fpresto wrote:
Lobstah wrote:
The anode is zinc
There are both magnesium and zinc anode rods. Magnesium is more common for water heaters.
Magnesium anodes are designed for fresh water and zinc anodes are for salt water.
Magnesium has more negative electropotential and is more suitable for areas where the electrolyte (soil or water) resistivity is higher. This is usually on-shore pipelines and other buried structures, although it is also used on boats in fresh water and in water heaters.
Zinc is generally used in salt water, where the resistivity is generally lower. Typical uses are for the hulls of ships and boats, offshore pipelines and production platforms, in salt-water-cooled marine engines, on small boat propellers and rudders.
