Rheem Hybrid Electric Water Heater Anode Rod Replacement. Sulfur Smell is Gone!
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- In this video, I'll explain step by step how to change the factory Anode Rod in a Rheem Hybrid Electric Water heater. I was getting a sulfur smell from my hot water, and installing the Corro Protect Electric Anode rod has completely fixed my problem in 24 hours. This has fixed my problem for over 1 year now and still going strong! Read through the comments and see that many others have had similar success.
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Totally awesome and timely video! We purchased a Rheem Professional 80-gal heat-pump water heater, identical to the unit in your video. We absolutely love it, but there were a couple problems. First, there was “Black” water coming from our hot water side only. A very nice and knowledgeable person at the Rheem technical support line, informed me this was often the case with unfiltered well water, which was exactly our case, and that it was caused by the “magnesium anode rod”. They suggested we change the anode rod with something other than “magnesium” and that it would NOT void the warranty. We were in the process of adding comprehensive water filtration system on our well water, so we decided to wait. After the filtration system was added, the “Black” water on the hot water side was totally eliminated; however, we still had the “Rotten Egg” smell. Being on well water, we were used to it, but had hoped the new water filtration system would eliminate it. Because the smell was only on the hot water side, and because the technicians were so nice and knowledgeable at Rheem, I decided to call them back and ask them about it. When I mentioned the “Rotten Egg” smell, they immediately asked if we were on well water, I said we were, but had a new water filtration system. They explained that the “Rotten Egg” smell on the hot water side was caused by the “magnesium anode rod” and that I should replace it, either with a different type of anode rod or a “power anode rod”. This was the second time they suggested I change the anode rod, and that it would NOT void the warranty. Because I said I was interested in a “Power Anode” rod and asked how to do it, they even looked up a CZcams video and sent me a link. It was of someone using the “Corro Protec” product, but it was on a different water heater. I purchased my “Corro Protec” power anode rod from Amazon, it looked simple enough to install; however, with this Rheem “heat-pump”, I wasn’t sure how to get to the old anode rod.
Your video came up in a quick CZcams search. Again, totally awesome and timely! If you don’t mind, there are just a couple “comments” I’d like to make. 1) Rheem technical support recommended to me to change the anode rod to eliminate the “Rotten Egg” smell - and this would NOT void the warranty. 2) The correct socket does work in the sleeve without having to remove it. I happened to have two sockets, both “1 and 1/16”, one I noticed had more pronounced “beveled edges” than the other. The one did exactly like you said, it would set on top of the old anode rod, but not grip it. The other, with less pronounced “beveled edges worked perfectly, without removing the sleeve. The Rheem technician indicated to me that it was not uncommon to change the “sacrificial anode rod” and I’m sure they don’t remove the sleeve. 3) In your video you mentioned putting “Dielectric Grease” on the tip of the new power anode rod; however, you didn’t actually show or mentioned doing it, nor could I find anywhere on the instructions from “Corro Protec” to do this. In any case, Great Video, many thanks! FYI, installed the new powered anode rod yesterday, emptied and refilled the tank, and no “Rotten Egg” smell today! Yeah!
Mark... Can you send a link to the socket that worked without removing the plastic insert?
First: I’m super glad this fixed your issue!
Warranty: Others have mentioned that an anode rod change won’t void the warranty (according to Rheem customer service) I’ll see if I can edit the CZcams video without taking it down (Reposting it would lose all my view counts, and all the helpful comments on the video.)
Socket. Yes in hind sight, I think I could have tapped the socket down onto the hex bolt without cutting out the plastic cap. I hope people read the comments before they cut the cap out!
Dielectric grease was just my idea. I like to keep electrical connections around water, or in damp humid basements protected (like my trailer harness pins) so I use dielectric grease often. I do believe I forgot to show that step in the video. Probably no problem if no one does that
step, it’s just a personal preference of mine. You just put a dab of grease on the spade connector before you slide them together.
great video.
For me I used a electric heat gun for the plastic cap directly on the bolt head of the anode rod. till it was soft enough to pull off with my fingers while it was still soft I pushed down the leftovers for the socket to fit.
The heat gun did not melt the foam and took about 2 to 3 minutes to get soft enough.
I also was able to reinstall the cap
This is such a good idea. Thanks so much for sharing with everyone!
Thanks for this video! I love this water heater but I had the exact same problem. Installed powered anode about 2 hours ago. This should cure the smell.
Here's a tip for those who are going to do this. 1st, absolutely leave the water in for weight to remove the old rod, they put them in there for real.
2nd thing: The reason the socket won't fit is that the plastic collar may not be perfectly centered on the existing anode rod. If you take a medium flat blade screwdriver and gently pry around the places where it is too close to allow the socket by, you can move it enough to get the socket on, it has some memory after you pry it. Then take your socket and extension and move it around until you feel it grab any part of the anode top hex, straighten it out, and gently tap it onto the nut. Nothing crazy but it WILL seat the socket on the top of the rod. Then remove. I took mine out without the removal of the plastic collar. I suppose if yours is off center enough this may not work, but it worked perfectly for me. You could look into a thin wall 1 1/16 socket as well though I don't know if that's a thing. The anode nut on a Corro-Protec CP-R Water Heater Powered Titanium Anode Rod is 31mm but all I had was a 32mm axle socket and it worked fine.
