Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

\"beads\" of water

Weezbo
Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
in THE MAIN WALL
seen some rather unique slerm in a 6 year water heater that failed after 15 years today...*~/:) i have never seen anything like this it has the constitution of gelatin yet what it is doing in a water heater and how it came to form is a bit of a puzzle to me...have any of you seen a substance of similar make up? when one squeezes the gelatinin it turns into water...yet it stays in that form until heat and pressure is applied...weird stuff.

Comments

  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,590
    You have found...

    ... corrosion from an aluminum anode rod. Quick, go wash your hands before the slerm finds a way in!

    Yours, Larry
  • Weezbo
    Weezbo Member Posts: 6,232
    *~/:) Howdy , Larry .

    so it is an aluminium hydroxide? maybe< for the most part we se scaling or complete erosion of magnesium into a black or dark red "mud" ...i collected a scoop of it to see how long it would stay in the form it is in now...been hours and it is still sort of like gelatin. well, :) at least now i have an answer for what it may be ....Thanx .
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,590
    Try letting...

    ...some of it (the slerm) dry out. You should get a nearly white powder. It can cause young gas fired heaters to rumble. In general, I prefer magnesium anodes.... Sounds like you've got some interesting water!

    Yours, Larry
This discussion has been closed.

Categories