Magnesium or Aluminum anode rod?

marco_4

How can I tell a magnesium anode rod from an aluminum one, without comparing one to another? Is magnesium magnetic? The rod I am holding is not, and seems fairly light weight, but I understand magnesium is light weight as is aluminum.

ALH_3

Pyrophoric metals

Magnesium shavings will burn very brightly. Aluminum will not. Shave a little off and try to ignite it.

Larry Weingarten

differences

Hello: Magnesium is stiffer and somewhat springy. Aluminum is dead soft, bending easily. Aluminum rods are heavier for a given size. Except for Rheem, magnesium anodes have a bump on the top of the hex head, while aluminum is flat. Aluminum is a brighter metal while magnesiun is darker grey... In general, use magnesium anodes, as they can protect better and do not make the volume of corrosion byproduct that aluminum does. Dare I add, ingesting magnesium from the water heater is not a health concern. Hope that helps.

spt87

water heater anode


Doesn't the top of the rod (the threaded part of which the top is exposed outside the heater) have a rounded bump in the center if it is Magnesium and has no bump if aluminum? I think I read this on the waterheaterhelp.com page (which seems to have disappeared).

Larry Weingarten

correct about the anodes...

but try www.waterheaterrescue.com .