aluminum or magnesium anode rod

[harry_and_thea]

Suburban SW6DE water heater. I am just about to replace the anode rod with a Camco aluminum anode rod. Now I look in my manual and it says not to use a non Suburban part. Also I wonder whether I should have bought a magnesium rod. The aluminum one was on sale and about half the price.

[valhalla360]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:


I assume they have different anode materials because they use different materials to produce the heater.

NOPE>.....Suburban water heater tanks are a Steel Tank that is glass-lined
Hence the NEED for an anode rod.

OEM rod is magnesium because it provides the most protection
Optional rod is aluminum due to 'water quality' issue where the magnesium gets consumed too quickly OR reacts with the mico-bacteria and cause a sulfur smell.

See comment about conductivity of liquids varying.

If it's eroding quickly, that means, you probably need protection more and shouldn't switch materials...luckily, most rigs are used very little and often sit empty much of the year so it's not a huge issue.

[Old-Biscuit]

valhalla360 wrote:


I assume they have different anode materials because they use different materials to produce the heater.

NOPE>.....Suburban water heater tanks are a Steel Tank that is glass-lined
Hence the NEED for an anode rod.

OEM rod is magnesium because it provides the most protection
Optional rod is aluminum due to 'water quality' issue where the magnesium gets consumed too quickly OR reacts with the mico-bacteria and cause a sulfur smell.

[valhalla360]

First, if you see no degradation of the anode after 2-3yrs, there is a good chance, it's not doing it's job. They are "sacrificial" anodes because we sacrifice an easily replaced anode rather than the whole tank.

Different metals immersed a conductive liquid create a battery. The material it's made of and the conductivity of the liquid determines what the voltage difference is.

Magnesium creates a bigger voltage difference compared to Aluminium, so it will sacrifice itself more readily to protect the metal in the heater but that in the wrong heater, it can be so great a difference that they don't last long. There is a sweet spot.

I assume they have different anode materials because they use different materials to produce the heater.

Be careful of people saying they never had a problem. Depending on the conductivity of the water, it will change the effect. Hard water tends to be more conductive than soft water.

For the small difference, just get the correct one.

[Old-Biscuit]

Suburban OEM is Magnesium
Suburban optional is Aluminum

Suburban uses magnesium because they provide max protection
BUT Magnesium may react with bacteria causing a sulfurous smell. Aluminum rods don’t have this problem as often.

Aluminum will last longer but can accumulate deposits on rod which can make them hard to remove.

No need to replace until 75% of material has been sacrificed

So.....
How was the old rod....gone/still good ?
Any issues with odors?
Magnesium

If gone....just steel rod left
Or had odors
Aluminum


Both can work......just depends on water source quality


As for.........Use Suburban parts HA!
Suburban warranty is 2 years.
Your 2014 is out of warranty so use what you want

[BB_TX]

I put in an aluminum one and after 3 years it was barely corroded. Didn't seem to be doing much. So I went back to magnesium.

[agesilaus]

Magnesium is better but it will be consumed rapidly. Aluminum should be fine tho. Don't worry about that in the manual.

[fj12ryder]

I replaced the aluminum rod with a magnesium and cut down on the ucky gunk that collected in the bottom of our heater. Although it is a Suburban I believe.