Corro Protec Anode Installation to fix Rotten Egg Smell in Hot Heater + Electrochemistry
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2021
- How I replaced my hot water heater anode rod with a powered Corro-protec rod to get rid of rotten egg smell, plus a lot of background about where the smell comes from and how impressed current cathodic protection works. (hydrogen sulfide formation, galvanic corrosion and battery cells, sacrificial anodes, etc). Hope this helps someone else diving into this rabbit hole!
Corro-protec: amzn.to/3mC4yx5 & www.corroprotec.com/rotten-eg...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvani...
Galvanic Cells (Voltaic Cells) video by Tyler DeWitt: • Galvanic Cells (Voltai...
Aluminum-Zinc anode replacement: amzn.to/3B65krT
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathodi...
www.sme-usa.com/blog/undergro...
www.westmarine.com/WestAdviso...
Ship Hull Protection System: • Ship Hull Protection S...
www.health.state.mn.us/commun...
publications.tamu.edu/WATER/PU... 
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I would like to vote this as the most comprehensive review on hot water heater anode rods. I myself just bought a house. It feels like the ultimate showdown between man and house sometimes. Sometimes I think this fixer-upper house is going to win. LOL
Brilliant use of RUclips. Thank you Scott for the detailed video plus all the research leads at the end of the video. Amazing!
This impact gun is the best thing money can buy. Saved me in multiple occasions.
We have a salt water softener after months of procrastinating I bit the bullet and replaced the rod in our 7 year old Rheem XR90 with a Corro-Protec.
The old rod had 16 inches of the rod's core exposed on both ends.
Dragging a pneumatic hose thru the house to the utility closet to power my impact wrench was well worth it.
It took longer to hacksaw thru the remnants of the old rod (low overhead & side clearance) than to do the rest of the job.
Great job & video! I am a plumbing contractor, good info!
Great video, exactly what someone troubleshooting the rotten egg smell would need! Thanks! :)
The impact wrench is worth buying if only for this purpose. Don't even waste your time trying to remove that old anode rod with a socket and cheater pipe. you can twist the heater and break your copper pipes. It will take literally seconds to use the impact wrench. I spent over an hour trying to use a socket and cheater pipe, trying to brace the heater from spinning with someone holding it, that didn't work, then straps and 2x4's bolted to the wall, that didn't work. It's a pointless exercise. GET the impact wrench! You are done in 10-15 seconds. You are saving WAY more money by doing this yourself so that the wrench expense is negligible. Plus now you have an impact wrench...
amen
and the cheapest impact wrench ($45) will get the job done.
I’d also recommend soaking the threads 2-3 times over 3-4 days and it works wonders to loosen the the threads up.
I did this and my cordless impact popped it open with zero effort.
Wow! That old rod had done it's job and retired! Good thing your water heater is still working just fine though.
Good video, I wish I had seen it before I did the replacement. I have a cabin behind my house & I recently put a water heater in it. The H2S smell was pretty bad. Someone told me to put a new anode in it & fortunately I came across the corro protec- it solved the problem almost immediately. Like you I found that getting the old anode out was the main difficulty. After fooling around with a breaker bar & only moving the heater itself I used the impact wrench & the 1 & 1/16 socket & it came out easily. Even though it had only been in about 6 months the anode showed considerable decay. It was so successful that I put another in my house water heater. Having already done one it was a breeze doing another. You do need the 1&1/16 socket as well as a 31mm socket for the corro tec anode. They are not real easy to find & I had to order the 31mm. My first corro tec anode developed a leak & they replaced it quickly. A fine company to deal with & a great product.
💚🤩
@stevenriethmiller4124 2 Years later now.....
Didn't work did it.
I have the solution if you will tell the truth.
This is like one of the best videos I’ve seen! Thank you so much
Amazing video. Thank you so much for sharing. I'm particularly grateful for the chemistry lesson.
Most excellent and informative video. Very good job.
What a great video I love the investigative research very professional and not just on the replacement but why it is smelling and how the different metals react I just did my anorod with corra super simple onstal and was amazed with the result thank you for the in depth research/rwsult most help full gave me an understanding on the whole matter not just the fix hope all your videos you post are this informational I'll look for others thanks again
Great video! Extremely helpful!
An amazing video in every way. We just bought a mountain house and this is new to us and it was scary. You made this sound like something I could do. And I will try. Cheers from Quebec.