I think this is the first video I have ever commented on on CZcams but I want to say thank you! We purchased a Rheem hybrid hot water heater and around day 27 we started to experience this smell. By day 30, it was so overwhelming we had to do something. I’ve heard from others doing this won’t void your warranty (Rheem reps have said it won’t to them). I am in contact with them but couldn’t wait for their response with COVID especially with no phone support available. I went ahead and did this, however, I did have to call one of my guy friends to pop the hex bolt (120lb female here). I couldn’t get the bolt to pop but they did after a couple of attempts. This bolt is on no joke. After that it was pretty smooth sailing. Without this video, we probably would have had to get a chlorination unit so we are so thankful you posted it. Corro started working immediately (within hours) and the smell was gone. We did empty about 10-15 gallons out tho so that does factor in how quickly it started working. Heard this is a common issue so idk why Rheem hasn’t addressed this or changed the design.
So glad this worked for you too. It's been a year for me and still working great. I will say if I use EVERY SINGLE BIT of the hot water to the point where it is barely warm, I will get the slightest faint scent of sulfur still, but it goes away once I let the hot water builds up again. Has only happened 2 or 3 times, and only if I completely use all hot water. But anyway, overall I'm still completely happy with the result, and would do it again in a heartbeat.
Excellent video, quite ambitious for just changing an anode rod, but you demonstrated great patience and detail. I wished you had shown the installation of the new rod, you did so much prep work to get to that point and then skipped over it. Thank you!
I've owned the 80 gallon version just like yours for more than a year, but am on city water with no smell. Great heater, beats the dual 50s I had at previous house. Looked for this video after not finding in the manual where or how to change the anode. Great video, thanks! I'll be changing mine in a couple years and will refer back...
Glad to help. I also love this water heater. I had a 30 year old crazy heavy duty commercial water heater that was in my house. It was rusting away from the inside, and staining everything with rust color. This one solved all my issues, and is so much more efficient. If you do change your rod, read through some of the comments, it seems like ripping out the plastic cap is not necessary with the correct socket. Thanks for watching!
First, the Corro-Protec really eliminated the sulfur smell. Second, this video was a perfect how-to for the Rheem Platinum Hybrid installation, with one exception. The old anode (1 year old) is a bear to remove. I had a 1/2" drive pneumatic impact gun, but my portable compressor didn't have the juice for it. I had to go low tech and use a 30" cheater pipe on my 1/2" breaker bar with a helper bear-hugging the tank. The magnesium anode was pitch black and starting to erode already.
Thank you for the video. I have been running the core protect rod in my Bradford white heat pump tank for several years. So far it has been great. I do recommend that if you have any Pex piping that you run grounds to all branches. I’ve had issues with calcium buildup at my transition location. I didn’t have this before the CoreProtect so I’m assuming that it is related. It is an easy fix especially since I no longer have the smell. At this point I have been very satisfied with the CoreProtect and I have not had any tank issues so I believe that it is working as advertised.
As a side note, a few months ago I did have a blinking light on my power supply and the customer service quickly sent me a replacement power supply. I was very pleased with their response.
Thanks for the tips. I will check out both of those items. I have pex, so I’ll look for any calcium, and to be honest, I haven’t looked at the power supply in……um…..however long it’s been since I installed it. 😮
Just had to replace mine today after only 3 months of use. One thing I’ll add is the original rod was very tight! So tight that it started to round off trying to break it loose. As a helpful hint I ended up using a 1/2” drive electric impact wrench. Came right out! Went back in with the new aluminum rod and tighten it by hand.
Thanks for this video!!! I without it, I wouldn't have had the guts to do it. Especially breaking the old anode rod loose. It took a 2' breaker bar with a 2' pipe on it! I have a tip that will make the process easier for anyone else that wants to do it. Instead of grinding and tearing out that plastic piece, I just heated up the socket with a torch, then pushed it down onto the head of the anode, melting the plastic with the socket. Worked great!
That’s such a good idea. So much better than grinding it out. Only issue I could see is the initial break loose of the bolt with the added friction of the tight plastic around the socket is probably difficult (hence you needing 48” of leverage). But once it’s broke loose, thats much easier. I have heard of others just pounding the socket down onto the bolt too (no heat), but I image that makes it even harder to break loose the bolt.
Wow. Great idea. I will do that! Thanks for the tip Andy!!!
Believe it when he says to remove the plastic collar around the existing anode. Although my socket fit perfectly and I even bought a new stronger impact gun, the anode did not loosen until I removed the plastic collar. After that, smooth sailing!
