Water heater anode rod help

[LeftyJason]

Rheem gas water heater from 2018. Had house from summer of 19. Have water softener before the water heater. That supposedly makes the anode go bad faster.

Have 1-1/6 socket. Tried to remove it back in december. Socket had some id chamfer. Tried to remove the rod. Socket is starting to slip off. Also didn't have the replacement rod at the time.

Tried again today. Ground the front of the socket to remove most of the chamfer. Used 18" breaker bar with some kroil. Tried hex bit impact driver adapted up to fit the socket.

Yes I let off some pressure and let some water drain out. Water heater was still mostly hot. Turned water heater temp down as well.

Have done kroil on it. Kroil is soaking in now. Had some soaking in December. The bottom of the hole is 1.2" down. Hole barely fits the socket.

The stupid rod only has .2" of flat. That is dumb.

Considering calling the plumber but I'm afraid they will say it's stuck and you will have to get a new water heater when it goes bad.

Or I will have to drill it out. It's on the back side of the exhaust flue.

Any ideas?

 

[Fig]

More kroil and let sit overnight, and if that fails hit it with a torch.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Make sure you get all the kroil off. It will not be good to consume or shower with. But you probably already know that.
Is the water heater popping and crackling when heating? That's a good indicator of build up setting on the bottom of the tank. It could also be on the threads inside the water heater causing your problem.

 

[LeftyJason]

Make sure you get all the kroil off. It will not be good to consume or shower with. But you probably already know that.
Is the water heater popping and crackling when heating? That's a good indicator of build up setting on the bottom of the tank. It could also be on the threads inside the water heater causing your problem.

Drained and cleaned it back in November. Think I also did some vinegar at the time. Didn't have much crap in it. (That was also when the gas controller crapped out and had to get a replacement. Pilot light didn't want to light. Had plumbers out in November - December for that mess.) Has had a water softener before it for its entire life.

Haven't noticed any noises but I just want to make sure the rod is still good. Will eventually change it out for tankless rinnai cause the wife wants a big tub when we put in the second bathroom. That will be a bit of a mess trying to figure out where we can put it. Windows and front door distance requirements for exhaust and intake. Water heater in basement.

 

[Steel+Killer]

Only way you're getting that off is with a 1/2" impact wrench or bigger. Last one I took off was with a Milwaukee M18 1/2" impact wrench and it even gave it a little bit of a fit.

 

[Redmanss]

Only way you're getting that off is with a 1/2" impact wrench or bigger. Last one I took off was with a Milwaukee M18 1/2" impact wrench and it even gave it a little bit of a fit.

That's what I was thinking, need to shock the threads with the impact to break the shit loose. Then again, I don't work on water heaters and have no idea if that is a bad thing for them, I know they're more sensitive to damage than what I work with.

Better than Kroil or PB Blaster is a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. Not that ATF, the good kind. They don't stay mixed, so shake well and squirt on right away.

 

[eastexsteve]

Rheem gas water heater from 2018. Had house from summer of 19. Have water softener before the water heater. That supposedly makes the anode go bad faster.

Have 1-1/6 socket. Tried to remove it back in december. Socket had some id chamfer. Tried to remove the rod. Socket is starting to slip off. Also didn't have the replacement rod at the time.

Tried again today. Ground the front of the socket to remove most of the chamfer. Used 18" breaker bar with some kroil. Tried hex bit impact driver adapted up to fit the socket.

Yes I let off some pressure and let some water drain out. Water heater was still mostly hot. Turned water heater temp down as well.

Have done kroil on it. Kroil is soaking in now. Had some soaking in December. The bottom of the hole is 1.2" down. Hole barely fits the socket.
Considering calling the plumber but I'm afraid they will say it's stuck and you will have to get a new water heater when it goes bad.

Or I will have to drill it out. It's on the back side of the exhaust flue.

Any ideas?

To start with, having a water softener before the hot water heater should make it last longer. It will remove any corrosion-causing minerals from your water and make all your plumbing last longer. I pulled the anode rod out of my water heater a year ago, and put it right back in because it has been in there twenty years and still had plenty of anode material on it.