This is oustanding information and well delivered, thank you.
This was excellent! Thank you, I watched until the end. Came here to subscribe.
Well done Scott! Thank you!
Excellent video!
Hell of a video Scott.
Wow, 22 years old! That tank doesn't owe you anything. I plan to remove the anode rod on a seven year old tank.
great video. was very helpful. exactly what youtube used to be about.
Flexible copper tubing that is easy to bend is useful in preventing stress if the water heater moves. Also a good idea to put valves on both copper pipes so you can close off water movement. Love the impact wrench trick but I suspect letting the Blaster soak on it helped a little.
It will still twist and kink, I would just make sure to have the right tools from the get go like an impact
Great video. I am also having a heck of a time trying to get the old anode out of a twenty year old tank
Just give up and get the impact wrench :)
At 22 years that water heater is a unicorn.
Thank you!!! 🙌🏼
Scott Very good video on the install of the powered anode rod. From the looks of the corrosion around the exterior anode nut, worn out anode rod and as you mentioned it was 22 years old, I would suspect you are due for a new water heater ant time. The newer models are much more efficient and will save in the long run. I would suspect you have a ton of buildup in the bottom of the water heater and its only a matter of time before you will have a big problem.
thanks. Every additional day is a gift with this heater. Water leak sensors are installed around its base!
Awesome !! I just ordered my powered anode on Amazon and can't wait to install it !@@ScottDriscoll
Thank you!
Great video and explanations!
You did a very good job. I enjoyed watching this video. I have a Whirlpool electric hw heater purchased in 2015. I had to get it serviced because the elements failed on it, and I wasn't getting hot water. I figured since I had a plumber coming here already to replace the elements I might as well have him replace the anode rod too. Unfortunately, he could not get it out. He replaced the elements with no problem but no matter what he did could not get it out. By happenstance I just met a retired plumber who is friends with my neighbor who has been a plumber for 60 years and he learned from his father who was in the business just as long. In other words, he knows what he is doing. His advice to me. Don't bother with it. Leave it alone. He said he may have been able to get one out of every 20 hot water heaters he's serviced and then after that they start to leak, because the threads get destroyed and the tank winds up having to be replaced. It's better to just leave it alone. He said since I got 7 years already out of these elements, I should get about the same out of the new ones just put in, then at that time just replace the heater because the average lifespan of hot water heaters today is only 12-14 years anyway (because even the top-of-the-line ones are junk today). You are lucky that yours seems to have been made before manufacturers started using the China model of manufacturing. Which is: If you make it to last it will never be replaced, so you can't sell more to replace.
As far as an eggy smell which some claim they can smell and which at times I did with my hot water even though I am on city water, he said that is more likely from the city itself or rusty elements than a corroded rod. I think he is right because the removed elements were very rusty and since the tank was emptied and refilled with the new elements that eggy smell is now gone. Just want to mention also, that when they ran a light inside the tank, it looked pristine inside with no deterioration. So that's a good sign too. Also want to mention that if you are on well water you might want to get your well inspected. My sister used to have this done annually. They test the water and if they find bacteria, they treat it. Might be something to think about. Once again thanks for your very though and well explained video.
Thanks. Interesting to hear a plumber say they don't need to be replaced since the tank will fail anyway. I wonder how many 20+ year old tanks are fine without ever changing that rod like mine.
@@ScottDriscoll 40 years ago I had an electric in another house that I owned and needed the elements changed. Knew nothing about the anode rod and the plumber who replaced the elements never mentioned it either. I moved out of that house in 2011 and it was still putting out hot water with no issues after almost 30 yrs.
You did say that yours wasn't replaced in over 20 years, so with the exception of the egg smell, the heater was still in working order. Not sure how true that is of hot water heaters made today, especially since we are now being told that most hot water heaters have a lifespan of only 10-15 yrs. So, clearly, they are not made as well as they used to be. The key, according to what this plumber told me, is to see the inside of the tank. He said you can easily tell if a tank is going to fail (leak) by how corroded it is inside. Best way to inspect is when the elements are out in both the top and bottom. As I said before, mine looked good. If you ever flush the system or need to change the elements again, it might be a good idea to take a look at the inside of the tank by simply shining a light inside where the elements were.