Great video, thanks for the tips. I have the 50 gallon version of the Rheem Hybrid. I’m on well water and have been putting up with the sulfur smell for over a year, which has only gotten worse with time. So I finally decided to replace the anode. I was able to get a thin wall 1 1/16” impact socket over the anode head without removing the plastic ring by tapping the socket down over the anode head with a rubber mallet and a 15” socket extension. But breaking the anode rod loose was another matter. Even with a 24” breaker bar, I was unable to break it loose. The tank just wanted to spin, even full of water. I finally resorted to an impact wrench with 400 pounds of torque. It took quite a bit of pounding, but eventually I was able to get it loose enough that I could remove it with the breaker bar. That anode rod is seriously torqued at the factory. The rest was pretty straight forward. The Corro-protect anode I installed required a 31 mm socket. I took the opportunity to flush the tank of sediment while doing this since it’s been in service for a year. Looking forward to no more sulfur smell!
Hi, It is one year later. I was just wondering if you got rid of the smell. I am going thru the same smell and I am looking for a solution. Can you please share your experience? Much appreciated
Great video. Just did this yesterday myself. Note to others, you do NOT need to use a sanding wheel or cut up the plastic ring that surrounds the old anode. I grabbed it with some needle nose vise grips and a quick tug upwards pulled the whole thing right out. Smell is TOTALLY GONE!
Good to know. Some others were even able to get a socket in there by tapping on it and not removing the plastic ring at all. I imagine it makes it all the harder to break loose the rod though. Thanks for the tip for everyone.
Awesome! Just installed this tank last week. I haven't had this problem, but I'm bookmarking this for reference in case I ever do. It's always very helpful when people solve a problem that seems to have little info out there on it and then share it with others. Thanks!
We just had a plumber out to perform this task and he was able to do the switch without fully removing lid and without unhooking electrical. Great video thanks a lot.
My anode rod is plugged into an outlet on the ceiling. It fell out of the outlet 2 days ago (never happened before). When it fell out, it pulled the positive lead off the anode rod. I had to remove the lid to plug the lead back in, and this comment made me realize I could access it without removing the 120v electric, etc. thanks for the comment, super helpful!
Nice!
I’m a lic. Plumber in Massachusetts and I install these all the time they carry a 25 year warranty on that power anode rod which is the same unit I use they work. If you want the smell gone immediately just completely drain water heater down and refill with fresh water and turn on and no sulfur smell !!!
Then what happens in a few weeks? Smell comes back again?
Do you have to cut all the plastic off like the video? Or is there a better way
@@maxstrwe didn’t have to cut the plastic away
I wouldn’t have bought one without this video. THANK YOU!!! Now I can have efficiency and longevity! It was one or the other before, with those plastic tanks.
Thanks and great job on this video. Probably the best diy video I’ve seen in a long time thanks for sharing and going through all the steps and even jumping back to explain things.
I’ve already ordered the anode replacement and will be getting the same water heater. Your video reaffirms that this can be done and I will certainly do it BEFORE installing to make life easier.
Somewhere in all my research I ran across someone mentioned to also replace the crappy “mechanical “ filter with a HEPA filter to avoid small dust etc from getting deposited on the heat pump elements and making it less efficient.
Chris Steinmeyer thanks for that tip!
Awesome video. Helpful, deliberate. Give this guy a raise.
This is great. I just bought and installed this water heater. One week in. I was wondering about anode rod replacement. So far no sulfur smells. Thank you.
Great video! my water heater was on its way out so I replaced it with the smaller version of this Rheem. Went in easy and works fine but I noticed a bad sulfur smell from the hot water that was not there beforehand. I just moved into the home so I’m not sure what type of anode rod my old heater had in it, but there was no smell before replacing. I was about to chlorinate my well as per the owners manual before I found this video. Was able to get the old rod out without taking out the plastic ring (I bought a thin walled socket based on this video). Also the old rod was in there right as hell I almost gave up. I sprayed a little WD-40 on it and was able to break it loose. Anyways the repair was not bad at all, especially using this video as guidance. It has only been in one day and I don’t smell any sulfur at all.
Awesome. It’s great to hear other success stories. Mine is still working great after almost 2 years. Would you mind sharing a link to the “thin wall socket” you used? I’m sure others would find it useful.
OEMTOOLS 22429 1-1/16 Inch SAE... www.amazon.com/dp/B00AXTKN2S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Awesome tutorial! Just bought an AO Smith. Hope that it doesn’t have a similar problem. We’ll see! Thank you for taking the time to make the excellent video.
After this great video, i was able to put new new electric Anode rod in. It took about 20 minutes to get the plastic cuff off of the unit. I used a utility knife to score it and eventfully was able to pull it out in pieces with a needle nose vice grip. Next I had to bang on the socket to get it to sit nicely against the 27mm hex nut (top of the anode rod). Using a 3 foot breaker bar did not budge it. No matter what I tried, could not get it out. I went out and got a impact wrench (325 foot pounds), it finally came lose, without much effort. Love those impact wrenches! Putting everything back was fairly easy (use a hand socket to tighten the new anode rod in place). After only 6 weeks since the initial install of the new water heater (3/6/2021), the original magnesium anode rod was heavily pitted and smelly. Looking forward to odor free hot water. As a note that if you cannot change it out quickly, I was able to heat the water to 140 degrees for two hours to temporarily kill the smell. That lasts about a week before smell comes back. But now with the new rod, I should be fine.
