Forum Discussion

rmnpcolorado's avatar
rmnpcolorado
Explorer
Jul 18, 2022

To a Suburban water heater from Atwood

I feel like a rookie asking this question, but we've always had Atwood water heaters and our new trailer has a Suburban. I've never had to deal with an anode rod before. With our Atwood, I installed a petcock and we drained the tank after every use-never had an issue with the sulfur smell.

On the Suburban, how do you go about that? We typically are weekenders except for our long trips where we don't empty the tank when moving obviously, so after the weekend we'd open up the valve and run it empty. Do you pull the anode rod out? Leave it full? Pull the low point valve and drain out as much as you can?

Like I said, we are not rookies, but going to be learning new tricks with a new rig after 12 seasons on the last one.
  • afidel's avatar
    afidel
    Explorer II
    Jul 20, 2022
    BB_TX wrote:
    afidel wrote:
    When flushing out the anode junk from the tank make very sure you remove all debris from the threads! I failed to do so and zipped the new rod back on with my little impact, the gunk permanently sealed the new rod in place, not even my much bigger impact at home could make it budge.

    Impact is the wrong tool for an anode rod. It has pipe threads. Between those threads and some teflon tape it does not need more than tightening to a snug fit with a ratchet. This is not a place for "if tight is good, tighter is better". Actually few places are. An impact is a great tool for loosening bolts. But a properly set torque wrench is best for tightening them.


    I doubt the little m12 could actually overtighten that huge thing but what it did do was grind the metal particles between the threads, I knew I messed up as soon as I heard the crunching.
  • mhsmith's avatar
    mhsmith
    Explorer
    Jul 19, 2022
    BB_TX wrote:
    afidel wrote:
    When flushing out the anode junk from the tank make very sure you remove all debris from the threads! I failed to do so and zipped the new rod back on with my little impact, the gunk permanently sealed the new rod in place, not even my much bigger impact at home could make it budge.

    Impact is the wrong tool for an anode rod. It has pipe threads. Between those threads and some teflon tape it does not need more than tightening to a snug fit with a ratchet. This is not a place for "if tight is good, tighter is better". Actually few places are. An impact is a great tool for loosening bolts. But a properly set torque wrench is best for tightening them.



    "Tight is tight, too tight is broke"
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Jul 19, 2022
    afidel wrote:
    When flushing out the anode junk from the tank make very sure you remove all debris from the threads! I failed to do so and zipped the new rod back on with my little impact, the gunk permanently sealed the new rod in place, not even my much bigger impact at home could make it budge.

    Impact is the wrong tool for an anode rod. It has pipe threads. Between those threads and some teflon tape it does not need more than tightening to a snug fit with a ratchet. This is not a place for "if tight is good, tighter is better". Actually few places are. An impact is a great tool for loosening bolts. But a properly set torque wrench is best for tightening them.
  • afidel's avatar
    afidel
    Explorer II
    Jul 19, 2022
    When flushing out the anode junk from the tank make very sure you remove all debris from the threads! I failed to do so and zipped the new rod back on with my little impact, the gunk permanently sealed the new rod in place, not even my much bigger impact at home could make it budge.
  • MitchF150's avatar
    MitchF150
    Explorer III
    Jul 18, 2022
    What MFL said.. :) Even when I had the Atwood on the previous trailer, I would do the low point drain and relief valve on the water heater to drain it.

    I only use my home water in the thing, so not too worried about sediment, but with the Suburban, I will pull the rod when it gets winterized to just check out it's condition.

    Good luck! Mitch
  • MFL's avatar
    MFL
    Nomad II
    Jul 18, 2022
    Yes, you can open the low point drain, lift the pressure relief valve on the heater, to drain the water heater. Even if you take the anode out to drain, it will not all drain.

    It is a good idea to pull the anode 1-2 times a year, and flush the sediment from the bottom of the tank, with a wand. To remove all water from tank, you will need to use a shop vac, with a small flex hose added, to suck out the last of the water.

    Be sure the electric heating element is switched off, before emptying the tank!

    Jerry
  • BB_TX's avatar
    BB_TX
    Nomad
    Jul 18, 2022
    Pull the anode rod to drain. I always left mine full thru the travel season and drain in the fall. And a new anode rod in the spring. Although they would probably last two years.

    Get a flush wand. The crud from the anode rod settles to the bottom and needs to be flushed out yearly or so.

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