@@ScottDriscoll you don't know if you have a pinhole(or dozens) in the lining of the tank and rust just days away from turning that water heater into a sprinkler that will flood your basement while you're sleeping. @22 years I'd have scraped together enough for a new water heater and installed the powered anode rod in the new unit. It's all about risk management. The retired plumber is just being honest and giving good advice.
@@indridcold4210 Completely fair and good advice... our time remaining in this house is short, so we're gambling. But I did set up some water sensors to ping me when it blows.
I get the nasty black stuff out of my water every time I shut off my well and turn it back on. Thanks for the video, I tried taking my anode rod off with a breaker bar, been afraid to use the impact gun for fear of shattering the lining of my tank.
Time to end the wait I guess.
Yeah, breaker bar only threatened to break my copper plumbing
@@ScottDriscoll same here, whole thing started to spin. I didn't have anything to brace it against for leverage. Kit been sitting in the box for a while now.
Use a ratchet strap around the tank and use it as leverage it will work I promise
The black gunk is accumulation in your pressure tank that gets disturbed when the pressure drops below normal.
Thanks for the video and research( the Rabbit hole)…just ordered the Corro-Protec and hope it does its job! Cheers from Nova Scotia. MikeR.
Thank you for such a well explained video and also for the feedback after 1 month of use. I am going to try this method.
My 27 yr old water heater did not give me this issue. Once I replaced it the smell appeared within a week. Switching to Aluminum Zinc rod did not solve it. Thanks again!!
Yeah I *think* that aluminum zinc just reacts less with the water, but still does react, so you might have luck with the corro. Another thing you could try is the bleach treatment alone, but that still involves getting off the original rod, and may not work long term. My water is still good after about 4 months now, but I wonder if the summer will wake up some bacteria in my pipes outside of the heater.
How long did this take total if I did this for a customer how much would you charge labor
I must ask, did the new anode leak from the threads? Teflon tape has to be put on so it tightens against the threads as you turn it. If you put it on BACKWARDS the tape gets pushed out and doesn't do its job of sealing the threads.
No leaks and im pretty sure i put the tape on the correct direction (so it tightens like u say)
if you emptied more of the water, would you still have had to use the impact?
The water actually gives some inertia that might help a little. I don't think I couldn't gotten that thing out without 4 strong people working on it... and would probably still have risked mangling the pipes.
I wouldn't use any of those Liquid Wrench lubricants to avoid contaminating the water tank.
Came here to say this! Absolutely don't want to introduce that to your water system.
Is the well water the cause? I have a well in my mtn house. I am using a filter .
The well water at your mountain house could be causing the hot water smell, especially if it has high mineral or bacteria levels. While a filter helps, it might not eliminate all odor causes. Our powered anode rod prevents bacterial growth and reduces mineral buildup in your water heater, directly addressing the issue and improving your hot water's smell and quality.
1 1/4 worked no problem.
Holding that drill plugged in then a rod in water. Be careful. Good video and clear shots showing what's going on. Thanks.
He's already touching ground that's even worse
Mine has two andoes so wondering if I need both replaced or just one
One only
How much would you charge labor to change old one out with new electric labor only
How long have you lived in the house and how long have you had the smell
house was about 20 years old when I moved in, original tank. Smell was there when I moved in.
22 year old water heater is about its last leg. Average is 10 to 15 years, so you definitely got your money's worth or your previous owner did.
Need a favor please.... Most DIY'ers have a digital voltmeter and after the install of my powered anode, I am measuring ~ 2.958 volts across the spade terminal and tank ground. The measured UN-loaded voltage is about 26 volts, I was surprised to see about a 23 volt drop after the unit was operating for a couple of days. After 15+ years, bad boy ME did not flush like is recommended and my voltage drop may be due to severe lack of flushing/maintenance. I'd appreciate anyone using a powered anode to reply with their measured voltage arcoss the spade lug to ground.... Thanks ahead of time.... Hank P.S. For my old - original - anode removal, an impact gun was MANDATORY, with 7-10 seconds of full power reverse with my SeeSii battery impact. Be careful to impact the anode just loose, then finish the removal manually with a 1/2" ratchet-breaker bar so not to have the old anode spin too fast and f-up the elements....
The socket should be a 1 1/16ths, and you should not use the socket you showed with dimples. You should only use a six sided socket or you risk rounding off the corners…….especially when using an impact.
