Suburban 10 Gallon Hot water heater

Purchased this on Amazon 3/4"-14 NPT Pipe Tap,American Standard Tap Tool. Cleaned up the threads now Anode rod in and happy!

Tanks for all the suggestions, r0n....

Just don't get too carried away. :) You just want to clean up the threads that are there, and not cut too many new threads. Get a good piece of 3/4" pipe and check your progress frequently. Use a 12 point socket that the tap will fit into, and a ratchet. That way you can use an extension to make it easier to wield the tap.

mobeewan wrote:
Tractor supply in Taunton has 3/4 npt taps in stock for $10.99. SKU: 118040799

Thanks, Never did check there. I ordered one from Amazon will be hear on Saturday. Hope I can use all the great info that has been posted.

Tractor supply in Taunton has 3/4 npt taps in stock for $10.99. SKU: 118040799

Sounds like the starter threads on your water heater are rolled over. Get a 3/4" NPT tap to chase the female threads on the unit. Dies are used for threading the male fittings and pipe.

Nope, that won't work like a tap. It will work like a pipe cut up. Bite the bullet and get the proper tool for the job. I actually tried the cut up pipe once, just to see how it worked. Short story, it didn't.

On Edit: changed "die" to "tap". I know the difference but overlooked it.

Poor mans thread chaser. Been awhile since I’ve done that!
OP, so are the threads gone like it is actually stripped or do you mean cross threaded?
Guessing stripped since it’s old and corroded.
Nice thing about pipe thread is it gets tighter the further into the thread. So after cleaning it up, a good dose of pipe dope or better yet a few extra wraps of ptfe tape and crank the new anode in.
Or like my plumber buddy does, use both!
Permanently, install a heli coil.

Do what bob213 suggested but first take a hacksaw or something similar and make two cuts in a X pattern across and perpendicular to the threads. Make the cuts maybe a half inch deep or so. This should work like a die. Go slow and reverse the threading periodically and clean the threads of the loose metal.

3/4" NPT isn't hard to find online. That's what you'll need to clean up the threads. McMaster Carr or Fastenal will have them too.

I think those are 3/4" threads. Get a length of pipe and try to chase it with the threaded end. No need for a die hopefully. Brass brush helps clean up the threads as well.