum Discussion

Headed_West's avatar
Headed_West
Explorer
Oct 28, 2018

Is this normal????

We had a TT for the past three years and upgraded to a 5ver this year. I was getting her ready to be put up for the winter and started winterizing. I unscrewed the plug for the water heater and I pulled out a rod that looked really corroded. The TT had a plastic plug. The 5ver has some sort of rod that looks like it is dissolving in the tank. Is this normal?
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Oct 28, 2018
    That is an anode rod used in Suburban water heater to protect the glass-lined steel tank.
    Looks normal! They are not too epensive to replace. I would!
    I would also get or make a wand to clean debris out of the tank. They make a plastic one. Connects to hose.
  • agesilaus's avatar
    agesilaus
    Explorer III
    Oct 28, 2018
    Completely normal, you'll know it has finished it's life when all that is left is an iron wire rod in the center.
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Oct 28, 2018
    That one still has a lot of life left. Probably good for another full year if it is magnesium. Or much longer if it is aluminum.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Oct 28, 2018
    2018 Keystone 5vr with a Suburban Water Heater......OEM is Magnesium Anode Rod because of the Steel 'glass-lined' tank

    That one is dang near brand new. Wait until 75% of that material has been dissolved then replace


    Your TT had an Atwood and used a NYLON drain plug....aluminum tank no anode rod required
  • Roger10378's avatar
    Roger10378
    Explorer II
    Oct 28, 2018
    It has nothing to do with the brand type of RV just the brand of water heater that is in it. You have used less than 10% of that anode. Just put some new Teflon tape on it and put it back in. Check it each year when you winterize.
  • Ralph_Cramden's avatar
    Ralph_Cramden
    Explorer II
    Oct 28, 2018
    Roger10378 wrote:
    It has nothing to do with the brand type of RV just the brand of water heater that is in it. You have used less than 10% of that anode. Just put some new Teflon tape on it and put it back in. Check it each year when you winterize.


    Exactly and if it looks like that after a year of use if you continue to use the same water every year it will last another 5 years at least, maybe longer. Or you can waste money and buy one every year just to piss money away.
  • ACZL's avatar
    ACZL
    Explorer
    Oct 28, 2018
    I agree w/ others as this is normal. On our last 5er which had this, I simply cleaned it off in the spring w/ some emory paper, rinsed and re-installed. Think I replaced ours only 1 or 2x in the 12 years we owned it.

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