Thanks for the comment. Hope you’re enjoying some sulfur smell free hot water. No budge with a 3ft breaker bar 😳. Good thing you had an impact!
Very detailed thanks
I struggled to get the original anode out, even with an impact wrench. So I put a couple cubes of ice on the anode head and let them sit there for 5 minutes. Then it hit it with an impact again and it came right out.
Awesome video! You are the reason CZcams is such a good resource.
Thanks for the comment. I couldn’t agree more. I have learned more on CZcams than I could have ever imagined. That’s one of the reasons I started my CZcams channel. I have received so much help, I thought I would give back where I can. Thanks for watching!
Good video/information. I just installed the 50 gallon hybrid. Decent city water however really hard water. I will make sure I check the anode rod and will replace it with the dielectric one.
Being in the mechanical contracting business and involved in design, build and maintenance of refrigeration equipment, it amazes me how easy it is to sell folks on the virtues of heat pump technology. But I have to say this is one area that may have a few stinkers involved. For instance the heat that is collected to heat the water has to come from somewhere in the vicinity of the unit. That means in heating season you will have an additional drain on your heat loss calculations. Then the area of maintenance where the heat exchanger draws air across to collect the heat, any airborne dust, dirt and grease will collect on the fins. This stuff will insulate the heat exchanger which will tend to produce a less efficient operation of the unit. Paying someone to do this maintenance or time spent doing it yourself needs to be factored in. There are other negative factors to consider as well. Wear on compressor and fan may require major repairs at some point in the life of this type device. Heavy load periods will still consume as much power (or maybe even more) due to necessity to cycle on the resistance heat elements periodically. Then there is the initial cost to purchase such a device which is significantly more than a straight electric hot water heater. All in all, it's a mixed bag that can wind up costing you more than you bargained for.
@aday1637 I agree with your assessment. But for some of us, "electrifying everything" is sort of the goal, and then try to purchase renewable electricity to work toward a lower carbon lifestyle. I recently added my heat pump water heater after a whole-house, energy efficient remodel. Induction stove, rooftop solar, etc. I didn't go the heat pump dryer route, because I feel the technology still has a ways to go. But for water heaters, I think the technology/quality is solid (or shall I say, quality is no worse that your average refrigerator these days). I paid about a $4-500 premium over a standard water heater, but I figure if it lasts 7-10 years, I'll get my money back. I anticipate we will continue to see efficiency/quality improvements in all forms of heat pump uses, in the coming years.
Great video. I have AO Smith one and was thinking about checking my anode rod. I am on city water and don’t have any sulfur smell so might just replace it with the same magnesium one after 3 years. Another option to get rid of the sulfur smell might be replacing magnesium rod with aluminum one.
I contacted Rheem for my model (50 gal hybrid) and they wrote back saying changing the anode rod doesn't void the warranty. If you remove it and don't replace it that will do it.
Whoever's thinking of doing this I recommend contacting them first to get it in writing for yourself.
Thanks so much Chris! Excellent video! Maybe consider (I am not an electrician) for your main power wire coming into the tank get a flexible conduit line to protect that wire. They are super inexpensive look good and will give some protection to that wire. (Most jurisdictions do require them)
Great Suggestion and I plan to do this in the future. Add it to the list....... :)
@@EvolutionDIY Put it on the pile! I can't believe Reem doesn't tell you that you need to replace this rod about every 3 years! At $68 ! I know someone who just placed a plug and no rod and they have perfect no smell water. Either way your warranties are void. Actually, I don't think they care judging by the reviews on BBB.
Thanks for making this excellent video, I’m about to tackle this same project on my AO Smith hybrid and I really appreciate the heads up on the issues I’ll run into.
Good job 👍
Thanks you saved me
We have the Rheem 50 gallon hybrid and Rheem told us to change the anode rod, told us which one to purchase and said we needed to because of well water.
Did Rheem tell you which rod you should purchase? Did they suggest this electric one, or did they suggest a different sacrificial metal type one? Just wondering...I don't plan to change mine again :)
I hope you follow up with a borescope video in a few years. I have the same unit about 4 years old. Although I have no sulfur smell, I think I will do this. Thanks for your video.
That’s a cool idea, maybe I’ll consider it. If you decide to do the job, make sure you read through the comments. It turns out, it doesn’t void the warranty, and I think there is no need to remove the plastic cap if you get the correct socket in there. Good luck!
Thank you sir for this, In have a ao smith hybrid but I'm on well water with softener. Thinking about replacing my anode with this exact anode just as a maintenance item. Really appreciate the work you did.
Your welcome. Make sure you read through some of these comments. Others have found ways to remove the rod without having to cut out the plastic cap. Good luck on the job!
This video gave me the courage to do the same on my A.O. Smith heat pump water heater. Much easier on an A.O Smith heat pump water heater. Just remove upper shell with about a dozen screws. Anode rod is pretty much in the middle. Use a tall breaker bar to remove old rod and replace with the Corro-Protect rod found on Amazon. Thanks
Hey Victor, Did Smith say that the anode was "un-serviceable"?
