He states Aluminum tank, That means he has an ATWOOD heater. Atwood Heaters have NO Anode rod at all. They are NOT needed on the Aluminum tank. Only Suburban Water heaters have and require the Anode rod. If you install a HOT ROD on a ATWOOD tank, it would be best to remove the element every 6 months or so, to prevent galling and also to drain the Water heater. Installing a HOT ROD eliminates the drain system on the ATWOOD water heater. Galling should not happen in 6 months or less, so keeping the threads free is a good idea. Doug
