Are we supposed to have an Anode Rod? 2007 Aspect 26A

[S.Rodimus]

Does an Anode Rod just get attached to the inside of the Water Heater Drain Plug? Either our coach's hot water heater doesn't utilize an Anode Rod, or it's just missing and we need to get a new one.
(We just un-winterized for the first time today -- boy was that an adventure figuring out which direction every valve should face....but we finally did it!)

Anyways, in the process we noticed there is no Anode Rod where we assume it should be (attached to the inside of the Water Heater Drain Plug). Maybe Anode Rods are a thing only for RVs newer than ours (2007)?

Would we get an Anode Rod and attach it to this plug, or get a whole new plug with the Anode Rod already manufactured as part of it?

Picture from our User Manual:

[Morich]

Use of anode rod depends on the way it was built and that depends on brand. Many remember that sort of detail but I do not. If you have the manual which matches the heater and there is no mention of the anode, you most likely have the other brand and it is not needed!
Congrats on that as getting the anode put back in without the length making it tricky to avoid cross threading can be a trick!

[JoeSR]

To the best of my knowledge, Atwood with their aluminum tanks do not use an anode rod. Suburban water heaters do.

I have an old Atwood and I can confirm that info. Any knowledge I have on the Suburban came from reading iRV2 forum.

[Morich]

That's where I was thinking that if they have a manual that matches the water heater and that is where they got the picture, I would consider that as close to correct as we can get!

But I may have failed to answer on of their questions about the anode!
No! The anode rod is not attached to the plug but built as a standalone item. You buy a plug or you buy an anode rod, not combine two different things.

I try to avoid RV with rods as they are a pain to me.
If you look at the angle of the hole and think of trying to hold an 8-10 inch metal rod at that angle while trying to get the threads matched up, all at the same time, and only having the end to hold on to, I find it difficult!

I like the plastic plugs!

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Originally Posted by JoeSR

To the best of my knowledge, Atwood with their aluminum tanks do not use an anode rod. Suburban water heaters do.

^^^ Correct, at least until 2020 or so. Dometic bought Atwood and discontinued the Atwood line.

That said, if you tell us the make and model of the water heater installed in your coach we can confirm the above.

A prior owner could have replaced the heater, such that it does not match the photo in the Winnebago operator's manual. The picture shows an Atwood.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Morich

That's where I was thinking that if they have a manual that matches the water heater and that is where they got the picture, I would consider that as close to correct as we can get!

But I may have failed to answer on of their questions about the anode!
No! The anode rod is not attached to the plug but built as a standalone item. You buy a plug or you buy an anode rod, not combine two different things.

I try to avoid RV with rods as they are a pain to me.
If you look at the angle of the hole and think of trying to hold an 8-10 inch metal rod at that angle while trying to get the threads matched up, all at the same time, and only having the end to hold on to, I find it difficult!

I like the plastic plugs!

Suburban RV water heaters have the anode rod welded inside the plug. Only Atwood/Dometic uses a nylon plug.



https://suburbanrvparts.com/suburban...-aluminum-3-4/

[kvmllr]

Depends on the water heater. Always, check your owner's manual first. If you don't have one then you have a tank that doesn't require it.

[S.Rodimus]

Thank you, all! Manual mentions nothing of an Anode Rod, but does give instructions of how to remove sediment from the bottom of the hot water tank. So NO Anode Rod it is, it seems. Thanks, again.