The subject of installing
an anode rod in an Atwood
water heater comes up from time to time.
Often, it is said that installing such an anode rod
will void the factory warranty.
Is it true, or is it folklore?
Below is my email to Atwood and their Official response.
My email query to Atwood service:
Name: YoDude
Title: Consumer/Your friend
Organization: The General Public
Address: XXXXXXXXX
City: Omak
State: WA
ZIP: 98841
Country: USA
Phone:
Fax:
Email: scopedude@hotmail.com
Product Line: Water Heaters
Comments: Aftermarket anode rods are available for the water heaters you sell.
Could you please state the technical views of using these products with your
water
heaters and the company stand as fas as your warranty applies if a user decides
to do so?
Thank you,
YoDude
scopedude@hotmail.com
The Official Atwood response:
Mr. YoDude,
Anode rods are unnecessary in Atwood water heaters.
Even though some manufacturers of those devices claim they are made for our
water heaters,
we do not advise using them.
"The Atwood water heater tank is constructed of a core of high strength aluminum.
The interior of the tank consists of a 15% thickness of type 7072 aluminum (pure
aluminum and zinc)
that is fused to the core during the rolling process. This material protects
the tank from the affects of
heavy metals and salts found in waters throughout the country. It is anodic
to these heavy metals and
acts much like an anode in a steel glass lined tank except it will last much
longer."
Also, if an anode rod is used, many times the metal that used for the threads
is incompatible with the
aluminum and differential metal corrosion occurs. The anode rod then becomes
frozen in place and is
difficult, if not impossible to remove. Anode rods are only necessary in glass
lined tanks.
Todd Reitz,
Customer Service Atwood Mobile Products
1120 N. Main St Elkhart, IN 46514
Ph. 866-869-3118
Fx. 574-206-9655
http://www.atwoodmobile.com/
Note: They state NOTHING about the use of these rods voiding the warranty.
Only that they 'do not advise using them', which is much different than stating,
"We advise against using them.", although they do state the reasons why you
don't need them.
Yo-
07.19.06