Kroil will help, but a 1/2 drive impact wrench with a deep impact socket should get it out without any problems.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

You need to look at the maintenance for the tankless water heater. They need to be flushed often. Even with the softener.

Drained and cleaned it back in November. Think I also did some vinegar at the time. Didn't have much crap in it. (That was also when the gas controller crapped out and had to get a replacement. Pilot light didn't want to light. Had plumbers out in November - December for that mess.) Has had a water softener before it for its entire life.

Haven't noticed any noises but I just want to make sure the rod is still good. Will eventually change it out for tankless rinnai cause the wife wants a big tub when we put in the second bathroom. That will be a bit of a mess trying to figure out where we can put it. Windows and front door distance requirements for exhaust and intake. Water heater in basement.

The code here is 6 feet from any window or door that will open.
I guess the impact gun is going to be the best advice. Try to tighten it just a bit and then reverse it out. I've had good luck with that trick a couple times.

 

[Inifinty]

If you just want to check condition of the rod could you drain the tank and remove one of the heating elements to get a peek?

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

It's gas.

If you just want to check condition of the rod could you drain the tank and remove one of the heating elements to get a peek?

 

[Inifinty]

It's gas. He said that it was behind the flue pipe. IIRC

Good catch, my bad.

 

[LeftyJason]

You need to look at the maintenance for the tankless water heater. They need to be flushed often. Even with the softener.

The code here is 6 feet from any window or door that will open.
I guess the impact gun is going to be the best advice. Try to tighten it just a bit and then reverse it out. I've had good luck with that trick a couple times.

Dad has them and cycles vinegar through it once a year with a small pump thingy. Currently only have a 40 gallon tank with no room to add another and the wife wants a 36x72 tub or thereabouts. That's a whole other mess involving moving drains (originally plumbed for corner shower). Wife wants a tub that fits and it's cheaper than a swim/ hot tub thingy.

 

[The D]

Only way you're getting that off is with a 1/2" impact wrench or bigger. Last one I took off was with a Milwaukee M18 1/2" impact wrench and it even gave it a little bit of a fit.

Op, this is most likely the least painful way to get the anode out. I went through water heater bullshit about a month ago and ran across a lot of videos saying this as well

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Most people don't know about the maintenance and I've seen a couple that were clogged up. Not really a stoppage but real poor flow causing shut down.

Dad has them and cycles vinegar through it once a year with a small pump thingy. Currently only have a 40 gallon tank with no room to add another and the wife wants a 36x72 tub or thereabouts. That's a whole other mess involving moving drains (originally plumbed for corner shower). Wife wants a tub that fits and it's cheaper than a swim/ hot tub thingy.

I've got one of those big tubs. It's not been used in a long time. Occasionally the youngest daughter will come back home for a soak and then a shower. It was used quite a bit for a few years after I installed it.

 

[AllenOne1]

I'd leave it alone, if it ain't broke don't fix it. The water softener should help with the tank life as mentioned above. Probably last for years just as it is.

 

[mahlv]

Hopefully when you say "softener" it's a real softener that uses salt and not any of those rip-off snake oil citrus nugen peices of shit, or even worse, a magnet. Can't believe how many people I thought were smart that have magnets SMH. Unless you're getting some bad electrolysis or your water is low on the PH scale, I wouldn't worry about the anode. Especially if you're figuring on getting rid of it in a few years and going tankless.

 

[LeftyJason]

Hopefully when you say "softener" it's a real softener that uses salt and not any of those rip-off snake oil citrus nugen peices of shit, or even worse, a magnet. Can't believe how many people I thought were smart that have magnets SMH. Unless you're getting some bad electrolysis or your water is low on the PH scale, I wouldn't worry about the anode. Especially if you're figuring on getting rid of it in a few years and going tankless.

Its a real one. Culligan that softens on demand. Had to replace it last year. The brain on the Culligan that was installed in 94 died.

