As you bring your RV out of winterization, one of the things you may have done is taken the anode rod out of your RV’s water heater. You do this as part of draining the water heater.

What is an anode rod?

The anode rod in many RV water heaters is a sacrificial element in the tank of the water heater that reacts to the water and minerals in the water. Instead of allowing damage to the tank, it sacrifices itself and thus is a replaceable item.

Over time the minerals in the water react with the anode rod breaking it down.

How long does an anode rod last?

How long should an anode rod last? There isn’t really a single answer to this. i’ve never seen one not last an entire camping season and I’ve seen some still good after several seasons.

The minerals in the water, how much you use your RV and a number of other factors will affect how long the anode rod will last.

Since most RVers have to prepare the water system for winter part of this process involves draining the water heater. When you drain the water heater you’ll pull the anode rod and that’s when you can inspect it. Normal pitting and corrosion are part of the job the anode rod does so finding one that looks like the surface of the moon is normal and doesn’t mean things are amiss.

You can spot an anode rod that needs replacing when the majority of the original material has been eaten away as in the picture here.

Other tips

I like to flush the water heater whenever i remove the anode rod. I have a Camco RV water heater flushing wand and it’s incredible how much “stuff” I get out of the water heater. If you’ve ever wondered where the “little rocks” come from in your RV’s water system, here is your answer. This is the kind of gunk that plugs up the aerators on faucets.

One more thing - there are a lot of sellers offering cheap anode rods, often in multiple packs. I’ve seen these cheap items do more harm than good. Buy something from a known, reputable provider.

Also, anode rods come in different lengths. Make sure the one you buy is the correct size for your RV’s water heater.

Lastly there are a few brands of water heater that do not require an anode rod as their tanks are made of either aluminum or stainless steel.