 | ||||
| ||||
| | ||||
| ||||
| Moderated by: Admin |
|
||||||||||||||
| Intelligent Anode | Rate Topic |
| Author | Post |
|---|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18th, 2010 03:30 am |
|
1st Post |
|
sky_tech Member 
|
For those that haven't noticed, this site now offers an "Intelligent Anode" that is equipped with a embedded sensor wire that can trigger an alarm when the anode is sufficiently consumed to expose the wire (at least that's my understanding). http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/English/OrderPages/XCart/Intelligent-Magnesium-Anode-Basic.html I only noticed it on the site very recently and there does not appear to be any discussions about it on the forum yet. It costs $124 for a hex-head version with the monitoring module. I'm not sure how much just the replacement anode costs. They also offer a deluxe version for $30 more that includes two water leak sensors. I would think that combining the leak detection with an auto-shut-off valve (available elsewhere) would make for a compelling combination. As to the value of just the anode depletion alarm feature, it probably depends on how hard it is to manually check the anode in a particular heater installation. I, for one, am very tempted to spend the extra so that I don't have to pull out the anode routinely to look at it (seeing as how I put off checking mine for years due to it being too hard to unscrew and just now finally managed to bust it out with an air-wrench, only to discover it's now less than 2 inches long) Any other opinions? I am particularly interested in what Randy (elenano) and Larry (eleent) have to say about their experiences with either their own use or customer satisfaction. P.S. Randy, When did the site begin offering this and what's the back story? Last edited on Sun Jul 18th, 2010 03:31 am by sky_tech |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Sun Jul 18th, 2010 04:51 am |
|
2nd Post |
|
elenano Member
|
Sky_Tech, It's been for sale since about March. You are the first person to notice it even exists. Nobody has bought one. I thought it was an interesting idea and worth offering, to see what would happen, but I also thought it was a mite pricey. The biggest thing about anodes is just loosening them and removing them in the first place. Once a person is past that, if he re-installs them with Teflon tape, it's no big deal to go back and check them again. I asked the maker if he could make a device that fit down over the hex head of any anode and measured the driving current and gave an alarm when that started to taper off. He said no. That would make more sense, though, to me, than a specialty anode cum alarm box. Randy Schuyler
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: Sun Jul 18th, 2010 05:22 am |
|
3rd Post |
|
sky_tech Member
|
I'm not aware of any good way to measure the current through the anode without putting something in series with the path. The simplest way to do that would be with some sort of adapter between the tank and the anode threaded portion. That would allow a current sensing circuit to be interposed there. The question really is, can it be sold at a price point far enough below a powered anode to make sense? The powered anode has an awful lot going for it, given its very long life. The only two things that worry me about the powered approach is (1) that any electronics failure leaves you unprotected (and without an alarm in the present product), and (2) unless the power supply is smart enough you can get excess hydrogen production. It sounds like your experience, however, is that neither has been much of a problem. Correct? I did notice, though, that the developer of the Intelligent Anode also has an automatic cold-supply cut-off valve that connects to the monitor, which turns off the cold supply in event of a leak. You might consider selling that. It would be an interesting product even without the anode depletion feature, and in combination, might make the whole thing appealing enough to garner a customer base. Soooo, for an off-topic ending - I suppose, having finally gotten the energy to get my own stuck anode out of my 20 year old heater and finding it totally consumed I really have to replace the tank. It's an 80-gal gas (State Censible 510E). Any recommendations? I would strongly prefer a unit that does NOT use a combo anode, as I don't relish un-plumbing the hot line to do periodic inspections. Having three women (2 teens) in the house makes a smaller unit problematic. I have read all the relevant postings and there's not much discussion of 70-80 gallon gas units. Should I start a fresh thread? Last edited on Sun Jul 18th, 2010 08:56 am by sky_tech |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: Mon Jul 19th, 2010 03:58 am |
|
4th Post |
|
eleent Member
|
Hello: My own experience with anodes that are discovered missing has not been too bad. If my client understands there can be no warranty, I've actually had good success with replacing anodes that were down to a plug. Heaters often keep on going. Anodes do get consumed faster in tanks that are damaged, but checking yearly (at least for a while) keeps things on track. I've found that doing this, the time between anode replacement grows once the tank has had protection for a while. I suspect it is the hardness in the water getting plated out on the bare steel that re-coats and protects. Softened water would likely not behave the same way  Yours, Larry
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Current time is 11:00 am | |
| thetankatwaterheaterrescue.com > Forums > The Tank > Intelligent Anode | Top |
