Do powered anode rods work?

[uscpsycho]

I discovered powered anode rods while researching a new water heater. They initially got my attention because of claims that they can indefinitely protect a water heater. Is this true? If so, why wouldn't everyone use one? Or why don't they come standard with every water heater?

While researching anode rods it sounds like most people use them because their water smells like rotten eggs and a powered anode rod can help with that. I don't have smelly water, I'm only interested in a powered rod for its lack of maintenance and ability to protect the water heater but nobody really talks about that. Do they really work for this purpose and is it worth getting one?

If so, which of these would you recommend? They are significantly different in shape and price, does it make a difference?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...04-20&linkId=447fee098f313176bf5c44f8235a0e81
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KIMC91...04-20&linkId=6d2312b3c0d002e3dde9a76ebe73ebed

Or would you recommend something totally different?

Thanks!

 

[Reach4]

I have one made by Ceranode. It has an extendible titanium wire to allow you to adjust to the height of the WH. At the bottom of the wire, there is an insulating weight.

So while it costs more, I would go with that. I don't think the stubby anode is going to protect the lower part of the tank.

Expect to need a 1-1/8 inch impact socket and impact wrench to pull your existing anode. They are put in much tighter than is needed, plus they corrode in place on top of that.

Note that you don't need nearly as much torque to tighten as they do when they torque the ones from the factory. Do use PTFE tape. The threads cut through readily, providing the required electrical continuity.

There are test points that can be checked and an LED you can look at to see if it is functioning.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[uscpsycho]

Perhaps it is implied in your response, but you didn't say it.

Are these really maintenance free and will they protect the water heater indefinitely? Or are they better suited as a solution to smelly water?

 

[Reach4]

I had an earlier version that failed after a few years. I got the new one under warranty.

There is no maintenance. I expect to move it to my next water heater.

They protect like magnesium, which protects better than aluminum.

 

[uscpsycho]

OK, I had already purchased the shorter version because it was half the price and it claims to protect up to 80 gallons. But I just ordered the other one based on your recommendation and I'll use that one.

The shorter one sure is a lot more popular on Amazon though, the CerAnode only has one reveiw compared to 150+ for the other.

 

[Reach4]

Did you get the old anode loose yet? If you need to line up an impact wrench, you might as well find out sooner if you have the time and access. You can temporarily put the old anode back to a much lower torque while you are waiting for the new anode.

I think the Ceranode unit needs a 1-1/4 inch wrench, but an adjustable plier would probably be fine. You don't need a lot of torque.

 

[VincentV3]

Imposed current anodes do not work like traditional sacrificial anodes. They do not have to be long, or go to the bottom of the tank to protect.

The Corro-Protec anode is the most sold on the market (also the one that offers the best warranty) and the tests carried out prove that it protects the entire tank. You should visit the website for more informations : www.corroprotec.com

Corro-Protec CP-R Water Heater Powered Titanium Anode Rod (40-89 Gallon Tank) - Eliminate Odor (Sulfur/rotten egg smell), Corrosion and Reduce Limescale

 

[Phog]

Imposed current anodes do not work like traditional sacrificial anodes. They do not have to be long, or go to the bottom of the tank to protect.

The Corro-Protec anode is the most sold on the market (also the one that offers the best warranty) and the tests carried out prove that it protects the entire tank. You should visit their website for more informations : www.corroprotec.com

VincentV3, are you the following person: Vincent Veilleux, Director of Marketing, Corro-Protec? If so you should disclose this when you make posts related to this product that you have a direct financial interest in, and say "visit OUR website for more information" instead of pretending that you are not affiliated with the company.

 

[DrPhyzx]

VincentV3, are you the following person: Vincent Veilleux, Director of Marketing, Corro-Protec? If so you should disclose this when you make posts related to this product that you have a direct financial interest in, and say "visit OUR website for more information" instead of pretending that you are not affiliated with the company.

You're absolutely right. However, so is he. In fact, the only reason normal sacrificial anodes are as long as possible is so that they can *last* as long as possible (being sacrificial). I'm looking into a powered anode, but wondering how one knows whether it's working or not. In principle, the unit produces a small current to ground that could be detected. Do these units have a status light that lets you know it's working properly?

 

[Reach4]

The Ceranode has such an LED.

 

[Otto Mation]

I went with the A.O. Smith powered anode. It comes with a module that that has led's and an audible alarm to indicate if it is working or not.

 

[Reach4]

I went with the A.O. Smith powered anode. It comes with a module that that has led's and an audible alarm to indicate if it is working or not.

Looks interesting. Is the electrode rod adjustable, and how long can the rod go? How does that compare to the length of your sacrificial anode?

It looks like the titanium-coated part may only be the bottom third.

 

[Otto Mation]

It is only one length and I don't recall exactly how long it is but it's about 3 feet or so. That being said, length isn't important (never though I would ever hear myself say that out loud ) Electronic cathodic protection is not restricted or enhanced by anode length. Miles long pipelines are cathodically protected from a single point. The only reason you would want a long sacrificial anode would be so that there would be more magnesium or aluminum to last longer.

