Barnacles on my anode, but no erosion -- why?

S****heap

Sliced


Yup, it's c r a p

jplante4 wrote:

GMandJM wrote:
The NaughtyWord Editor has been quite the over-achiever lately. Sliced? Really???

S C R A P E D - no C R A P on this website. ;)

Oh good grief! That is just silly!!! Almost as silly as Pe****ch (Pet Watch) being naughy-fied.

(Thanks for the clarification.)

Yep on aluminum. I had to replace my rod once a year. Then I bought one at a flea market. Never would wear down. Then I heard about the aluminum vs. mag deal. Made sure I bought a mag rod and stuck it in. Gone in less than a year. Bet the flea market guy has no idea what he's selling. No rod required in my present trailer, less to worry about.

GMandJM wrote:
The NaughtyWord Editor has been quite the over-achiever lately. Sliced? Really???

S C R A P E D - no C R A P on this website. ;)

I had 8 years on my last anode and it was still in good shape, I always wrote it off to rarely turning on the water heater. Maybe once a day for 4 or so weeks, maybe less.

Get white build up on my rod, is important to match correct rod with heater and make sure not too much tape so connection to tank is not made....good luck I would not overthink this, just do it according to instructions....if you like to do stuff put proper amount of vinegar in tank to flush it clean like a coffee pot.....

The NaughtyWord Editor has been quite the over-achiever lately. Sliced? Really???

Anyway....

The anode on our 2012 ViewFinder was aluminium and presumably your FunFinder's is the same. Ours didn't show much deterioration..a bit of pitting IIRC.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
You are using an aluminum anode rod which has a tendency to collect 'stuff' and does not dissolve as easily when water quality is good

Magnesium is the alternative......it is higher on Galvanic Scale but will not last as long.
Course if the aluminum is lasting toooooooo long is it really doing any protection???

X2

somewhere on suburban instructions they say to start with the magnesium one and if it doesn't last a year then go to alum. (found it, and just passing it along. Nothing dated that I see, so I have no idea how old this info is or correct)

"Anode Rod Facts
Everything you wanted to know about anodes rods…
Self sacrificing anode rods are placed inside water heater tanks to
protect the tank from electrolysis, not to purify the water.
Anode rod life is affected by the makeup of the water. Softer water or
water with lower resistance causes the anode to self sacrifice faster.
Suburban offers 2 types of anode rod material, magnesium
(standard) and aluminum (optional).
Anode rods should last at least a year. If the magnesium rod does not
last a year, you should switch to the aluminum rod which is harder
and does not self sacrifice as fast as magnesium.
A byproduct of the anode rod self sacrificing is hydrogen gas.
If there is high amounts of sulfur in the water, the hydrogen gas will
mix with the sulfur to create hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell). You
may want to use the aluminum rod to reduce the amount of hydrogen
gas produced.
The rotten egg smell can also be created by dead microorganisms in
the water. Adding a small amount of chlorine to the fresh water
system will kill these microorganisms.
Anode rods effectiveness is not reduced by using Teflon tape to seal
the threads. You should always use a thread sealant approved for
potable water.
Removing the anode rod to install an optional electric element voids
the Suburban limited warranty.

You are using an aluminum anode rod which has a tendency to collect 'stuff' and does not dissolve as easily when water quality is good

Magnesium is the alternative......it is higher on Galvanic Scale but will not last as long.
Course if the aluminum is lasting toooooooo long is it really doing any protection???

Somebody with a good chemistry background will hopefully give a definitive answer. Pending that, my opinion is that it all depends on the chemical composition of the water in the tank.