Thanks for the video. Well done and appreciated. I replaced a 30yr old glass line tank without an anode rod, and got a surprise when the hot water started to smell. Fingers crossed this fixes it. The old rod was definitely on there tight. Impact gun got some exercise.
Did this fix your water smell? I hope so. I was in almost the same exact situation as you. Unknowingly replaced a 25 year old industrial grade concrete lined tank with no anode rod. I had no idea.....and then surprise! It's been a year and I still have awesome results. I hope your experiencing the same.
@@EvolutionDIY yep. Problem solved. It should really come from the factory this way.
@@michaelanderson5982 Yes I wish they would. I hope the powered one provides the same corrosion protection that the sacrificial metal one did. But either way, I am saving so much money in energy vs. my 25 year old 115gal electric one I replaced that this one could rust out in 5 years and I think I would still be ahead! Glad it fixed your issue too.
I will be installing a powered anode rod in my 50 ga Rheem hybrid water heater. I called Rheem technical support & he said twice that it will not void warranty. Would have had to do it anyway because of orders. Installed 9 months ago.
Yeah I wish I would not have said that in the video. Many listeners have mentioned that it won’t void the warranty after talking to Rheem.
Very cool video. I will definitely bookmark it for when the time comes I decide to replace the anode rod in my Rheem hybrid water heater.
Work a flathead screwdriver under the lip of the plastic cap. Lift up as you go. I eventually got a small claw bar under the cap and was able to pry it out in one piece
Good to know, thanks for sharing.
Hey Dude,
Good on you!! Thanks for video. I won’t be buying Rheem, but am buying Rheem’s competitor HP hot water tank. Thanks again.
I hope you didn’t pass on Rheem on my account. It really is a great unit so far (minus the anode rod I had to change). I’m sure the competitors use anode rods too. Hopefully if they do and people run into issues, this can still help them out. Thanks for watching.
Nice video!
Great video! I've shared this with plumbers.
Thanks for sharing. Just trying to help everyone out! After 1.5 years, I still love the water heater. What a great investment. I have saved HUNDREDS in electricity so far. I have even talked to people at Menards about the Richmond version while waiting for a bathtub to be brought down. It really is a great product. Now if I could just find a reasonable priced solar system for my roof to keep the savings coming.....
Great video , in general a modification in the USA won’t “void the warranty” although they can disallow warranty coverage on a failure caused by the modifications.
Thanks for the detailed video. I just completed this project with relative ease, and my DIY skills are about average. In fact, it was even easier as that protective plastic cap popped right out with just a little prying with a flathead screwdriver (ie. no Dremel needed). There was even a pre-cut circle in the foam to make room for the new powered anode. I've had this tank for a year, so there was a bit of corrosion built up on the anode, so I had to be careful removing it so as not to damage the threads. I rinsed the threads with a little water to wash off any bits of corrosion before installing the new anode. Time will tell if this works, but I'm expecting it will.
That’s Awesome. I hope it works for you (I imagine it will). I think I was a little cautious to recommend to the everyday DIYer, but in hindsight I think the project is doable by anyone. Probably the most difficult for some is the electric. So many are afraid of electric, but if you turn off the breaker, and take some reference pictures before disassembly, should be no problem.
@@EvolutionDIY Agreed on the electrical aspect. If I can find the breaker, and there's two blacks, two whites and a ground, I'm good to go. However, I had to get my electrician neighbour to install a new receptacle in order to power up the anode, because figuring out the wiring situation in my pantry was beyond my ability.
@@EvolutionDIY Just following up... the smell went away completely with in 48 hours.
@@EvolutionDIY did I just hear the HVAC unit start up at 23:41
@@LadariusCapersOfficial I don’t actually remember. I just listened to it and I can’t even figure it out. Lol. It sounds like a freight train on camera, it’s definitely not that loud in real life. Phone audio is terrible. I plan to upgrade audio and camera in the future.
I guess I'm glad I bought the A.O. Smith.
Is the anode rod meant to be replaceable on the A.O.Smith?
Great job. It would have been so much nicer if the water heater had simply started out with the powered anode so it would never need replacement, but that might cut into sales too much. I could see replacing the sacrificial one with a powered one before even installing the water heater to maximize overhead room, but most people don't start out expecting either sulfur smells or the fact that a sacrificial anode will destroy their $3000 water heater if they don't somehow regularly replace it, at which point the recommended 6 inch height clearance comes up a bit short.
Yeah I’m sure there is some reason to not include the powered rod initially (maybe cost, or maybe majority of people are on city water and don’t have sulfur smell, or maybe it doesn’t protect the tank as well as the sacrificial one). But yes in the future, if I ever need to replace the water heater, I will do the swap before I even put it in place. Thanks for watching and the comments.
Had this happen to my 50-gal Rheem Professional within about two weeks of install. Called Rheem warranty service and they shipped me out a new anode, presumably different metals / approach to avoid parsing the sulfur. Since they shipped this to me free of charge, and under the warranty coverage, and because they sent me DIY instructions, I'm going to go out on a limb and say this will NOT void a warranty. Now down to the basement to wail on the breaker bar...
How did it go with instructions they sent you?