 

[Reach4]

It is only one length and I don't recall exactly how long it is but it's about 3 feet or so. That being said, length isn't important (never though I would ever hear myself say that out loud ) Electronic cathodic protection is not restricted or enhanced by anode length. Mile long pipelines are cathodically protected from a single point.

I am pretty confident that that is not the case. The power supply can be at a single point, but they would bury a linear anode parallel to the pipe that goes the distance.

With a single connection to the pipe and a single anode (like a vertical ground rod or buried horizontal anode rod) buried near the pipe, there would be a distance limit where the needed current density could be impressed at the surface of the pipeline.

See discussions on https://terrylove.com/forums/index....heater-no-rotten-egg-smell.77342/#post-571874

 

[Phog]

I can back Reach up here, at least in theory, that the line-of-sight distance which impressed current must traverse does matter a great deal in cathodic protection system design. What i can't say is whether the "short" anode rod makes any practical difference in the typical application on a home water heater tank, or even matters in edge cases (very tall water tank, short anode, water electrical conductivity very low). I don't think anyone can say with certainty that "length doesn't matter" without actually doing the tests. And if the only people who have done the tests are the manufacturers of the powered anodes... well they are certainly not unbiased. However i at least suspect that you will get better protection from any length powered anode than you would from a standard anode that gets left in for the life of the water heater & never gets changed. (This is speculation on my part, "ye olde educated guess")

 

[Jadnashua]

For people that do not do preventative maintenance, a powered anode may be a worthwhile investment. As to it working better than a sacrificial one, that's not clear. Any electronic device will also have a life and could be damaged by spikes or other power fluctuations. That could be especially problematic if you never noticed that it had stopped working. Even with a warning light, you may not. Adding an audible alarm should overcome that, though, at least in most instances. Keeping it simple, as with a totally passive protection has some benefits.

 

[thefisch]

I realize that powered anodes have been around a while and used commonly in industrial applications. However, there is not much info on residential use in water heaters other than from the product makers that I can find. Most of the reviews on the products linked in the OP are within the last two years. So these folks really can't comment on how the powered anode contributed to longevity of their water heaters. Those reviews seem to only focus on the sulfur smell issue; I expect folks with that issue would be thrilled to just eliminate that problem even if it doesn't help their water heater last longer. My local plumbing supply doesn't carry these and the few plumbers I chatted with while there hadn't worked with powered anodes before.

Don't get me wrong, I like the concept especially not having to change anode rods every few years. But there are many possible points of failure over the life of water heater, is there any objective way to know a powered anode actually helped or not?

 

[Javier Hinojosa]

Imposed current anodes do not work like traditional sacrificial anodes. They do not have to be long, or go to the bottom of the tank to protect.

The Corro-Protec anode is the most sold on the market (also the one that offers the best warranty) and the tests carried out prove that it protects the entire tank. You should visit the website for more informations : www.corroprotec.com

Corro-Protec CP-R Water Heater Powered Titanium Anode Rod (40-89 Gallon Tank) - Eliminate Odor (Sulfur/rotten egg smell), Corrosion and Reduce Limescale

Has anyone installed the corro-protect powered anode on a water heater that has the anode tank hole about 3 1/2" deep from the top of the water heater ? Can dielectric nipples and couplers be used to extend up the 1 3/8" hex to tighten installation ?
The corro-protect seems to have a plastic insulator under the thread that mates with the tank, so this insulator might not fit inside coupler.
Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[Niccolo]

Interesting. Bradford White water heaters locate the anode at the hot water output, so something like this wouldn't work (unless you modified them to remove the anode and were able to install this in an alternate location).

 

[firelikeiya]

I realize that powered anodes have been around a while and used commonly in industrial applications. However, there is not much info on residential use in water heaters other than from the product makers that I can find. Most of the reviews on the products linked in the OP are within the last two years. So these folks really can't comment on how the powered anode contributed to longevity of their water heaters. Those reviews seem to only focus on the sulfur smell issue; I expect folks with that issue would be thrilled to just eliminate that problem even if it doesn't help their water heater last longer. My local plumbing supply doesn't carry these and the few plumbers I chatted with while there hadn't worked with powered anodes before.

Don't get me wrong, I like the concept especially not having to change anode rods every few years. But there are many possible points of failure over the life of water heater, is there any objective way to know a powered anode actually helped or not?

In my last house I installed a Whirlpool gas high efficiency water heater (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-40-Gallon-Tall-12-Year-Limited-Natural-Gas-Water-Heater/3284848) that had a 12 year warranty. It was apparently made by AO Smith. It came standard with a powered anode rod. I lived there for about 5 or 6 years after install without any issues. I also had a water softener installed. I'm looking into buying a powered anode for my current Geosprings water heater as my new house also has a water softener and I don't want to replace a sacrificial anode every year or two. I'm currently leaning towards the AO Smith one that Otto Mation posted.