Don't be negligent to change the anode rod
Don't be negligent to change the anode rod!!! The 5th wheel I have is a second hand trailer and it was never maintained by its first owners, including the changing of the anode rod in the hot water heater. As with many RV owners, they opted to simply let the anode rod decay completely and then let the water minerals destroy the tank itself, choosing to replace the tank every 6 to 9 years (in this area). When one can purchase an anode rod for less than $10 a year and change it one's self, it sure beats paying $400 - $600 dollars for a new water heater plus grossly high installation costs every 6 to 9 years! The hot water element can also be changed! Suburban hot water heaters make it very handy to maintain your own hot water heater as much as is possible and with a little maintenance the hot water heaters have the potential to last far longer than 6 to 9 years! Your collection of owner's manuals will tell you what kind and type of hot water heater you have and the size of anode rod and element your water heater requires. Oneness sells the two sizes that are typically required in Suburban water heaters. As a first time owner and not knowing about the need to change the anode rod, this particular water heater was installed new about a year before I purchased the trailer and for the first 2 1/2 years I had the trailer I didn't know there was a need to change the anode rod. As a result the anode rod was completely eaten away when I got the base unscrewed from the water heater. When I found out it was a needed job, I ordered all the parts required, including the wrench to be able to change it, looked on youtube for the most comprehensive video of how to change the rod I could find and then went out to try my luck. Because the best and most thorough video I found about how to change the anode rod, I had most of what I needed. What no video ever suggested was that one needs to release the pressure in the hot water tank before unscrewing the old anode rod! That needs to be done if you don't want a dirty filthy explosion of rusty gritty mineralized muck covering a 360 degree circle when the anode rod is removed. Somewhere on your Suburban hot water heater there will be a release valve and you need to open it and let the pressure escape before removing the anode rod. None of the videos I watched did any of the guys changing the anode rod wear goggles to protect their eyes and were there an explosion it was never documented. Several of the videos were pretty choppy, letting one know steps had been left out. All the guys in the videos I watched clearly released the pressure in the tank, but never videoed that portion of the job nor made mention of it. The other thing never said is that one needs to turn the water off to the trailer before doing the job. That one I figured out for myself, but it is a step left out of the instructions. Maybe RV shop repair guys figure all guys and women just automatically know this stuff as it is common sense to them, but when one has never done it, incomplete instructions aren't helpful. Besides, why would RV repair shops want to tell you all the things that make it easy for you to maintain your RV when you could take it to them and they can profit greatly? Fortunately I had figured that I needed to be wearing my oldest rattiest everyday clothes that don't matter if they get stained further or dirty when I changed the anode rod. I was right. Since I didn't know about releasing the pressure in the hot water tank, I got sprayed across the face (including in the eyes), hair, teeshirt, skirt and shoes, as well as anything else in the way in a 360 degree circle that was in the way of that explosion. Fortunately I had all I needed to take care of my eyes right handy and no damage was done to them. So, if you don't have or know where to find the pressure release valve, wear a pair of goggles to protect your eyes during the explosion. Not everyone is going to have the means right handy to clean the grit and grime out of their eyes without doing damage or preventing eye infections. This is gross negligence in the youtube videos of how to change the anode rod. The job is not difficult, even for a woman, so don't be afraid to try it. Once the water tank emptied I turned the water on again and let water run through the hot water tank until all of the rust and white gritty mineral as was possible came out. After using a screwdriver and my finger to help get rid of crud and gunk from the anode rod opening and removed old tape and gunk from the threads where the anode rod screws into the hot water heater, I let the water run until it ran clean and clear from the tank for about 5 minutes. Turning the water off, I carefully wiped the threads in the hot water heater down with mineral oil, installed the teflon tape around the threads of the anode rod and installed the new anode rod. There have been no problems since the installation. It's worth the effort to maintain your own RV. Read more
