Bending an anode rod?!

ChrisJ

Hey all,

I just received my "The Water Heater Workbook" from Larry Weingarten, thanks Larry!
It's a really cool book and I noticed something that immediately got my attention.

It says, if you don't have the clearance above your heater to install a new rod, you can bend the new rod and then straighten it in the heater. My clearance is about 6 or 8 inches too short. Since I really didn't like my dad's joke about drilling a hole in my livingroom floor and putting a throw rug over it, this bending the rod stuff sounds very tempting.

Has anyone ever done this? I assumed the magnesium rod was brittle and would crack easily.
If this can be done, it sure would save me a whole lot of trouble of draining my heater, unhooking everything and trying to tip it which is what I had planned.

I've got a new rod hanging in the basement just waiting to go in.

kcopp

I think you can do that w/ an Aluminum version.
They also have the link type that looks like sausages on a string.
If you are just a few inches short you can also cut them to fit....

ChrisJ

kcopp said:

I think you can do that w/ an Aluminum version.
They also have the link type that looks like sausages on a string.
If you are just a few inches short you can also cut them to fit....

Mine is a Bradford White 50 Gal with the stupid anode rod \ hot water setup.

Can you get the link type for that?

ChrisJ

My new "slightly used" BF anode.

Cutting it would be tempting, but will it risk anything?

kcopp

http://www.lowes.com/pd_694255-65392-1027410_0__&productId=999909427&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA_ONLY-_-RoughPlumbingElectrical-_-SosHomeComfort-_-999909427:Water_Heater_Smart&CAWELAID=320011480006583686&kpid=999909427&CAGPSPN=pla?k_clickID=1f411af6-c95e-4d6b-8e96-ecab85929c1a

ChrisJ

How does aluminum compare to magnesium tho?

I also like how the one I need is $53 vs $20 for the OEM one. Typical.

kcopp

I would cut it. That's pretty thick.

BobC

I just bought an anode rod that looks the same and UPS bent it en route. I had to put it on the deck and step on it to get it straight, I could never bend it enough to get it into the tank if it was too long, a hacksaw is your best bet.

Bob

Fred

That rod/hot water tube is designed to draw water from the bottom of the water heater where it is not tempered by the cold water filling at the top to replace the water drawn out of the heater. I'd be reluctant to cut it enough to get it into that water heater. I would think the water temp might be compromised. I just don't know how much?? I guess this was a cost cutting measure to avoid installing a seperate anode rod.

ChrisJ

Fred said:

That rod/hot water tube is designed to draw water from the bottom of the water heater where it is not tempered by the cold water filling at the top to replace the water drawn out of the heater. I'd be reluctant to cut it enough to get it into that water heater. I would think the water temp might be compromised. I just don't know how much?? I guess this was a cost cutting measure to avoid installing a seperate anode rod.

Seriously Fred?
It'd be hard to make something more backwards even if you tried.

The dip tube puts cold water at the bottom of the heater.
The hot water comes from the top of the heater. That's an anode rod, not a dip tube.

Cold sinks.... hot rises...

Come on Fred.......................


Where's that animated Penny "WHAT!?" GIF when I need it.

Zman

Are you sure your dad was joking?
I say drill the hole and plug it with a tapered plug like they use for whiskey barrels.
What a great conversation piece.

Fred

ChrisJ said:

Fred said:

That rod/hot water tube is designed to draw water from the bottom of the water heater where it is not tempered by the cold water filling at the top to replace the water drawn out of the heater. I'd be reluctant to cut it enough to get it into that water heater. I would think the water temp might be compromised. I just don't know how much?? I guess this was a cost cutting measure to avoid installing a seperate anode rod.

Seriously Fred?
It'd be hard to make something more backwards even if you tried.

The dip tube puts cold water at the bottom of the heater.
The hot water comes from the top of the heater. That's an anode rod, not a dip tube.

Cold sinks.... hot rises...

Come on Fred.......................


Where's that animated Penny "WHAT!?" GIF when I need it.

You're right. Guess I've had too much to drink today LOL!

ChrisJ

Fred said:

ChrisJ said:

Fred said:

That rod/hot water tube is designed to draw water from the bottom of the water heater where it is not tempered by the cold water filling at the top to replace the water drawn out of the heater. I'd be reluctant to cut it enough to get it into that water heater. I would think the water temp might be compromised. I just don't know how much?? I guess this was a cost cutting measure to avoid installing a seperate anode rod.

Seriously Fred?
It'd be hard to make something more backwards even if you tried.

The dip tube puts cold water at the bottom of the heater.
The hot water comes from the top of the heater. That's an anode rod, not a dip tube.

Cold sinks.... hot rises...

Come on Fred.......................


Where's that animated Penny "WHAT!?" GIF when I need it.

You're right. Guess I've had too much to drink today LOL!

Something.......

Harvey Ramer

You're not afraid of a little work, are you Chris?

Looks pretty simple to me. Drain the heater, undo the unions, loosen the vent pipe, tip the heater sideways to insert the new rod.

And done.

ChrisJ

Harvey Ramer said:

You're not afraid of a little work, are you Chris?

Looks pretty simple to me. Drain the heater, undo the unions, loosen the vent pipe, tip the heater sideways to insert the new rod.

And done.

Yeah.
That's been my plan sine I put it in back in 2011.

I was just hoping for the easy way out. The easy way out that never seems to knock at my door, ever.

Gordy

Harvey Ramer said:

You're not afraid of a little work, are you Chris?

Looks pretty simple to me. Drain the heater, undo the unions, loosen the vent pipe, tip the heater sideways to insert the new rod.

And done.

I'll bet you would be done before this thread finds an end to it