Anode Rod

[Bill Tattersall]

Anybody have any thoughts on getting this out of a hot water heater. 1 1/16 wrench. Tried an impact wrench, no go. Tried a breaker bar with extension and only succeeded in moving the entire heater. Soaked with Kroil for a week, and tried impact wrench again, no go. Maybe a bigger impact wrench or an induction heater? Can't use a torch because of the foam insulation.

 

[Ericp351]

First, do not overthink. Next, put impact away. Now, get a pail of water and your oxygen torch. Heat and spin out with box end or pipe wrench. Water to wet foam. Wet foam ain,t gonna melt.

 

[Texasmark]

Good luck!!!!!!

 

[Russ from MN]

Leave it be, you will probably ruin the tank if you keep trying!

 

[a49deere]

Leave it be, you will probably ruin the tank if you keep trying!

Agree with RUSS, if it ain't giving you trouble don't make a trouble! How old is tank? What is your reasoning for thinking it needs to be changed? Do you flush it once or twice a year?

 

[Ericp351]

Mr. Bill is on track. Just needs to heat, remove. Really can add years to tank. Proven.

 

[Ray,IN]

IMO, if the heater is over 20 yrs old, just replace it; you've already gotten you monies worth anyway.

 

[drsportster]

Heat is your friend

 

[Stephen Newell]

I wouldn't remove it. It's designed to last the life of the water heater. If it's corroded away chances are the tank is too, I would wait until the tank fails and replace the unit.

 

[runwoolf]

Anybody have any thoughts on getting this out of a hot water heater. 1 1/16 wrench. Tried an impact wrench, no go. Tried a breaker bar with extension and only succeeded in moving the entire heater. Soaked with Kroil for a week, and tried impact wrench again, no go. Maybe a bigger impact wrench or an induction heater? Can't use a torch because of the foam insulation.

Anode rods do save the life of a water heater, depending on the hardness of your water, they can also reduce the sulfur smell if the correct rod is used. If the heater is 10 or more years old and you cannot easily remove the rod I would replace the heater, you may do more damage downstream trying to remove the rod. Both my heaters are 20 years old and I have replaced the rods twice, I do have a water softener. Anode rods are not necessarily good for the life of the heater..depends on the mineral content.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

I had a new anode rod in my shed for five years , the reason was that I couldn't get the old one out matter what I tried .
A friendly plumber bought it back off me .
The 15 year old heater lasted another 6 years anyhow.

 

[NoDakInMN]

When I worked for a plumbing and heating shop, removing anode rods was a common practice if the hot water started smelling like rotten eggs from the sulphur. Some were replaced, most just had a pipe plug put in. The later often went several years before needing replacement. Hard water resulting in scale collecting in the bottom of the water heater is usually responsible for the failure of the heater more than anything.

 

[NoDakInMN]

Anybody have any thoughts on getting this out of a hot water heater. 1 1/16 wrench. Tried an impact wrench, no go. Tried a breaker bar with extension and only succeeded in moving the entire heater. Soaked with Kroil for a week, and tried impact wrench again, no go. Maybe a bigger impact wrench or an induction heater? Can't use a torch because of the foam insulation.

Unless the heater is a small unit, 20 gallons or so, reduce the water pressure on the heater to zero but leave it full of water when using the breaker bar. The weight of the water will help prevent it from moving.

 

[NDIHC]

When I worked for a plumbing and heating shop, removing anode rods was a common practice if the hot water started smelling like rotten eggs from the sulphur. Some were replaced, most just had a pipe plug put in. The later often went several years before needing replacement. Hard water resulting in scale collecting in the bottom of the water heater is usually responsible for the failure of the heater more than anything.

I had to do that on my last water heater when we were still using water from our well. Our hot water absolutely reeked like sulfur. The guy who installed furnaces and water heaters at the co-op where I worked told me to take out the rod and cut it off, then reinstall the plug. The water heater lasted about 20 years, part of the time on well water and then on rural water.