Water Heater Maintenance

Gene wants to share maintenance tips. This is his first tip.

The owner’s manual recommends the replacement of the anode rod inside the water heater annually. Since we live in our Montana 12 months, and never drain the water heater to store the trailer, I thought more often than once a year might be appropriate for us.

I looked up the OEM part number and discovered neither my dealer nor the local Camping World carried OEM parts. Both sources assured me that there was only one part that fit all the water heaters of my manufacturer (Suburban of Dayton, TN!!). Well. My manual covered only 4 models, the ones in my size range, and the anode rods among the four had 2 different OEM numbers. You will be as surprised as I was to learn my OEM number was the COMMON number (3 out of the 4 models).

Saturday I visited my dealer. The parts guy I have dealt with a few times over the last year is earning my confidence as knowledgeable (very rare occurrence where RV matters are concerned). The after market part supplier, Camco, was recommended as the dealer had found them to last longer than the OEM part.

How important is this? Just a $10 part. A part that protects a $350 heater that takes $200 to install.

Take the old rod out.

So I bought the Camco. The next day (I always wait until Sunday so no stores or repair facilities will be open - and they say guys have trouble with commitment) I started the installation. Just turn off the electricity and LP gas, get the water cool, screw out the old one and screw in the new one. Simple.

Tape the new rod

I skipped the LP step cause I was using electricity to heat water. I hit the circuit breaker inside. I waited an hour for the water to cool. Still too hot. I re-read the instructions in the manual. Water still too hot. Hmm. I read the Camco instructions on the back of the package. A ha. Run the hot water down the drain at the kitchen sink. Self-esteem is hard to maintain.

Insert the new rod

Now the water was safely cool. I took my small collection of tools to the outside access door where I had no place to set them except on the wet ground. My 10 inch wrench was too big for the small space I had to work within. The vice grips didn't have room, nor would the wrench turn the vice grips. The wrench, of course, would hold on the (by now) damn thing.

As is my habit in things mechanical, I gave up. I called the office and asked a maintenance man to come by and give me advice. NO. NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH MY UNIT. What if they just look at it? NO. BUT HERE IS THE NUMBER OF THE MOBILE REPAIR SERVICE.

Rick seemed like a nice guy on the phone. $45 service charge. $65 and hour except this is weekend rates at $75. All things considered, not so bad. But as I explained to him, this was not an emergency. I passed on Rick's Fix-It.

One last time I searched my skimpy selections of tools. There were a few socket heads. The big one I had to torque the bolt on the hitch in the truck bed. That big socket was just a tiny bit big for the anode rod. It was mounted on an extension. Too bad I didn't own a ratchet handle. All I had was...A TORQUE WRENCH WITH A RATCHETING HEAD.

The anode rode was replaced effortlessly in just moments.

I left out of this story my trip to the nearest store, K-Mart, for the teflon tape. Guess what, Sears owns Kmart, and had just installed Craftsman tools in the store. They had a Craftsman ball cap, black with a red logo patch, that struck me as unique because it had 2 LED flashlights built into its brim. (I can hear the stampede now as all the guys rush out to get a new cap). I wonder if Kmart will carry Lands End clothing.

That evening Judi brilliantly suggested I write down in the owners manual how to change the anode rod using my tools. I love her to death.