Replace the water heater

[Weldon]

Is it difficult to replace a suburban water heater, 10 gallon? Mine is working fine but is beginning to develop too much rust where the anode/drain is located.

Moved to Tech Issues forum from DIY.

[Roman_Duck]

Anodie rods are for use in non-aluiumn tanks, most rv tank are made of aluiumn. Installing a anodie rod in an aluiumn tank will create a chemical reaction and weld the rod to the tank. you will throw away the HW due to the fact that it's easier than drilling out the anoide rod and tapping new threads

[dclark1946]

aruba5er wrote:
Old Biscuit: we went thru this a few times before. I pointed out that stick and brick homes have water heaters. They came equipped with anode rods. People never think about them and never replace them. Usually there is no room above the heater to drop them in . That is IF you can get the old one loose anyway. I for one would not take wrench to an anode plug in a home and take the chance of breaking or maybe even destroying a working tank. The RV heater is the same thing on a smaller scale. I took mine out in 2007 in Florida because the water stunk so bad. By removing the anode it quit stinking. Anybody looking at my heater would see the bright red handle of the ball valve and see there was no anode. IF they knew there was supposed to be one . Attwood does not use and anode. Aluminum corrodes too, just not so quickly. My heater in now 11 years old and been without rod for 7 going on 8 years. If it fails i'll say too bad and buy a 10 gal one. My house had the water heater fail in 6 years. Did I like it NO. did I cry about it NO . I moved on and replaced it. But the camper did not have stinky water.

I suspect that home water heaters fail not long after the anode rod is all used up.

Dick

[aruba5er]

Old Biscuit: we went thru this a few times before. I pointed out that stick and brick homes have water heaters. They came equipped with anode rods. People never think about them and never replace them. Usually there is no room above the heater to drop them in . That is IF you can get the old one loose anyway. I for one would not take wrench to an anode plug in a home and take the chance of breaking or maybe even destroying a working tank. The RV heater is the same thing on a smaller scale. I took mine out in 2007 in Florida because the water stunk so bad. By removing the anode it quit stinking. Anybody looking at my heater would see the bright red handle of the ball valve and see there was no anode. IF they knew there was supposed to be one . Attwood does not use and anode. Aluminum corrodes too, just not so quickly. My heater in now 11 years old and been without rod for 7 going on 8 years. If it fails i'll say too bad and buy a 10 gal one. My house had the water heater fail in 6 years. Did I like it NO. did I cry about it NO . I moved on and replaced it. But the camper did not have stinky water.

[Old-Biscuit]

aruba5er wrote:
I took out the anode in 2007,

Now why do you think the MFG. included that anode rod?

Hope you fully disclose that the water heater has not had an anode rod for past 6-7 yrs. should you decide to sell rig. Potential buyer should be aware of that fact.

[Weldon]

Thanks all for your comments....I won't replace until necessary. Just trying to plan ahead.

[TakingThe5th]

I would not eliminate the anode rod. It is a sacrificial rod that helps extend the life of the water heater.

[aruba5er]

I took out the anode in 2007, threw it away and replaced it with a brass nipple and ball valve. flush instantly and often. Why change a good heater until it leaks? Side story. A friend almost got talked into a new heater because the plumber I think had no work. " I can install it today" I told him to call the plumber back and he would call when it leaks. That was 12 years ago. The heater is still going strong and my friend has passed. Moral-- don't be rushed into spending money you might not have to.

[kellertx5er]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
BUT why go to that expense and trouble when a wire brush and a little paint will take care of that surface rust.
Clean it up and spray a little rustoleum on it.

Ditto, except I would replace the anode and flush out the tank real well.

[Old-Biscuit]

Easy swap with another Suburban 10 gallon.......disconnect AC, DC and gas line. Remove frame and pull it out

BUT why go to that expense and trouble when a wire brush and a little paint will take care of that surface rust.
Clean it up and spray a little rustoleum on it.

Replacement is for when it DOESN'T work.