Good video. However there is no salt in water with water softener. Salt is only to flush the media in the softener.
The company that made my water softener said it's about 600mg/gallon, and depends on how hard your water is initially: rheemwatertreatment.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408496095127-How-Much-Sodium-or-Potassium-is-in-Softened-Water-
The softener performs an ionic exchange of calcium for sodium, so yes, the softened water is saltier than the unsoftened water.
Is there proof it helps corrosion tho.
Absolutely! Powered anode rods are designed to prevent corrosion by emitting a low-level electrical charge that stops the corrosive action of the water in your tank. Numerous independent studies and practical applications validate their effectiveness in reducing corrosion in water heaters. For more insights, feel free to search for independent studies online using keywords such as "impressed current anode" or "ICCP system".
Ok.
Before using this product:
Every so many years, I pulled out 2x 5 gallon buckets of calcium stuff.
5 years later after using this product - I pulled out about 1/2 gallon.
Just used the warranty to replace it - 3 days later it came - Free.
If it's on the Internet it has to be true😂, just joking, i am considering this product myself. I only get about 6 years life from my heaters.
Is it still odor free
yep!
Without dielectric couplers this rod has saved your tank I once replaced a 180 gallon tank it was leaking in less than 5 years the boss had a fit over the price of the dielectric coupler unlike the 3/4 inch ones used for home which are relatively inexpensive the 1 1/4 were 400$ each but if they make the 1200dollars tank last 2 to 3 times as long they're cheap we put a 10 year old 80 gallon tank with the dielectric coupler it lasted 20 plus years after installation so it was over 30 years old when it finally started leaking so dielectric coupler do work with the new pex pipe there is no electolis with any glass lined tank there are pinholes in the glass liner and that is where they will lose metal from and that is where they eventually will spring a leak in the old days when all you had was galvanized tanks there was a lag bolt with a rubber washer on it that you threaded in the hole to fit it so a 10 cent repair instead of a new tank
I read this twice and feel like there is some good information in your comment. However, without punctuation it's almost impossible to follow.
I removed the anode from my new water heater when I built my house in 1991. I sawed off the rod and reinstalled the plug. I replaced the water heater a month ago. It wasn’t leaking. I replaced it because it had to be moved to replace my furnace and I figured it would probably leak when jostled about.
Will the Cheaper Powered anode rods that they sell on Amazon work just as well as the More expensive "double the price" units Corro-Protec sells . I have not found a compare video on these different powered anodes
Use a 1 and 1/16th socket. Not 27mm. If you round that off you are screwed. And the ladies watch has to go.....
27mm = 1062.99in, or .0005in oversized, so I'm going to have to fight you on the mm socket rounding the nut much. But I did get a new watch.
@@ScottDriscoll LOL. Right tool for the job. Some of these are a pure battle to get out. Have a great day sir.
my rheem die 3 months after its 6years warranty expired.
Did you ever drain it or replace the anode rod ?
EAR MUFFS! Waa ha ha.😂. What no goggles and bicycle helmet too?
Pro tip: NEVER use a 12 point socket with an impact. Use a 6 point socket.
Why's that? Less likely to break?
@@ScottDriscoll Yes, the smaller teeth and slim walls make them more likely to cause rounding of the fastener when too much torque is applied. Also, never use a chrome socket on an impact wrench - chrome sockets are not designed to be used with impact tools. Chrome sockets are harder and more brittle than impact sockets, and can crack, shatter, or explode if used with an impact driver. Using an impact socket also transfers more of the force to the fastener - plenty of demos where someone used a chrome socket and it wouldn't budge, then they switch, and it comes off. And other times I've seen guys use them and they work fine, until they dont. Just stuff you learn ;-)
Thanks! Interesting about impact sockets actually transferring more force.
good video but I think you put the wrong anode rod back in it. You supposed measure top of the tank down to the drain about 44" using a flexible anode rod. My tank is only 3.5 years old so I can wait at least a few more years!
If it's gone it shouldn't be the source of the smell
The smell is a mystery. Maybe smelly bacteria were already in the water and the Corro Protec Anode zaps them. Although lots of people told me to replace the rod to get rid of the smell...
In 2024 the Corro Protec will cost you $170. That's very aggressive pricing. I would call it price gouging. Not worth it.