Also, is the sulfur smell due to the well water only? Or will public water cause this smell too?
The repair went as advertised and instructions were fine. However to reiterate what others have said, anode rod is absurdly torqued on at factory. Took three people working on tandem to jar it loose. Also, removal of the plastic plug is tedious and obnoxious.
That said, rest of it went smoothly and we are back at hot water with no smell! It is a chemical problem with something in the water - my guess is more likely on well water and less likely on treated city water. But I wouldn’t know if it’s “only” a well water problem. Didn’t pay good attention in high school chemistry. :-)
@@JeffTakle can you post Rheem service contact info you contacted to get the kit?
Great content, perfectly explained. Great video footage and editing. Only problem I saw....was that Ford T-shirt. Hahaha. Nice job!
Thanks for this helpful and amazing video!
Wow, thanks for the video. I have been trying to decide between buying a Rheem or an A.O. Smith Hybrid and I think I'll go with the A.O. Smith after seeing this!
The AOS units have clearance requirements, they lack the technology package and they are not as efficient! The Gen 5 Proterra Rheem Hybrid has leak detection, Econet wifi built-in, is very efficient and the only space requirement is 6" over top of the heater. Plus if anything goes wrong with Rheem's Heat Pump portion of the unit, Rheem will replace the entire heater, unlike AOS.
Few things, there are heat pump water heaters that do not have the back up electric elements they do not have the anode rod but also do not have back up if the heat pump fails. The stainless and plastic water heaters do not need or have anode rods so it would be nice if someone made one of them with the heat pump. Last but not least, peroxide kills the bacteria that causes the smell and peroxide degrades to plain old water once it does its thing. The bacteria does come back after about 3 months. We treat our water heater with it every few months. I have been told you can treat the well and it goes away longer but still comes back. I basically was putting peroxide in the filter before the water heater every three months or so. I have the new rod like you installed I will be swapping it out soon. Hope it works.
Good info. Thanks for sharing. I had read about the peroxide. I think at one point I even considered a peroxide injection system from thecleanwaterstore website, but in the end, it still seemed like a high effort solution. I hope you get the rod installed and it works for you. As long as your sulfur smell is in the hot water only and not the cold, I think it will work for you. Good luck!
1. Did you have sulfur problem with your old water heater?
2. Do you think it would be easier to work on removing anode rod if you removed blower fan?
3. I would also try to make those coil bladed straight to get max efficiency of this unit.
4. I had similar situation where I could not remove my rod. I disconnected entire water heater, put it on a side and replaced the rod. I think it's just easier then cutting the rod.
Unless I missed it. You didn't explain what you used the dielectric grease for. You mentioned something about using it on the "tip" of the Corro Protec. I assume you meant on the electric connector on the end of the electric anode tube and not the end that goes inside the tank. Is that correct? Getting ready to install one on mine and my son's new Hybrid water heaters. Thanks.
This an awesome video thank you. However i am encountering a more stubborn problem and that is : no matter want i do i cant get the anode rod out, i tried socket and the ratchet with a cheater bar and then the impact gun , simply no way to remove it. i am afraid that i am going to strip the hex on the rod. I am open to any suggestion . Do you think that drilling a hole on top of the nut and reaming it out with a screw extractor would work? what do you think? Manny,
I definitely would not try a screw extractor. If a socket and impact isn’t working, I can’t image a screw extractor would even come close. You need a SERIOUS cheater bar, like a 4ft or more. I used my jack handle slide over my 24” cheater bar I think. It was probably 50” of leverage. Also, ensure you’re using a 6pt socket, not a 12pt and you should lower the risk of stripping it. Hope you get it loosened.
Excellent and informative video. I just purchased one of these water heaters. I’m getting ready to install this weekend. Is the smell a problem will all these Rheem units? If so that’s a huge problem.
1:34 you said non replaceable , you mean non accessible, what they mean is it's not EASY accessible from the top like most water heaters. the heat pump components are on top and are in the way making it more difficult. I replaced mine after 2 years, same sulfur smell. i have a water filter and water softener and it's good to let a little chlorine in there from time to time. I may go with the powered rod next time i have to change it out, the aluminum one from home depot works in a pinch and there's less smell but wont last very long. lastly, i had to invest in a $200 milwaukee impact driver so i could get my anode out. my grundfos recirc pump just failed and i'm dealing with return issues. my rheem 80 gal hybrid runs almost non stop. insulate those hot water supply and return lines, it's a must!
Good suggestions. I haven't insulated my plumbing lines yet, but I have considered it. Add it to the list.....
@@EvolutionDIY sorry for the typo, yeah insulation is a must, otherwise it's a big radiator :)
This is good to know ! Thanks
Great job, thanks for the gift of tutorial.
Fantastic helpful video- is it still working? I’m about to embark on this thanks to your help, just wondering how it’s holding up now 3 years later
Absolutely still working, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I have no way to see the inside of the tank to make sure it’s providing the same level of corrosion protection, but I assume it is. Overall sulfur smell is still gone.
It can be done on an A.O. smith too. I replaced mine with one you plug in.
Awesome good to know. Must be the same basic design. Thanks for sharing.
