hanknjoyce
Livingston, TX
New Member
Joined: 07/14/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
 Offline
|
I searched the forum but couldn't find anything on this problem.
Tried to flush my hot water heater tank today; plug came out but the anode rod is broken off in the drain tunnel. Don't want to knock it back into the tank, but it's wedged in really tight. Has anyone had this problem? I have tried pliers and tapping with a screwdriver but won't budge. Good news is no water leaking from the tank. Bad news is I can't flush tank and I really need to (been traveling a lot). Thanks for any advice!
Hank
2005 Mandalay DP
|
skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
Am I understanding correctly that you removed the PLUG and the anode rod is tight enough that nothing is leaking from the tank? How would an anode rod that fits that tight have been put INTO the tank? Check to be sure the plug isn't what has broken instead of the anode. If that's the case about all you can do is drill a hole to use an easy-out to unscew the remains of the plug.
2004 F-250 SCREW Long Bed (new)
OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
|
Vulcanmars
Naples, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 10/18/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
I would take a jobber length drill bit to it. Drill around the center to expose the rod and try to pull it out.
OR Drill it like a six-shooter. It should crumble apart once you put a few holes in it.
Mars
06 Rage'n FA3005
04 V10 F250 SDCC 4X4
|
TMitchell
Punta Gorda, Fl.
Senior Member
Joined: 12/02/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
|
Anode rods get smaller as they get eaten up. When you get it out you need to let us know how it could get wedged in the drain hole.
I would do as suggested and drill a hole in the center, tap some threads into it, screw a bolt into it and pull it out.
Tom
Tom,Pat and Buster the Boston Terrier
2004 Dutch Star 3807 Spartan 370HP
Jeep Grand Cherokee
|
Thomas/NH
Exeter, NH
New Member
Joined: 03/22/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Speaking as a licensed plumber; it won't hurt anything to leave it in the heater, it will just dissolve away in a matter of time anyway. However, make sure you put a new one in, so you can track it's rate of dissolve. It's like having double the protection.
|
|
|
chassis
Penn's Woods
Senior Member
Joined: 07/30/2003
View Profile
|
I agree, let it stay in there as Thomas/NH said. How could have gotten wedged in so tightly? If you get it unjammed, one suggestion is to use a "grabber" tool - the kind with finger grips that are used to retrieve small parts when you drop them into your engine bay, while working on a vehicle.
2003 F-250 6.0 Powerstroke diesel, 4x2, crew cab short bed
2004 Cardinal T31BH travel trailer
|
thgoodman
Where ever the wheels stop (S. Utah right now)
Senior Member
Joined: 06/26/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Hank, what brand water heater is it? Have you had the rig since it was new? More info may help some of the experts on here.
Another consideration: If you get it out, what can you do to keep it from happening again? One thing I would look for is... is it an Atwood water heater that someone put an anode into? That could be the cause of your problem.
Let us know what you find.
Tom & Jan
Full timers since April '06 - 3 fur kids (George - mini Aussie, Archie - mini Poodle, Kitty - 20 yo blind cat)
2006 Beaver Patriot Thunder towing 2006 Subaru (4 down)
Started workamping Sept '07 - "This isn't too bad. Think we'll do it some more."
|
plascell
Lynchburg, VA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/13/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
Is it possible that the anode rod broke off the plug and has fallen into the electric heating element and that is what is snagging the anode?
Pete W4WWQ DX70 IC-2800 Pressure-Pro X-10 camera
2006 Chevy 3500 CC LB 4WD DRW Duramax auto-6
2003 Cardinal 29WB LX EU3000is Roto-Choks 300W from www.amsolar.com
|
Bonefish
Midland, TX
Senior Member
Joined: 01/08/2008
View Profile
|
Ditto on what Skipnchar said.
Also the anode rod is at the bottom of the tank and the heating element is in the center of the tank. It sounds like the tank is full of sediment and has cemented the anode in place unless as someone else posted the botton half of the plug is still in the hole. The threaded plug should have around 3/4 of an inch of threads.
Bonefish
|
Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/10/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
Hard to picture the problem but if the anode rod has threads that are stuck you might try drilling opposite holes in what you can see and use a needle nose pliers to unscrew what is stuck.
If no threads the previous suggestions might work.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2003 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two bikes (both Electric Schwinn's with motor assist)
|
|
|
