Brand new Water Heater smelly water now.

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Charlie Bosco

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I swear I've been fighting smelly water dragons for the past year. Got it under control and now lastly replace a 19 year old heater.
I actually purchased a Corro Protec powered anode in anticipation of installing the new unit.
Since I was not getting anymore sulfur smell from either the cold or the hot I decided to forego installing the anode in the new heater. Figuring if the sulfur is gone from the source why bother.

Fast forward 1 week. Hot water now has a weird smell. Not exactly like the sulfur I was battling. It's sort of like hair perm smell. Also does not linger like the sulfur smell. But still annoying as hell

So. Does the water heater make a smell out of thin air? I thought since all minute traces of sulfur are undetectable then the heater would be fine. Seems not true.

my water source is well. katalox light to catalytic Carbon to water softener

Do I just install this damn thing? I hate to fight with that anode (albeit brand new) only to end up with the same smell.
 

Bannerman

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It's sort of like hair perm smell.
Hair colour typically uses Hydrogen Peroxide to lighten colour. While hair colour is not the same as perm solution, perhaps that is the odour you are thinking of. Your other thread discusses adding H peroxide prior to your KL filter so perhaps there is some spillover which entered the WH.
 
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Charlie Bosco

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Swap the anode.

Soo I am now getting everything I need to do this.. 1 1/16" Impact Socket to remove the existing Anode.. Was considering buying a torque multiplier just in case.. Also a big ratchet strap to keep it from moving. The heater is brand new and in use for only a couple of weeks but all I hear are nightmares of people trying to remove anodes even on new units..

I do have a 24" 1/2" Breaker Bar and hope that is enough to get this ball rolling.. Should I go with a deep socket or regular is fine?
 

Reach4

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Soo I am now getting everything I need to do this.. 1 1/16" Impact Socket to remove the existing Anode.. Was considering buying a torque multiplier just in case.. Also a big ratchet strap to keep it from moving. The heater is brand new and in use for only a couple of weeks but all I hear are nightmares of people trying to remove anodes even on new units..

I do have a 24" 1/2" Breaker Bar and hope that is enough to get this ball rolling.. Should I go with a deep socket or regular is fine?
Check how accessible the 1-1/16 hex head is, if you even have one.

No need for a deep socket usually, but probably no downside. If you can get the regular impact socket in place, that works.

With an impact wrench, no need for a strap. Just have the WH full of water. If using the breaker bar, a strap may indeed be useful.

What I call a torque multiplier is a fancy tool that has a reaction arm that presses against something else on the top of the WH to provide the counter torque.
 
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Charlie Bosco

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Check how accessible the 1-1/16 hex head is, if you even have one.

No need for a deep socket usually, but probably no downside. If you can get the regular impact socket in place, that works.



With an impact wrench, no need for a strap. Just have the WH full of water. If using the breaker bar, a strap may indeed be useful.

What I call a torque multiplier is a fancy tool that has a reaction arm that presses against something else on the top of the WH to provide the counter torque.

Did a little prep today to see what I have to work with. Cleared the access to the anode and have a clear shot at it. Below is a picture. You can clearly see how effing hard the factory jacked that in there by the smearing of the
corners of the hex head. Anyway I'm scrapping the breaker bar idea. I'm getting that Bauer electric impact tool from Harbor Freight. Tons of reviews of people who failed on the breaker bar/straps extra people with cheater bars routines. They all said it was out in seconds.

1D4BEE07-D1A4-470A-BEA7-C0EB999A5D98.jpeg
 
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Charlie Bosco

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Ok, job done and was easy peasy.. I bought an 8.5amp Impact Driver from Amazon for $69 Shipped. Its the exact same one Harbor Freight sells for $99 "Bauer". I was still nervous as to what to do if this did not work..

Got a step stool so I could lean over the top of it and put my weight over it to keep it from slipping or moving backwards and softening the blows.. Impact is like the recoil of a handgun, if you dont brace it firmly you loose all the "Impact" force. With a semiautomatic handgun limp wrist = failure of the slide to fully cycle which causes jams.

Anyway, this thing walked it out in 2 seconds. Pulled the Magnesium rod which was already crusted after 2 weeks. It had a tan gritty powder on it.

Wrapped the Corro Protec with 4 wraps of Blue Monster Teflon tape. It took about 2 full turns of the anode to reach what felt about 15-20ft lbs. Just checked for leaks at the threads and we are good to go. One more thing about the Teflon on the threads.. Lots of folks worry it will isolate the flow of current if the wraps dont cut into the metal. Not true at all. That metal threaded has ZERO to do with the electricity flow.. The connection comes from the water against the grounded insides of the tank. The only isolated part is the actual anode dipping into the water. I have a bright green nightlight in my laundry room now and fresh smelling water. :)

rod.jpg
 

Reach4

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That metal threaded has ZERO to do with the electricity flow..
The conduction through the threads is critical to the mission. However the threads cut thru the PTFE tape before you have put in much torque at all. So it makes a good connection.
 

Charlie Bosco

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The conduction through the threads is critical to the mission. However the threads cut thru the PTFE tape before you have put in much torque at all. So it makes a good connection.

I tested the theory on my bench. Power supply to anode and threaded base gives no light.The water connects to anode to the ground which happens to be the entire tank. That's why ground wire goes to a screw on the tank. That threaded anode base could be made of plastic and it wouldn't matter.
 

Reach4

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Ah. My powered anode does not have a separate ground wire, and does depend on the one via the threads.

As I tightened mine, I monitored the ohms. It went to conducting with just a fraction of a turn. I had suspected it would be more.
 

Charlie Bosco

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Ah. My powered anode does not have a separate ground wire, and does depend on the one via the threads.

As I tightened mine, I monitored the ohms. It went to conducting with just a fraction of a turn. I had suspected it would be more.
I did see an anode setup like the one you have. So yes in that case it's using the base to ground to the tank.
 
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