Man glad you made this video, great job!!!!!! I'm about to do the same thing!
Thanks! I’m excited for you...it’s gonna work! Mine has been working over a year now. Would do it again in a heartbeat.
Three years later, how is it going? Is the tank protected from corrosion and is the sulfur smell still gone from the hot water?
Well, did it work?
🙃🙂
Is there a manufacturer making a polyethelyne tank ( like the Rheem Marathon ) with installed a heat pump? Also add a large powered anode rode to protect the heating elements.
Just installed my powered anode, I ran into an unrelated snag. Uploading my video now.
I’ll check out the video.
Wow, this raises so many questions. I'm considering a hybrid water heater but it'll be near bedrooms and I'm not sure if the noise, vibration and cold air would make me regret it.
I'm curious why Rheem designed the anode to be non-replaceable. Why does it make well water smell like sulfur? How does chlorine abolish the sulfur odor? How does an electronic anode work? And if it's so much better why didn't Rheem install one so you didn't have to?
Excellent questions! Rheem don't care.
Btw, I've read a comment by Rheem on the HD website that replacing the anode does NOT void warranty. I would not want to own any water heater, especially an expensive heat pump water WITHOUT an electronic anode. It's a tank saver.
Yeah actually some comments on this video have mentioned the same. Some of them even say that have called Rheem to confirm. If I could remove the clip where I say it voids your warranty I would. It’s great to know it doesn’t. Thanks for the info!
If you had had a skinnier 1 1/16" socket, do you think you still would have had to destroy the plastic cap in order to get the anode rod out?
Actually if you read through many of the comments, it seems like a lot of people have had success removing the rod without removing that plastic cap at all. So I guess my answer to you is yes, I think you could.
Thanks!
Not the first video seeing that coil all bent up from factory... lol that's pretty sad indeed
I have seen a few videos/pics now of that heat exchanger looking beat up. It actually makes me wonder if they source that part as a damaged part from some other application where it was rejected by the manufacturer but is enough to work within spec. of this unit. Just odd to see so many examples of this.
Why in the world Rheem would place a collar spacer on the hex nut of the anode rod ? It just gives the consumer headache on otherwise an easy job to replace the anode rod.
Did you install a heat trap on your water heater? If so, what kind. If not, what was your reasoning? I just learned about heat traps and I’m going to be installing a heat trap nipple w Teflon ball within the next week.
I just bought a Rheem Hybrid that was delivered. Is there any problem with transporting to another location with it laying on its side?? Thanx
Great video. Thanks
No problem. Hope it helped!
I hope you have time to answer back. I currently have an old electric water heater. I’m going to replace it with a Richmond heat pump water heater (supposed all the same parts as Rheem). I am on a well. Currently (before replacing) I do not have any sulphur smell. Should I presume that it’s possible that after I install new heat pump water heater that I might have a sulphur smell on the hot water side?
Thanks a lot!!
I just put my new Rhem hybrid in on 3/6/2021 and already (5 weeks later), i have the rotten egg smell. I ordered the electric powered Titanium Anode Rod . Since my unit is young, I am hoping that I can remove the old rod without too much effort since I have no one to help with this project. I had install the Rheem in March all by my self (pipe soldering and all), with out an issue. Wish me luck.
I have no doubt you can install it. I also installed my tank myself, and that was much more difficult than changing the anode Rod. Just get yourself a long breaker bar and a jack handle, or other piece of pipe for leverage. If you soldered your lines, that must mean your unit is hard plumbed with rigid copper. Hopefully the water weight and the plumbing hold it in place while you break loose the old rod. Good luck to you. Hope it fixes your problem.
@@EvolutionDIY I ordered the electric rod from Amazon. Should be here soon... but I have a tip that will temporarily rid the odor. If you raise the temp to 140 degrees F, it kills the smell for a bit. So far its been almost a week and the odor is gone.
Just echoing the thanks.
I'll look for an update video from you, but in case you haven't posted one has this given you any trouble yet?
I have not made an update video yet, but several people have asked, so I probably should. I have had no problems at all, sulfur smell is still gone, and I have learned from many others that this does not void your warranty (they have talked to Rheem). So all in all, it’s been great, and I would totally do it again.
@@EvolutionDIY Thanks for the update :)
Fantastic bro!
isn't there a way to do this on the inlet side before it goes into the water heater? that way you can retain the factory warranty.
I have read some other comments of people that have talked to Rheem, and they said this will not actually void the warranty. But also, this can’t really be done on the “inlet” or “outlet” side. The anode rod needs to be submerged in water, inside the tank, and basically has to go in place where the manufacturer originally placed it.
I painfully watched you bend your fins on your condenser. .. I would suggest that you put a protective thin piece of plywood to protect it while working on it. Otherwise nice information!
Hey, buddy. Thanks for video. I’m about to buy the same water heater and just wondering if your is still running good after one year. Thank you
Hi Kote. I installed this water heater in Nov 2019. Installed the powered anode rod Dec 2019. Both the water heater, and the anode rod have been working great for almost 2 years now. I have saved ALOT of money in energy by eliminating my 100% electric water heater. Basement is pretty cold due to the heat pump, but it’s an unfinished storage space so I don’t mind. Love this water heater and would buy it again for sure. Good luck.
