If you have a RV water heater it is likely you have an anode rod in the inner tank. This little critter is probably the most unknown friend to most campers that there is. The anode rod in your water heater is a part in the water heater that makes the inner tank last longer.

Have you ever heard the expression “the sacrificial lamb”? This is what the water heater anode rod is. It sacrifices itself so that the inner tank of your water heater can last an extreme amount of time longer than had it not been in there. I was in Florida once and a RV Repair Facility / RV Parts Store had an entire wall of inner tanks for water heaters. I asked why they had so many and this began my education on the all important water heater anode rod.

They explained that the water there had minerals in it that just played havoc on the inner tanks. It ate into the aluminum tanks and created pin holes which of course caused the inner tanks to leak, especially while the tank was under pressure. While this area was severe, almost all areas have water that will cause this. The culprits are usually high contents of iron and or sulphates.

The answer to some degree is the anode rod, which, depending on your water heater most likely will be about three quarters of an inch in diameter and four and a half to nine and a half inches long. Some are made from aluminum or magnesium. It is most likely threaded in the beginning with a hex head on the end and the remainder being smooth. The anode rod acts kind of like a magnet. It attracts the minerals that eat into the lining of a tank and causes them to eat into the rod instead.

Since many campers don’t even realize they have one, it is our hope that this article will be informative enough that it will inspire action to check this baby at least once a year. It is an easy replacement and actually quite inexpensive, especially if you do it yourself. The part is probably only ten to thirteen dollars and can be removed and replaced in less than twenty minutes.

To do this simply turn off the rv water heater and wait until all water in the tank is cooled and has no risk of being hot enough to burn you. Lift the pop off safety valve up to release pressure and to allow air into the tank and then simply unscrew the anode rod. The water will drain quite quickly. It will even drain faster by opening a couple of faucets inside the coach. When the water has drained out of the water heater just screw the new anode rod back into the opening. The most commonly used tool is a one and one sixteenth thin wall socket.

One might ask how they would know if the anode rod needs to be replaced. You can do this by removing the anode rod as explained in the previous paragraph and when you remove it just look and see how damaged it is. It is my opinion that if it is has been sacrificed more than half of its original size to go ahead and replace it. If however, budget is a constraint, you can put it back in and just check it again a little later down the road and replace when you think it has nothing else to give. Just remember that it is a lot cheaper and easier to replace an anode rod than an inner tank. Always keep in mind how much of an integral part the rod plays in extending the life of your inner tank.

Just as a little additional information the huge majority or RV water heaters are produced under two brand names. The Atwood and the Suburban brands. The Suburban RV water heater is the only one to have an anode rod as a standard part. The Atwood brand of RV water heaters have an aluminum tank where the Suburban has a steel tank but it is porcelain lined.

If you have any questions on parts for your RV water heater or any other RV Parts or RV Accessories you can find the internet a great place or resource for additional information and can contact one of the many RV Parts Dealers online or you can also contact your local RV Dealership or RV Repair.

Author Bio: Dan Mercurio is President of Elite Search Engine Marketing. We provide quality marketing service for RV Water Heater Dealers and RV Dealers.

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