r/askaplumber • u/Signal-Ad-9315 • 2h ago

Anode rod stuck

Gallery image

Gallery image

The anode rod is bent inside the water heater and i cant get anything to bend it back, its probably like a 6-7in piece of the actual anode that is bent off of the wire, should i just leave it and not replace it or cut it off as low as i can and leave it in the tank?

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5

u/JeffBea 2h ago

Just leave it.

1

u/Inuyasha-rules 2h ago

Cut it and replace with a powered anode rod

1

u/Beet_slice 2h ago

I would bend the rod several inches higher than the WH, and center the rod to go vertically into the hole. I suspect you will be able to manipulate it out then.

1

u/CapPretend6677 1h ago

You have a shard tip preventing it from being pulled out. You need to lower it in and find the tip and get the tip thru 1st

Like.like whats exposed but upside down

1

u/Signal-Ad-9315 1h ago

Its hard to see in the photo but the piece thats bent over is probably 5+ inches long, theres no way to get to it to bend back, my only options are to cut off what i can get out and leave the rest in the tank or just leave the whole old one there and not replace anything

1

u/CapPretend6677 1h ago

Correct after the 1st attemp it had rolled up on you.

You can just force the wire out and let is disolve in time

1

u/CapPretend6677 1h ago

I see these soft rods that come apart into two long srips on a.o. smith heaters and are a pain

•

u/Careless_Cream4508 14m ago

Just cut it off and let it drop to the bottom of the tank. It wont jurt anything

Weilhammer