I replaced the di electric unions in November because the steel pipes coming out the top were rusting. That's when the pilot wouldn't light. Last summer my Dad suggested I replace them. I used the sweat in type. There were some in before but they were the nipple type at the top of the water heater.

 

[LeftyJason]

Most people don't know about the maintenance and I've seen a couple that were clogged up. Not really a stoppage but real poor flow causing shut down.

I've got one of those big tubs. It's not been used in a long time. Occasionally the youngest daughter will come back home for a soak and then a shower. It was used quite a bit for a few years after I installed it.

Current tub is 30x58. 9.5 inches to the overflow and 13.5 at deepest. Boxed in by walls.

 

[TXAZ]

I’ve been through 3 water heater repair / replace on this home since moving in in 2015, with a whole house water softener.
In retrospect it would have been much cheaper to go to Home Depot and have bought a new one than having called the plumber once. When the plumber came out in 2015 (under the home warranty call) it cost $600, then died a year later, replacement cost $900 for the WH, I did the work.

 

[Kinetic Moose]

I used a 3/4 impact to get one out of my last water heater before I ended up switching to tankless... now I rent, so i don't fix shit, and I find myself wanting to sometimes, but then I just go for a ride or do something else lol...
I recommend changing the anode yearly, also pipe dope is your friend, not teflon tape, and if you can find them, magnesium anodes tended to last longer where I was living, but chemistry dependant... etc.

 

[LeftyJason]

Update. The stupid anode is staying in.


Kroil soaked for 3 days. Borrowed a Milwaukee m18 mid torque 1/2" impact from a coworker. Rounded the thing off. There is no way to use heat since the insulation at the top is the expandable foam in a can crap that is flammable. Took off the top and cut out foam to see if I could get a pipe wrench on it. No go since the top of the anode rod is below the sheet metal.

Did all this and put it all back together saturday night. Used expandable foam in a can to fill in the foam that I took out. Did that before I put the top back on.

The only way to get it out now is to drill it and I don't feel like doing that. Note: no current problems. Was just trying to be proactive with the anode rod.

Asked one of the industrial maintenance/ industrial plumbing guys at work to see what he thought before I started and he said it's not going to come out. Guess he was right.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Quitter!!

Update. The stupid anode is staying in.


Kroil soaked for 3 days. Borrowed a Milwaukee m18 mid torque 1/2" impact from a coworker. Rounded the thing off. There is no way to use heat since the insulation at the top is the expandable foam in a can crap that is flammable. Took off the top and cut out foam to see if I could get a pipe wrench on it. No go since the top of the anode rod is below the sheet metal.
View attachment 7851981
Did all this and put it all back together saturday night. Used expandable foam in a can to fill in the foam that I took out. Did that before I put the top back on.

The only way to get it out now is to drill it and I don't feel like doing that. Note: no current problems. Was just trying to be proactive with the anode rod.

Asked one of the industrial maintenance/ industrial plumbing guys at work to see what he thought before I started and he said it's not going to come out. Guess he was right.

I admire your tenacity. You went way further than 99% would have.
I think someone already mentioned that if you were going to replace it with an on demand that they would not bother taking the anode out.

 

[Mike Casselton]

You need to look at the maintenance for the tankless water heater. They need to be flushed often. Even with the softener.

The code here is 6 feet from any window or door that will open.
I guess the impact gun is going to be the best advice. Try to tighten it just a bit and then reverse it out. I've had good luck with that trick a couple times.

^^^^^^^^
That's how we got most of the stuck fasteners out of aircraft.
Tighten it JUST ENOUGH to move it, nothing more. You're trying to break the corrosive grip in the threads. This technique also preserves the flats that are used to remove the element.
If it'll tighten that tiny bit, it'll come out.

Also, if it starts getting tough to unscrew, turn it part of the way back in and then begin backing it out again. You might have to do that a few times to get all the corrosion broken down enough to unscrew it all the way out.

 

[whatsupdoc]

That sucks, I had two anodes on my water heater and surprisingly they both came out easy.

Mongo had anode install duty that day and he ate his Wheaties.

