Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: jbeem on December 09, 2019, 11:00:42 am

Title: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: jbeem on December 09, 2019, 11:00:42 am
Went to drain the water tank and inspect the anode rod and found it just has a plastic threaded bung and no anode rod.  Do you'all have just the plastic bung or do you have anode rod?
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: bdale on December 09, 2019, 11:07:58 am
No anode in mine but it's an all-aluminum tank.  Doesn't require an anode.
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: John and Stacey on December 09, 2019, 11:12:28 am
Same as bdale, no anode rod, aluminum tank.
John
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: jbeem on December 09, 2019, 11:13:05 am
I thought that with aluminum tank you wouldn't need one, but wanted to be sure.
Thanks
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: wolfe10 on December 09, 2019, 11:23:34 am
Correct.  With an ATWOOD water heater which Foretravel used, no anode.  Replace the Atwood nylon drain plug annually when you service the water heater.  About $1 each at any RV store.
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: Mike Leary (RIP) on December 09, 2019, 11:44:24 am
Correct.  With an ATWOOD water heater which Foretravel used, no anode.  Replace the Atwood nylon drain plug annually when you service the water heater.  About $1 each at any RV store.
Excellent comment.......our's had not been serviced when we got her and I noticed right away the nylon plug had SPLIT and was leaking!  :facepalm:
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: Bob & Sue on December 09, 2019, 12:30:59 pm
I replaced our plastic plug with a galvanized plug and a petcock in it for draining.  Is that a bad thing??    Dissimilar metal ??
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: wolfe10 on December 09, 2019, 02:11:07 pm
I replaced our plastic plug with a galvanized plug and a petcock in it for draining.  Is that a bad thing??    Dissimilar metal ??

Yes, a bad thing.  The aluminum tank is now the ANODE and will erode to protect the galvanized steel.  Also, the steel threads are a LOT tougher than the much softer aluminum threads of the tank.
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: Bob & Sue on December 09, 2019, 02:41:24 pm
K... well it's a good thing I kept the plastic plug.  I'll be switching it out tomorrow when the water is cool. 
  Thanks Brett..
Title: Re: Do you have an anode rod in water heater?
Post by: wolfe10 on December 09, 2019, 03:22:47 pm
K... well it's a good thing I kept the plastic plug.  I'll be switching it out tomorrow when the water is cool. 
  Thanks Brett..

Use a new one.  They do age and get brittle.

2 1/2 wraps of teflon tape helps seal it.  Start by just a little tighter than hand tight.  If it leaks, tighten a little more.  Said another way if you crank on it, you can break the nylon plug.

But broken plugs are easy to remove with a sprinkler head remover tool from any box store.