Water heater anode torque: wrench doesn't go that low?

The typical Haynes (and other) repair manuals have torque values for various fasteners that are used in each section of the manual.

Torque values for NPT and SAE fittings.

Years ago, in a career far,far away, I worked as a backroom mechanic in a Texaco station. Station was owned by a Bulgarian, Peter Blagoev. Peter and my coworker, Steve, told me tales of their friend, Brutal Bill. Bill's big claim to fame was mounting hub caps with his head. I confirmed this talent on an infrequent visit from Bill.
Bill was also a chronic over-tightener of fasteners. He sent us a post card from Ohio, once, to announce his hire and success at Cummings Engine. About two months later, he was back in our shop, drinking Cognac and relating that Cummings didn't use all of his talents. We figured that was about the lead time it took for the engine failures and the REAL discovery of Bill's prowess with a wrench.

Torque things like lug nuts.

Snug things like anode plug and battery cables, drawer handles etc..

Do you torque the batter terminals? What's that torque value? Seriously, those are just snugged too.

I get your concern... don't have that problem myself. Just use two fingers on the ratchet if you're concerned.

Mike

Mex, how is my old Cousin Kong these days? He taught me everything I know about mechanical aptitude. I miss that guy -- he could strip the threads on anything, without even breaking a sweat. It takes me a lot of work to do a similar amount of damage.

smkettner wrote:
Here this weighs almost 7 pounds. Just attach to the end of your bar.

Sucker'll leak for sure with that toy! With this baby, when the plug sticks out of the wall on the other side of the rig, then you know that plug is "seated"




Just joshin' the sealant used on the threads is just as important as snugged torque. Thirty years ago I hired "Kong The Magnificent" as a shop gofer. He was utterly incapable of judging torque. He snapped off all eight lugnuts on an International Harvester Travelall driver's side rear wheel using a 1/2" breaker bar.

Lots of posts speak of leaking, but none speak of the electrical connection involved. For the anode to work properly, there must be good metal to metal contact at the threads. Probably not much torque needed, but leaking is not the entire story. Also don't want the thing vibrating loose on the road.

profdant139 wrote:
, I have caught auto mechanics over-torquing my lug nuts, making it almost impossible to change a tire on my own when circumstances demanded it.

I've had my share of that too. I don't think the torque spec is "so tight you need an impact wrench to remove it."

I'm sure torque is very important in things like connecting rods and bearings. And bridge supports.

Re-reading this thread made me begin to wonder why the manufacturer even gave a torque rating. Then it hit me. It takes so very little to snug up the anode rod, it is tempting to over tighten it. So, basically, in a very simplistic interpretation, the manufacturer's statement is basically saying, --- It don't take much. It's not like its a wheel on an automobile under stress or a vital part of an airplane engine, or a race car engine. It's just a plug that goes in a hole. It doesn't turn, it doesn't move, it doesn't do anything except sit there, so don't over tighten, it's not necessary.

Actually, I never thought about this subject until this thread came up. I've always just finger tightened the plug and then used a socket and gave it a little twist till it stopped, nothing more. No serious pressure. Makes removal real easy too.

Unfortunately, this thread has now alerted me and now I will never have such a simplistic view again. I'll look at that anode rod plug and always be wondering now. Sheesh! I've got to get a life!

2oldman, perhaps OCD is too strong -- let's try mild paranoia, or even just well-founded self-doubt. Unlike the folks who get along without torque wrenches, I am a proven bolt-buster and thread-crosser and screw-snapper. (Maybe I am the only person with this affliction??)

And if torque is so trivial, I wonder why the water heater manufacturers specify torque for anode rods, or torque for lug nuts? I suspect that there are other under-skilled workers like me in the world. For example, I have caught auto mechanics over-torquing my lug nuts, making it almost impossible to change a tire on my own when circumstances demanded it.

This happened to me recently -- we got a flat way back in the boonies, 20 miles from the nearest cell signal. Nice, tight lug nuts -- very entertaining! But I got the tire changed. When we took the truck to a shop to be re-checked, the mechanic told me that yes, someone had over-torqued the lug nuts rather badly.

So for those of you whose hands are so skilled that you never have to worry about a torque wrench, my hat is off to you -- I envy your ability! I don't have it at all. So I have to compensate by double-checking my work.

There is a process called, "Turn of nut" that depends on how much to tighten a nut that has been snugged up that will give approximate results. We still use torque wrenches to check bolts on bridges and I am glad that we do.

Do I detect a bit of OCD here? :)