remove anode rod - John Wood
Have a gas fired hwt - John Wood Series Pro, how do I get the anode rod out - Many thanks It should just unscrew by turning counterclockwise. Depending on the age, it may have lots of corrosion and be a bear.If you use a pipe wrench, try putting pressure on the rod and at the same time, tap the top jaw of the wrench with a hammer. Vibration can be a great help at times. Good luck and post back. To check the anode, turn off the hot and cold water and drain out about 2 gallons of water. Then take out the TP valve and look in the tank with a flashlight. If the anode is there just put the TP back in and check it again next year. If the anode is gone (god forbid) you may want to borrow an electric impact Get a socket to fit the hex and it will come right out. The impact does the trick. Ken I've got a year-old Whirlpool 50 gal electric, want to replace the anode rod with aluminum, reputed to solve the odor problem. Whirlpool directions say to remove old anode rod with a socket wrench. Hah! Socket wrench, 4' breaker bar, air-driven impact wrench, nothing budges this thing. Must have been built on a Monday. Any ideas? What your using is what we all might try to use, not sure what else you can try. I bought a big wrench but could not get the rod loose a little bit. The heater is just two and half years old. At one Home Improvement store, I asked about the Anode Rod and the guy never heard of it. At another one, the person told me that she'd been in plumbing for 10 years and never saw anyone taking the Rod out, and I should not check the Anode Rod at all and just wait for about 7-8 years and then get a new heater. I figured probably she is right because of the way the Anode Rod is installed (the top of the Anode is too small for any tool to work on). Seaport I just posted the same thing about a week ago. I have practically sheared the head off of the thing with no luck at all. Penetrating oil, ice, tapping, and the kitchen sink and the thing just won't budge. Apparently they screw these suckers down REALLY tight. If you find something that works, please let me know. I have a almost new Whirlpool Electric Water heater, the odor is so bad I dam near will not bath in it- I have purchased a large socket and have an air Ratchet, it ain't moving it at all. I was going to ask if it comes out counter clockwise, someone here posted that it does. This nut is so tight, I almost believe they want you to destroy the Heater to get it out. How stupid can it get. turn the water off to the heater and drain a few gallons of water. now get a torch and heat up the head of the anode rod and drip some heated parafin on it. the wax will make it's way through the threads and, hopefully, loosen that bugger up. they will come out, it's just a matter of when and how. You are right. It is a little ridiculous that they are nearly impossible to remove. Yet if it has to be replaced to get rid of the rotten egg smell, you can't ignore it. The manufacturers probably figure that for everyone that can't be removed, a new tank will be sold at some premature time. Bock expects the anode to be checked anually to keep the warranty in place but we don't remove them to check them. Just eyeball through the TP tapping. I think the heat idea is good. We use a pipe sealer made by Permatex and it is almost impossible to get loose unless you heat it up a little, and it comes apart easily. The sealer I usually see on the anodes is gray and gooey so I don't know if heat will help but it is worth a try. The air ratchet may not have the torque of a 1/2 impact gun either. Ken It seems like most of the posts talk about replaciong an anode rod but what about removing it completely...taking out the old one and cutting offf the rod and simply replacing the cap? I undestand that the rod is a sacrificial rod that allows the tank to be spared by the attacking water which will attack the magnesium rod first. But how much extra tank life does one get with the rod? I am concerned with smelly water so I need to do someting...replace or eliminate. I have read that using another metal such as aluminum rather than a conventional magnesium rod is also the way to go when trying to eliminate smells. This Old House has a great video showing how this procedure is done. Replacing the anode rod with an aluminum one would be the recommended procedure. Leaving the anode rod out can be expected to substantially shorten the life of the water heater while putting a new aluminum rod in can be expected to substantially lengthen the life of the tank. Mu current tank was manufacture in 1987. The anode rod I installed ten years ago was pitted but no part of it were missing down to the steel wire. Will I get thirty years or more use out of this tank? Wait and see! It sounds like you already have the old rod out. That's usually the hardest part of the job. I'd get a new aluminum rod and install it.
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