Flexible anode resting on bottom of tank or cut short?

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Incinerator

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Good afternoon,

Replacing the anode in my 36 gallon short electric water heater(Richmond 6es40-d). Getting a flexible magnesium anode; question I was pondering do I cut it short or leave it the full length. If it stays the full length it would rest on the bottom of the tank. Does that cause an issue? Only reason I'm considering using full length is it will last longer.
 
Yeah I suppose just seems like a waste as most segmented rods are 44 inches. Current length is 24 inches so will have to remove 2 of the 4 sections. The "impurities" are actually electrical in water tanks kind of act like a battery if you will. Ions leave the anode to the water to balance the "cell" to 0. No anode = ions from the iron tank are stolen. Yea I have not seen any thread ever discussing this question anyway(google searching for 1 + hour, searching forums and such). I probably will cut it short as its better safe than sorry. Thanks for the feedback.
 
Incinerator said:
Yeah I suppose just seems like a waste as most segmented rods are 44 inches. Current length is 24 inches so will have to remove 2 of the 4 sections. The "impurities" are actually electrical in water tanks kind of act like a battery if you will. Ions leave the anode to the water to balance the "cell" to 0. No anode = ions from the iron tank are stolen. Yea I have not seen any thread ever discussing this question anyway(google searching for 1 + hour, searching forums and such). I probably will cut it short as its better safe than sorry. Thanks for the feedback.
Click to expand...
Safe than sorry is always better
 
I'm with TWH I've never replace any anodes in my water heaters either. I suppose if I had the rotten egg smell then that would
be different.
 
My opinion is to cut it short of the bottom of the tank. I just take the length of the old rod and cut it to that length based on the owner’s manual.

I was told a long time ago by a master plumber that if the rod touches the tank (sides or bottom) the tank can potentially weaken and cause a leak quicker than the average life expectancy.
 
TH1972diy said:
My opinion is to cut it short of the bottom of the tank. I just take the length of the old rod and cut it to that length based on the owner’s manual.

I was told a long time ago by a master plumber that if the rod touches the tank (sides or bottom) the tank can potentially weaken and cause a leak quicker than the average life expectancy.
Click to expand...
And remember you can cut the actual section of anode in half so that you have 3.5 sections (cutting the 3rd large section in half).
 
Indeed, yeah took my old one out today, only had 1 inch left of material (wire still there), 2.5 years on this one thus far. I love how I have to go thru 2.5 inches of insulation to get to the top of the hex... O well. Side note took about 4 foot cheater to break the thing loose :)
 
As a point of reference, previous tank which I never replaced the anode only got 6 years out of the tank. I was going to check at the two year mark but forgot, going forward will check yearly.
 
I'm probably very lucky, maytag 50 gal heater put in , in 2000. Never flushed, never changed annode . Still working.
 
Twowaxhack said:
I don’t replace my anode, I just replace the heater every 10 yrs.
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Up at my weekend home in northern Michigan. We were on well and septic, and the water quality from the well was dreadful. It was full of iron, and hard as stone. Undrinkable, though biologically safe. About as bad as potable water can get.

After some years I wrenched out the anode rod. Surprised how good it was. I replaced it anyway since it had to bend to come out. Should have left it alone.

Unit quit at the 15 year mark.

I don’t think I’ll bother with an anode rod change again.
 
BlueSkyHigh said:
Were you knocking on wood when you said that?
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Actually as I'm getting older, swapping it out for a new one will get harder to accomplish. So I really wouldn't mind if it did fail so I could get it done , while I still can.
I would like to cut it in half when I do pull it just to look at the insides.
I've got a cheap snake cam, probably easier to use that , then to reciprocate it in half though. If the anode still exists , I'd like to know that. But it has to be gone by now.
 
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