Powered anode rod worth it?

[edee_em]

Just wondering if anyone has switched their anode rod to the powered type? I see A.O. Smith is including them in some heaters and selling them as an accessory as well so they must work, right? Another one I saw comes with a 20 year warranty, with all fine print considered, and that led me to go over some of the math around purchase price.

Assuming a 2 year replacement routine (as suggested by some hot water tank manufacturers) for normal metal anode rods, that would mean 10 replacements (9 actually because you have the original in the tank). At about $30 each on average, that would mean $270 for anode rods. The powered one I saw was $199 Cdn on Amazon. Although it's money up front, you actually save $71 over the twenty years. Am I missing something? The thing I might not be accounting for is that I'm assuming the tank will last 20 years with the suggested relative rod replacements. Also, electricity costs are not included because I have no idea how much juice these things use although they say it is low. Thanks

 

[havasu]

I'd be reluctant to have anything powered by electricity near my water system.

 

[MicEd69]

Your analysis is assuming the cost of anode rods remains the same for 20 years and that your tank will remain solid for 20 years. While the anode rod is there to protect your tank, the frequency of anode rod replacement is heavily dependent on your water quality.

If you pull the anode rod from a 2-year-old water heater and it is still in good shape, you could reinstall it, but I would go ahead and install the one you purchased as the replacement since everything is already apart. Then I would change the inspection time to 3 or 4 years, depending on what the original rod looked like. So, with all that said, I also would not invest any money for a powered anode rod.

Instead, take $169, the difference between the regular anode rod and the powered one, and buy a 12-month CD at around 5%. Renew that CD based on the frequency you discovered when you pull the original anode rod. If you make it 4 years and the 5% interest rate holds and the anode rod price holds relatively stable, the interest you earn will provide the funds for new anode rods. Even if you have to take some of your principle to purchase the new anode rods, your still be saving money over the powered anode rod over a 20-year time span.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I don’t change my anode.

Water quality has a lot to do with it. So does the temp that you run your water heater.

Heaters last an average of 12 yrs here if they’re sized correctly, no circulation and temps are kept below 140.

Water quality can change unless you’re treating and monitoring yourself which 99.99999999% of people don’t do.

 

[edee_em]

Your analysis is assuming the cost of anode rods remains the same for 20 years and that your tank will remain solid for 20 years. While the anode rod is there to protect your tank, the frequency of anode rod replacement is heavily dependent on your water quality.

If you pull the anode rod from a 2-year-old water heater and it is still in good shape, you could reinstall it, but I would go ahead and install the one you purchased as the replacement since everything is already apart. Then I would change the inspection time to 3 or 4 years, depending on what the original rod looked like. So, with all that said, I also would not invest any money for a powered anode rod.

Instead, take $169, the difference between the regular anode rod and the powered one, and buy a 12-month CD at around 5%. Renew that CD based on the frequency you discovered when you pull the original anode rod. If you make it 4 years and the 5% interest rate holds and the anode rod price holds relatively stable, the interest you earn will provide the funds for new anode rods. Even if you have to take some of your principle to purchase the new anode rods, your still be saving money over the powered anode rod over a 20-year time span.

Ahhhh, it does my heart good to see another arithmetic geek using numbers to make a case!!

I didn't consider the price of rods increasing over the years but that would make the money number case for a powered anode even stronger as the replacement cost of metal rods increases.

I also get that I'm making a two year replacement schedule assumption, but that is the recommendation for more than one tank I have seen. Some even talk about yearly. You know they're going to ask about replacements if a warranty issue comes up. The other issue with inspecting anode rods is that, in all honesty, I couldn't tell you what I should be looking for outside of seeing the metal inner core and a lot of pitting. Would I know if a rod has one/two/three years left? The answer is no. I guess my main attraction to the powered rod is you install it and forget it.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Anode rods are not asked about with any warranty you’ll find on a tank water heater used in a home.

 

[edee_em]

I did not know that nor is that what I would have expected! Thanks for that.