| Author | Post |
|---|
bigbit
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 27th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 27th, 2006 06:47 pm |
|
I have a Ruud water heater PE2-52-2 50 gal water heater. It is a warranty replacement to replace another of the same I got in 2000. Made it under the warranty by 2 months. I have read the info for the anode and I am trying to do what you reccomend. I am unable to see a hex nut as there are plastic plugs and in the diagram it says there is a anode there but I pull the cap off and there is insulation. If I rip the insulation out is there a anode there or can you tell me how to proceed with this type, if in fact it is possible with this type. I do not want to replace it again in 6 years if it can be helped. I tried to get a better one but this is all they carry!
|
eleent
Member
| Joined: | Sat Sep 11th, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1565 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 04:30 am |
|
Hello: There will be two smaller plastic plugs towards the outer edges of the top. These are used for injecting foam insulation. Ignore these and look closer to the center for a bigger plastic plug. Remove the plug and use a small screwdriver to poke around in the foam. You should find that the screwdriver does not go so far down on top of the anode as it does when it misses the anode. Poking around will outline the top of the anode and tell you where to cut out the foam. You should not need to remove much to get to the anode.
Yours, Larry
ps. There is a chance that your heater has a combo rod, that is the hot outlet is combined with an anode. Poking a stiff wire down the hot pipe will tell. If it stops only a few inches in, you've found the anode.
Last edited on Tue Mar 28th, 2006 04:32 am by eleent
|
bigbit
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 27th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 28th, 2006 06:42 am |
|
Thanks for replying Larry,
This tank is unlike others I have seen. It has nipples already in the tank with blue collars and a label that says they are heat traps in both hot and cold nipples and must stay there. In all other photos and descriptions of heaters there were one blue and one pink. They are both blocked 1 or 2 inches into the nipple. I installed it as I could not wait any longer.
|
eleent
Member
| Joined: | Sat Sep 11th, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1565 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 29th, 2006 01:15 am |
|
Hello: When the time comes in two to four years, I'd go ahead and remove the hot side nipple and put a combo rod in. Bending a long flex connector into a loop will accomplish much the same thing as a heat trap nipple, by reducing convection losses in the plumbing  .
Yours, Larry
|
bigbit
Member
| Joined: | Mon Mar 27th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 3 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 9th, 2008 10:38 pm |
|
Well it's been awhile since I logged on here but I have something to add to this topic.
I have checked the top of the tank again and this time I found the anode hex nut under the plastic cap close to the center under an inch of insulation. There are 4 plastic caps on this unit. 3 of them are close to the egdes of the tank and 1 closer to the Hot port/center of the tank where the anode was. The anode hex nut is far bigger than I anticipated it would be.
Just wanted to thank Larry for all the information again. It turns out he was exactly right on the location.
Now the question is when should I replace/check the anode. It was installed in 2006 and it is fed by well water. This is a replacement for the original one that lasted 5.5 years but did have an element go bad in 2004 from corrosion according to the plumber. It had a 6 year warranty and it died in last 6 months of warranty.
There is only a 2 ft clearance above it but I'm sure it can be leaned over (with help and empty) to replace the anode. What type should I put in as I do have some odor to my water.
Last edited on Wed Apr 9th, 2008 10:41 pm by bigbit
|
elenano
Member
| Joined: | Sat Sep 11th, 2004 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 1322 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 10th, 2008 01:27 am |
|
Do you soften your well water? If so, check the anode every couple of years. You do not have to remove it entirely to do that. If you don't soften, I'd check it at four years, based on what you've said.
As to replacement, a flexible hex-head magnesium anode will work, but if you find you're chewing through anodes rapidly, think about the powered anode, as it requires little overhead clearance, throws more current than a sacrificial one, and will probably outlive you. I don't usually recommend them because of the cost, but these are the kinds of situations where they make sense.
Randy Schuyler
|
Current time is 03:08 am | |
|
