Aluminum / Zinc Flexible Anode Rod, Hex Plug, 42" - Stops Rotten Egg Smelly Water!

I actually like the smell of hydrogen sulfide but Im a physical chemist so that makes me different from normal people. My wife has points this out to me quite often. So when one of the water heaters we oversee go smelly I am forced to actually do something about it. Now I think magnesium anodes are cool because its real chemistry in action protecting less active metals in the water heater like copper and steel. My wife tells me to shut up about magnesium (which is one of the few metals stable as a gas phase at room temperature- i know, shut up about magnesium). So it trade out the old generally corroded (its supposed to corrode you know) anodes for an aluminum/zinc one and it does the job. Aluminum, like magnesium is never found in the free state in nature because its also too active. So it does the protective thing too just doesnt encourage the oxidation of sulfur to the +2 state from its happy sulfate form. You need sulfate in your diet. You dont need or want sulfide in your diet unless its in thiols which gives a lot of foods their distinctive taste and smell. These anodes do the job nicely and the daisy chain design makes them easy to put in very tight access areas and you can cut off unneeded lengths so it fits the little bitty electrical water heaters.

At first I was wondering how this was flexible.... After receiving it I found it is a section of bars attached on a hefty piece of cable. I dont need a flexible one but I bought this rod due to its zinc content in the rod to counteract the sulfur smell of our hot water. During install I also flushed the system with some hydrogen peroxide as I saw recommended elsewhere. I can say the change has been instant! after removing the old rod, flushing with peroxide, and installing the new Blue Lightning Aluminum Zinc rod our hot water has gone from a faint sulfur smell (even after a 4 whole house filter system & water softener) to fresh odorless clean hot water! SUCH A RELIEF! So if you have only smelly hot water replacing your Anode rod is definitely the ticket. And if you're going to do so the zinc only helps! and its flexible too which cant hurt anything either! I'll be buying this same one again in the future for proper maintenance! (Pictures are the new rod installed, and the condition of the old rod.)

I purchased this anode after researching solutions to an odor problem with hot water. My stepmother is on a well and the hot water had an bad odor. As stated in other reviews removing the old anode can be difficult. If you don't have a powerful impact wrench you will need a breaker bar with a handle extension. I used a three foot length of pipe and had to brace the water heater to keep it from turning by wedging a 2x4 between the pipe nipples on the top of the heater. I trimmed about four inches off the new anode to make sure it did not touch the bottom of the tank. I added a quart of hydrogen peroxide to the tank per recommendations. The old anode was covered with a black slime. Hopefully this will cure the odor problem.

Hard to review such a thing until some time has passed. The old one was a BEAR to get out. And not just to loosen. I had it loosed but still didnt' want to come out. I think a build up around the head was the problem. This is sold as flexible for tight spaces..but you still have to pull the old one out which could be a problem for some. My old one looked awful. Hopefully helps with the sulpher smell. I'll post back on that later.

Bought this to replace anode in 7 year old water heater. Hardest part is removing old anode, then cutting it in short prices to remove it. There is only 15 inch clearance over Water heater. Trick to removing anode - one three foot or longer cheater bar on wench and another one wedged between hot and cold nozzles on top of water heater. If the nozzles bend or break, you needed a new water heater anyway. You should have changed the anode a few years earlier. New one went in easily.

So thrilled the sulfur smell is gone! I do have to say, my husband questioned if I did the right thing on buying the recommended socket and breaker bar. Being the handyman that he is, he insisted he had "the right tools for the job" After reading the reviews and researching the "how to's" on changing the anode rod, I felt differently. After the job was done, he admitted I did the right thing, and what he had in his regular tool box wouldn't have worked. I highly suggest if you are going to do this job, get the right tools. You will be happy you did.

I tried a long 5' bar on the 1 1/16" socket and could not budge the old Anode, then saw a "tip" in the instructions....something about using an Impact Gun will make it easier to remove the old one. So I used my Craftstman19.2 volt impact gun and the bolt loosened slowly and came out! I sprayed some Blaster on it the day before towork on the old bolt overnight. Installing the new Anode was the easy part, using plenty of teflon tape.

Initial results were promising, but I also did the peroxide treatment at the same time. I have a 40 gal Rheem electric water heater that is new. I am on well water and use a whole house softener ahead of the water heater. This is a new home. Rotten egg smell ensued, so after searching for answers, this zinc anode rod seemed to be the best and I purchased it. Within 2 months, the smell has returned. I did not want to tear my heater apart every 2 months to do the H2O2 treatment, which is why I purchased this anode. For me it is a failure. I had to cut off some of the length to match my OEM anode, so returning for refund is probably out of the question. I will now go with the more expensive powered titanium anode.

Easy installation. Fast shipping