Suburban Water heater

[Happy_Camper3]

Hello,

I how do I drain the water out of the water heater without the Anode rod shooting 10 feet across the driveway and water gushing out 100 mph ?

I drained it twice, and both times the anode shoots out like its under extreme pressure ?

[SidecarFlip]

GMH wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

DO NOT GET AN ALUMINUM ANODE ROD. get a Suburban genuine magnesum anode rod. Amazon has them for I think, 12 bucks.

I wonder if that is what I have. The anode rod that came with the trailer (2010 cougar)was eaten up after the first year or two. The one I have now has been in there ever since and shows almost no corrosion,same water supply.

Sounds like you do. I have to replace mine every year like clockwork. Problem with an aluminum one is it lets the water attack the tank and will eventually ruin it.

[GMH]

SidecarFlip wrote:

DO NOT GET AN ALUMINUM ANODE ROD. get a Suburban genuine magnesum anode rod. Amazon has them for I think, 12 bucks.

I wonder if that is what I have. The anode rod that came with the trailer (2010 cougar)was eaten up after the first year or two. The one I have now has been in there ever since and shows almost no corrosion,same water supply.

[SidecarFlip]

Happy.Camper wrote:
OK,

the water was in the heater for about 3 years .. the Anode was completely gone ..


I ordered a new anode today ..

How much damage do you think I did to the water heater ? How much is a new one installed ? not a fancy one, just a plane jane ?

It's pitted.........

If it was gone (depleted entirely), I'm sure the tank inside is pitted, how bad is a carpshoot. If it don't start leaking all good, If it starts leaking, not good, time to replace it. No way to arrest or reverse the tank corrosion now but you can slow it by using a genuine Suburban anode rod.

DO NOT GET AN ALUMINUM ANODE ROD. get a Suburban genuine magnesum anode rod. Amazon has them for I think, 12 bucks.

[Happy_Camper3]

OK,

the water was in the heater for about 3 years .. the Anode was completely gone ..


I ordered a new anode today ..

How much damage do you think I did to the water heater ? How much is a new one installed ? not a fancy one, just a plane jane ?

[SidecarFlip]

SoundGuy wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
In my humble opinion, the best way to remove the sediment (from the sacrificial anode rod) in a Suburban HWH is through the anode rod port with a jet stream of water from a garden hose stream concentrator (or your pressure washer) stuck in the anode rod port.

Better yet, get an Atwood HWH with no anode rod.

Best way to flush out any water heater tank, Suburban or Atwood, is to use an RV water heater tank rinser like this.

To the OP - use that water pressure relief valve and chances are pretty good you'll never get it to properly reseal without leaking. :M Leave it alone, relive pressure in the system by simply opening a couple of faucets. That said, why remove the anode rod so often anyway? - just leave it as is for the season, then drain & flush the tank when you're winterizing the rest of the trailer.

Actually, the 'relief valve' at the top of the HWH is a T&P valve (temperature and Pressure) same one that comes on every residential HWH heater / tank sold in the United states and available at any box store like Lowes or Home Despot. No difference at all. If it leaks, replace it. They cost about 10 bucks every day. You should occasionally open it to clear the seat and make sure it's operating as designed.

Far as the anode rod is concerned, the life of the sacrifical magnesum alloy will depend on the mineral content of the water you use in your camper. In my case, I can 'eat up' a rod in a couple months so I don't agree with going all season. That depends entirely on the water you use. I always carry an extra rod in the camper.

For the last couple years, instead of using the Camco tank flusher, I've been using the low pressure nozzle on my pressure washer to flush mine with. Gets all the debris out of the bottom of the tank, quickly.

[jplante4]

Yeah I forgot these are for Atwood heater only - Sorry

[SoundGuy]

SidecarFlip wrote:
In my humble opinion, the best way to remove the sediment (from the sacrificial anode rod) in a Suburban HWH is through the anode rod port with a jet stream of water from a garden hose stream concentrator (or your pressure washer) stuck in the anode rod port.

Better yet, get an Atwood HWH with no anode rod.

Best way to flush out any water heater tank, Suburban or Atwood, is to use an RV water heater tank rinser like this.

To the OP - use that water pressure relief valve and chances are pretty good you'll never get it to properly reseal without leaking. :M Leave it alone, relive pressure in the system by simply opening a couple of faucets. That said, why remove the anode rod so often anyway? - just leave it as is for the season, then drain & flush the tank when you're winterizing the rest of the trailer.

[SidecarFlip]

jplante4 wrote:
Get one of these.

Jerry:

I'm not sure if that will fit. Isn't the bung on an Atwood a different diameter than a Suburban?

having said that, I never had an anode rod in my Atwood, didn't come with one, in fact mine came with a nylon plug.

I think (could be wrong) that Atwood heaters have an aluminum tank whereas Suburban's have a steel tank.

[Boon_Docker]

.

[Boon_Docker]

jplante4 wrote:
Get one of these.

Do Not get one of these. It will not fit.

[jplante4]

Get one of these.

[ScottG]

donn0128 wrote:
Stand off to the side.

That's my method.
With no water pressure I simply remove the anode and catch it in my hand.
After the water drains I stick a smaller piece of tubing into myshop vac's hose and seal it with one hand. The I stick the other end of the tube into the anode hole and suck out what ever debris is in the bottom.
Easy cheasy.

[SidecarFlip]

In my humble opinion, the best way to remove the sediment (from the sacrificial anode rod) in a Suburban HWH is through the anode rod port with a jet stream of water from a garden hose stream concentrator (or your pressure washer) stuck in the anode rod port.

Better yet, get an Atwood HWH with no anode rod.

[Artum_Snowbird]

But the very best way is to just shut off the pumps, or the supply, let the taps drain out and shut them off, and do not open the safety valve on your water tank. Then take out the anode. Water will just gurgle out. Once you establish that, lift the tab on the safety relief valve and let it spray out at full volume. Helps clear any sediment in the tank.