 

[eastexsteve]

Just a note here, but when the people here say an "impact socket" they mean an impact socket, and not one of those chrome 6 or 12 point hand wrench sockets. There is a difference. They will break free a bolt that a standard socket won't budge. It's all in the mass.

 

[TriggerJerk!]

I bought a house built in 1994 with your same configuration (Rheen water heater and water softening unit). I had to replace the thermocouple on it two weeks ago. Everyone was telling me to buy new.

Mine apparently has had nothing done to it since 1994. So I am not going to do a thing to it accept replace it when it dies. At 28 years, it is already “old” for a tanked water heater.

 

[akmike47]

I bought a house built in 1994 with your same configuration (Rheen water heater and water softening unit). I had to replace the thermocouple on it two weeks ago. Everyone was telling me to buy new.

Mine apparently has had nothing done to it since 1994. So I am not going to do a thing to it accept replace it when it dies. At 28 years, it is already “old” for a tanked water heater.

A shit ton of peoples replaced water heaters only needed thermocouples it’s crazy.

 

[Handloader]

Shut off water heater, drain 5 to 10 gallons out, propane torch the shit out of the rod-bolt head and female thread section, pipe wrench off, cut off the Mg rod, reinstall. Off you don't drain water, the water keeps sucking up the heat of the rod head.

 

[LeftyJason]

Shut off water heater, drain 5 to 10 gallons out, propane torch the shit out of the rod-bolt head and female thread section, pipe wrench off, cut off the Mg rod, reinstall. Off you don't drain water, the water keeps sucking up the heat of the rod head.

Drained some out. Not sure how much.

Can't propane it out. The insulation at the top is flammable foam. Basically this stuff on all sides at the top. That is what was also holding the top on.

Can't pipe wrench it out. The sheet metal goes up too high. I (and industrial plumber coworkers) have never seen a pipe wrench that has jaws 1" offset from the handle.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Quitter!!

I admire your tenacity. You went way further than 99% would have.
I think someone already mentioned that if you were going to replace it with an on demand that they would not bother taking the anode out.

He did show a lot of determination.... Kudos

 

[akmike47]

This is the first time I’ve ever heard of anyone replacing these, and I grew up around plumbers and working with them. I know it’s ideally supposed to be done, but never heard of it actually being done.

Also they sell wrench’s for this at Lowe’s and Home Depot...

 

[hollowoutadime]

Anybody besides me go out and buy a replacement anode because of this thread?

 

[Fig]

Anybody besides me go out and buy a replacement anode because of this thread?

No. I went out and bought whisky after reading this thread.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Actually, it has been a plan of mine, because we replaced our hot-water tank about 10 years ago. This is because it had 'disolved' around one of the pressure relief valves. Which is what tells me that the water is acidic enough to have disolved the magnesium anode.

We had to replace the tank at my MIL's here last year. That was the second tank in about 14 years. Gotta bring over the impact to try to spin the anode-plug out, because a regular 1/2" breaker bar just ain't enough to bust it loose.

If the impact doesn't do it, then a judicuously applied goodly amount of explosives are obviously the next and final step.

Thing is, while the premise of this IS to prevent the pre-mature deterioration of our water tank, it is more pertaining to a "Ukrainian Air Conditioning System" that I'd designed and built for our boat. I'm truly thinking about adding one of these anodes to 'that system' though it'll work quite differently but for the same reason. HA.

Yes, and interesting topic to which I'm learning vicariously.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

There's a reason a plumber told you its not coming out....because they aren't really supposed to.
The rod should last the life of your water heater.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

There's a reason a plumber told you its not coming out....because they aren't really supposed to.
The rod should last the life of your water heater.

exactly. I'm pretty sure, that when mine 'dissolved away' is when the tank itself started dissolving, hence why it 'ate through'. I understand about the 'anode' in freshwater and saltwater propulsion systems, hence why I'm looking more in to this. As long as the ANODE is there, it is the 'sacrificial metal' to prevent pre-mature wear of the main component due to electrolysis.

Which brings me back full-circle to our unique a/c design, for when we're "on the water".

 

[The D]

Anybody besides me go out and buy a replacement anode because of this thread?

