Anode Rod

Nvr2loud wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Nvr2loud wrote:


Thank you for the response, my Attwood had one installed in the drain by the previous owner. I removed it to install the Hott Rod heater and was concerned about the consequences of that.

You're welcome!

Atwood doesn't recommend the use of any aftermarket electric heat rod.
It's not because of heating problems-----the electric elements are only 325W. It's because owners have a tendency to NOT drain/flush water heater tank routinely after installing the heat rods. Once installed they tend to just forget about doing the draining/flushing cause they have to remove the heat rod to do it.

Suburban doesn't recommend them either (same reason) but also because of the need for the anode rod (9 1/2" long rod). There is an aftermarket heat rod that has an anode rod on it but it is very short

Enjoy your heat rod.......but don't forget to drain/flush tank at least yearly (end of season is a good time)

Good advice... I drain after each use because I'm slightly over my trailers max weight rating without water, so an extra 6 gallons hits the ground LOL. I did experiment with draining it the other day, it was easy before the hott rod, but not so easy now. I had to remove the gas valve just to get wrench clearance to install the hott rod.

The way I found of draining the tank (but not for winter, just between trips) was to tilt my trailer tail down / nose up and open both my low point drains (I just installed ball valves on them for ease of this procedure) Next I open my fresh water tank drain, and I open all the taps. Once all the water has drained, I then open the pressure relief valve handle, breaking the air seal of the hot water tank... that is when the remaining 6 gallons comes out the low point cold water drain.

That's a great way to drain..but doesn't flush the sediment out of WH tank which is something that needs to be done.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Nvr2loud wrote:


Thank you for the response, my Attwood had one installed in the drain by the previous owner. I removed it to install the Hott Rod heater and was concerned about the consequences of that.

You're welcome!

Atwood doesn't recommend the use of any aftermarket electric heat rod.
It's not because of heating problems-----the electric elements are only 325W. It's because owners have a tendency to NOT drain/flush water heater tank routinely after installing the heat rods. Once installed they tend to just forget about doing the draining/flushing cause they have to remove the heat rod to do it.

Suburban doesn't recommend them either (same reason) but also because of the need for the anode rod (9 1/2" long rod). There is an aftermarket heat rod that has an anode rod on it but it is very short

Enjoy your heat rod.......but don't forget to drain/flush tank at least yearly (end of season is a good time)

Good advice... I drain after each use because I'm slightly over my trailers max weight rating without water, so an extra 6 gallons hits the ground LOL. I did experiment with draining it the other day, it was easy before the hott rod, but not so easy now. I had to remove the gas valve just to get wrench clearance to install the hott rod.

The way I found of draining the tank (but not for winter, just between trips) was to tilt my trailer tail down / nose up and open both my low point drains (I just installed ball valves on them for ease of this procedure) Next I open my fresh water tank drain, and I open all the taps. Once all the water has drained, I then open the pressure relief valve handle, breaking the air seal of the hot water tank... that is when the remaining 6 gallons comes out the low point cold water drain.

Nvr2loud wrote:


Thank you for the response, my Attwood had one installed in the drain by the previous owner. I removed it to install the Hott Rod heater and was concerned about the consequences of that.

You're welcome!

Atwood doesn't recommend the use of any aftermarket electric heat rod.
It's not because of heating problems-----the electric elements are only 325W. It's because owners have a tendency to NOT drain/flush water heater tank routinely after installing the heat rods. Once installed they tend to just forget about doing the draining/flushing cause they have to remove the heat rod to do it.

Suburban doesn't recommend them either (same reason) but also because of the need for the anode rod (9 1/2" long rod). There is an aftermarket heat rod that has an anode rod on it but it is very short

Enjoy your heat rod.......but don't forget to drain/flush tank at least yearly (end of season is a good time)

Our TT has an Atwood water heater and it says it has no anode in it.

Judging from our home water heater and the liquid rust we call fresh country water, I doubt that we would miss it. Our first home water heater lasted 20 years the second is going on ten years; I doubt either has any anode left.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Atwood WHs do NOT use an anode rod.........the tank is aluminum

Suburban WHs DO use an anode rod...........the tank is Steel Glass lined and needs the anode rod for corrosion protection. The anode rod sacrifices itself instead of the tank

YES....aftermarkets sell anode rods that fit Atwood drain holes (1/2") BUT they are just a marketing ploy to sell you something that is not needed (or recommended by mfg.----if anode rod was necessary for Atwood, they would supply them OEM).
They won't hurt anything.......just $$ spent on a product that is not needed.

Anode rods deteriorate due to minerals and electrolysis of dissimilar metals.
IF water source is NOT loaded with high mineral content then rod will deteriorate as a very slow rate.
And wrapping anode rod threads with teflon tape will NOT stop the metal to metal contact. As rod is screwed into drain hole the threads will cut the tape making contact.....tape just fills voids between threads thereby sealing.

Anode rods only need to be changed when 75% of material has dissolved.

Thank you for the response, my Attwood had one installed in the drain by the previous owner. I removed it to install the Hott Rod heater and was concerned about the consequences of that.

Atwood WHs do NOT use an anode rod.........the tank is aluminum

Suburban WHs DO use an anode rod...........the tank is Steel Glass lined and needs the anode rod for corrosion protection. The anode rod sacrifices itself instead of the tank

YES....aftermarkets sell anode rods that fit Atwood drain holes (1/2") BUT they are just a marketing ploy to sell you something that is not needed (or recommended by mfg.----if anode rod was necessary for Atwood, they would supply them OEM).
They won't hurt anything.......just $$ spent on a product that is not needed.

Anode rods deteriorate due to minerals and electrolysis of dissimilar metals.
IF water source is NOT loaded with high mineral content then rod will deteriorate as a very slow rate.
And wrapping anode rod threads with teflon tape will NOT stop the metal to metal contact. As rod is screwed into drain hole the threads will cut the tape making contact.....tape just fills voids between threads thereby sealing.

Anode rods only need to be changed when 75% of material has dissolved.

We haven't changed ours out on our '98 sense we picked it up 5 years ago and it is still a good 98% there.

To go a little further with this... I just took my anode rod out of my Atwood Heater, it was just about depleted. My concern is that I replaced my anode rod with a Hott Shot heater so therefore I don't have an anode rod anymore.

Our Atwood water heater has no anode (made out of aluminum).

Our water at our permanent site is pretty hard and I used to go through one anode per year.

You're lucky :)

Doesn't it also have something to do with the material the tank is made of? The anode is usually for aluminum tanks. If the tank is stainless, or another alloy, it make not create the electrolosys that eats the rods.