Adding a 2nd anode rod to H-D Rheem electric water heater

[fritzfield]

I tried to remove rod on 4 yr old heater but it won't move and I don't have an impact wrench. Heating the nut head on top seems to have a danger potential. I thought that I might just replace the hot water outlet nipple with a combo anode rod like Bradford-White water heaters have. Can I just leave the old anode alone and use the combo rod as the primary rod? Will the old rod cause any problems?

 

[boomerang]

Can I just leave the old anode alone and use the combo rod as the primary rod? Will the old rod cause any problems?

I don't see why not. But on a personal level I wonder what the need is? While it's going to vary for various applications, my HWH is 13 years old and has no anode rod. I'm on well water and the anode, if left in, makes the water stink to high heaven. They need to be cut off when a new HWH is installed at my place.

It just seem like a lot of dicking around to perhaps extend the life of the HWH. But to each his own.

 

[NetWareHead]

I tried to remove rod on 4 yr old heater but it won't move and I don't have an impact wrench. Heating the nut head on top seems to have a danger potential. I thought that I might just replace the hot water outlet nipple with a combo anode rod like Bradford-White water heaters have. Can I just leave the old anode alone and use the combo rod as the primary rod? Will the old rod cause any problems?

get a different tool/wrench. Those rods are designed to come out

I don't see why not. But on a personal level I wonder what the need is? While it's going to vary for various applications, my HWH is 13 years old and has no anode rod. I'm on well water and the anode, if left in, makes the water stink to high heaven. They need to be cut off when a new HWH is installed at my place.

It just seem like a lot of dicking around to perhaps extend the life of the HWH. But to each his own.

Keep in mind that running a water heater without or with a depleted anode rod will void the warranty and rapidly lead to rusting. Your issue is caused by anaerobic bacteria present in the well water reacting with either the aluminum or magnesium in the anode rod and causing the water to stink (production of hydrogen sulfide gas aka the rotten egg odor). Changing to an aluminum/zinc anode rod will usually fix the issue on most well water; the zinc is the difference. If you ave softened water you might still have a stink even with aluminum/zinc rods. The only thing left to do is to install a powered anode rod. There is no magnesium or aluminum in these rods to cause the stinking reaction and instead of corroding, the powered anode rod uses electricity to put a charge into the water to prevent corrosion in the water heater. Downside is they are several times more expensive than sacrificial anodes but they are permanent.

 

[boomerang]

If you ave softened water you might still have a stink even with aluminum/zinc rods.

Have softened water and still had the stink and a horrendous one at that. Multiple water tests over the years have turned up no evidence of bacteria. As I said earlier, the HWH is 13 years old.

Aaaand, it's about to be under new ownership. Closing on the sale of this house the 18th.