Nope. Because I had to replace our water heater a few months ago…

I will be replacing the anode in a few years though

 

[armorpl8chikn]

(Sigh)
Yall keep them anodes replaced. I'd recommend every 18 months.

 

[Eddystone]

If it is doable weld on a 3/4 or 1" nut to the plug. plug weld center too. Impact and if it breaks off, repeat. welding shrinks the plug and it does help. "usually"

 

[Sean the Nailer]

(Sigh)
Yall keep them anodes replaced. I'd recommend every 18 months.

Are you suggesting that electrolysis isn't an issue?

 

[hollowoutadime]

I'm on a well. I use a filter (pre-softener) and a carbon block filter post softener. Water tastes fine. Upon biying the house, the anode was pretty cancered up. Replaced the water heater in 2017, the anode was roasted. Sacrificial anodes do work.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Are you suggesting that electrolysis isn't an issue?

No. I'm suggesting the anodes aren't really made to be replaced. If they were, they'd be as easy to remove as the elements.
I could replace/install a water heater by myself at the age of 14, including sweating the copper, but there is every chance I dont know what I'm talking about.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Thank you for the clarification. I'm of a 'differing opinion' so-far, and here's why. The last hot-water tank I'd replaced was 'completely eaten away' in an area that 'shouldn't be'. MIL's tank was electric, and I want to pull the old one out to literally see the condition it's in.

Our tank is gas. I don't have the physical ability anymore to 'just pick 'em up and throw 'em around' like I used-ta-could when I was young. Also, now that I'm living on disability income, I sure as hell can't afford to simply 'buy another one' very easily. Trying to be pro-active here.

Them manufacturer's putting the bastards in REAL tight, and/or rockset'ing them, and/or Loctite'ing them in would make sense, because it would last for 'x' years then disolve itself and you gotta buy a new one.

Now, these magnesium anodes ARE on the shelf at the Home Despot's and other box stores. So the do sell 'em individually.

But, aside from all that, it is from having a boat in the freshwater river that has magnesium anodes on it and seeing the YEARLY deterioration of them, well... THAT is what has queud me on to this tangent and I'm wanting to look further in to it. It truly is surprising just how much of the anode 'disolves' which is what it is made to do. Sacrificial metal, and I get that. When it's gone, that is when your engine/drive starts to dissolve. Same/same for hot-water tanks, no?

I'm not in any way saying that you, or anyone else here is wrong. Not at all. I'm investigating this to literally see if MY thinking is wrong.

This all started years ago, when my grandfather's hot-water tank blew. It was made out of thick copper. Copper don't rust. No reason why it should have 'failed', in my head. And then it went on, from there.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

No reason why it should have 'failed', in my head.

Thermal cycles.

I'm not able to wrestle water heaters any more either. Our homestead is just me and my wife this is why we have a 30 gallon water heater. If I drain it, its not beyond my ability to wheel truck it out of the house.
If your anode is eaten away, if it is almost eaten away, its doing damage to other parts.
Its a tank, that holds thermal cycling water batches. I'd does expand and contract.
It has a limited life span.
I had a big long reply typed out...and deleted most of it.
I plumbed under the house today so I may be coming off a little cranky. If so I apologize.
Its plumbing. It gets replaced, eventually, as a general rule.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

curious did you use a 6 pointed socket or 12?

 

[M5Pilot]

I used my Milwaukee battery-powered 1/2" impact gun that has 1000 ft/lbs of torque when set on reverse. It popped the rod loose in seconds. Then I installed this:

Home

Corro-Protec's Powered Anode Rods prevent corrosion, smells and limescale buildup in water heaters, Residential, RV & Commercial. Find out more today!

www.corroprotec.com

Supposedly it never wears out. Time will tell. I pulled the original rod out at the 5-year mark and it was almost gone.

 

[Fig]

Fuckin-A!

 

[akmike47]

View attachment 7853149

“....from that big titty bitch at Home Depot”

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

He's thinking up reasons to go back to Home Depot.

View attachment 7853149

So she is not completely wrong