Installed a new heater rod into a Suburban Model SW10DE. Had to use an impact wrench to get drain plug and heater rod out. This is on a 2005 Artic Fox 30U, that may have sat unused for 4 or 5 years. Yes, it may have been that long since the drain plug and heater rod had been out. All's good and back together. No anoide rod, right now, but that should arrive this Monday or Tuesday. When I put anything like this together, I always use Teflon tape on the threads. It keeps things from leaking and seizing to the point of where you have to use an impact wrench. So will the Teflon tape prevent an anoide rod from working correctly? When we install sacrificial zinc anoides on boat prop shafts, it is important to make sure there is a tight ground attachment. In fact, there is even a bulge in the casting or molded in metal attachment to make sure it has a strong bonding. So wondering if the Teflon tape will prevent the zinc rod from working correctly?

rgolding wrote:will the Teflon tape prevent an anoide rod from working correctly? No. It's anode rod, and there will be some bare metal there even using tape.

I put teflon tape on mine and it works fine.

When you screw the rod on, the scraping through the Teflon tape provides enough of an electrical contact to get it working. At least that is what I've been told, so take that advice with a grain of salt.

I used Teflon tape on mine because the instructions said to do so.

I use teflon tape on mine and it gets all ate up in a season, so I figure it's doing what it's supposed to.

Water Heater Anoid Rod Isolation | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

ReferDog
Explorer
Oct 07, 2013
They come from the factory with t/tape.
Nvr2loud
Explorer II
Oct 07, 2013
mlts22 wrote:
When you screw the rod on, the scraping through the Teflon tape provides enough of an electrical contact to get it working. At least that is what I've been told, so take that advice with a grain of salt.

I would have to agree with this.

As a pipe fitter I thread pipe very often. It does not matter how much teflon tape or pipe dope I put on the threads... when removed the leading edge of most threads are bare steel again.
rgolding
Explorer
Oct 06, 2013
Thank you for the continued responses. I've never had trouble with any other water heater drain plugs and the questions like the insulation of the Teflon tape came up as I was reassembling the unit for the test of whether or not the replacement of the element was the resolution to the problem. By the way, after two hours of waiting, we had electrically heated hot water, so the operation was a success. ;-)

There are many "new" events or opportunities dealing with a mistreated, or a better description would be abandoned piece of quality equipment. The quality of the unit is the driving force behind bothering to tackle these projects. And the little forensic investigations have been sometimes frustrating and certainly educational as we explore, upgrade and resolve the problems we've encountered. This isn't rocket science, its just maintenance, education and actually fun and very satisfying.
old_guy
Explorer
Oct 06, 2013
if it's been that long since it has been removed, flush out that tank with a flushing tool. it will need a good flushing. I flush mine twice or so each year. on Edit, if it gets stuck again, try to tighten the nut a little, sometimes it will break lose better than trying to loosen it first.
ScottG
Nomad
Oct 06, 2013
No the teflon tape will not insulate the threads. You can take an ohm meter to it and still get zero ohms to ground.

Scott
rgolding
Explorer
Oct 05, 2013
gmw photos wrote:
I use teflon tape on mine and it gets all ate up in a season, so I figure it's doing what it's supposed to.

I appreciate all the responses, but this one provides the answer I needed. I was concerned that the rod may not be sacrificing itself and just be there. That would not be working, satisfactorily in my mind. Thank you all. With Teflon tape, maybe the next time I won't have to use an electric impact wrench driver, to remove it.
gmw_photos
Explorer
Oct 05, 2013
I use teflon tape on mine and it gets all ate up in a season, so I figure it's doing what it's supposed to.
SolidAxleDurang
Explorer II
Oct 05, 2013
I used Teflon tape on mine because the instructions said to do so.
mlts22
Explorer II
Oct 05, 2013
When you screw the rod on, the scraping through the Teflon tape provides enough of an electrical contact to get it working. At least that is what I've been told, so take that advice with a grain of salt.
poncho62
Explorer
Oct 05, 2013
I put teflon tape on mine and it works fine.