Congrats
Non replacable anode rod? What sense does that make for rheem to do?
Yeah, what’s weird is it actually is replaceable, and it’s not even that difficult. I think they should update their documentation (maybe they have).
Did you check with Rheem to see if it would void your warranty?
I did not, but many others, as you’ll see in the comments called Rheem, and they said no problem it would not void the warranty. I guess I should have checked before I said that.
The anoid rod is to stop electrolysis from copper pipe to steel since we don't use copper anymore the only copper would be the coil in the tank so why don't they use a material for the coil that doesn't have the problem
I'm thinking of changing my current water heater to this exact model and I am on well water. We don''t have a sulfur smell currently in our water. In your opinion, do you think this will start in our hot water if I installed this model water heater in my home?
Hi - I can't see why installing this water heater would make your water smell like sulfur if it didn't have it with the old water heater. I just put one of these in and have been documenting my experience on my channel.
I answered a similar question in another comment. I’ll copy and paste here for your convenience.
Difficult to say but here is my opinion.
If you have no surfer smell now you probably have 1 of 4 scenarios below.
1) You have no bacteria in your water that reacts with anode rod corrosion so no odor. New water heater should be no problem.
2) You have a whole house treatment system installed that eliminates the bacteria that causes this smell (Chlorine, Ozone, etc). New water heater should be no problem.
3) Your anode rod is already 100% gone and there is nothing left to corrode, so bacteria cannot react with corrosion and cause odor. New water heater COULD be a problem, but you won't know until you install. Could be fine.
4) (THIS WAS MY SITUATION) Someone installed a commercial, stainless steel, or other corrosion resistant water heater with NO anode rod. There is no rod to corrode and react with so no odor. New water heater COULD be a problem because it has an anode rod, but you won't know until you install. Could be fine. If you have scenario 4, probably the previous owners had issues with sulfur smell and an anode free heater was there solution. This scenario is unlikely, but it happened to me. I didn't realize it was a 25 year old 115gal commercial tank until I removed it. It was starting to rust on the inside, and was adding iron to my hot water causing heavy rust staining in sinks, tubs and showers. This was my main reason for replacement (plus improved efficiency --> Hence hybrid choice).
So let me get this straight. The anode rod you pulled out was the factory rod after only three weeks of usage? If so, that's a lot of corrosion for only three weeks. I have the 50 gallon version of this water heater and it's been awesome. I've had it for two years and I was planning on replacing the factory anode rod after having my unit for three years. I would hope my factory rod won't be too corroded even after three years.
Yup. Seems so. Mine started to smell after only 5 weeks. Gotta love Well Water!
Did you happen to try a thin wall socket?
Why didnt you chlorinate the water are they say? It has been about 3 years since you replaced the rod. Did it solve the smell problem? Did it ever come back? Finally, did your water heater suffer any damage after installing the new rod? I would appreciate any response as I am about to order all the parts and replace the rod. Our tank is only a few months old and it smells horrible.
1) Why not chlorinate? It would have added a $1000+ system, plus monthly chlorine tablets for maintenance. I really just didn’t want the hassle and added cost.
2) Smell still solved after 3yrs? Yes the smell is still gone even after 3yrs. It has never come back. I do notice if we use ALL of the hot water, like to the point where it’s almost cold, that there is the slightest faint tiny smell of sulfur towards the end of the warm water, but then it goes away once the full tank heats back up. It’s barely noticeable, and really not an issue at all for us. I’m the only one that can even notice, and it’s very faint.
3) Suffer any damage after installing the rod? Not that I know of. Water heater has been working great since I did the change. I haven’t noticed anything negative from doing the swap. It’s hard to say long term (like 10 yrs), but so far no issue at all. I would do it again in a heartbeat!
I definitely doing it! It’s just so much better without the smell. Good luck!
Thank you for this video. I have a question for you. I plan to replace my old furnace with a high-efficiency furnace. That new high-efficiency furnace will no longer use the chimney but will use the venting plastic pipes going outside the house. Now I want to get rid of the old furnace liner vent pipe. What I understood from your video is it looks like this new high-efficiency water heater does not need any ventIs this correct? Is it the electric one or the natural gas one?
The water heater from my video does not need any vents. It is electric only. If you were to purchase a natural gas one, it would have a chimney and need vented out. If you purchase this one, it does not. The one in my video is called a hybrid electric water heater.
You can get a vent kit if your heater is in a small space.... the way these things work is they pull the heat out of the surrounding air, so if you've got your heater in a closet, it's got to get the air from somewhere, and exhaust the colder air.
This video is now 2 years old….is the sulfur smell still gone?! How often do u need to replace the new anode Rod?? Thanks!!! I def have the same experience when I moved to my new house. Well, septic, and I have a water softner too. From central NJ. Thank you!!!!!! :)
It’s still 100% gone. The only time we get the slightest faint smell of sulfur, is when we run the water heater completely out of hot water. The last like 5 or 10 warm gallons has a tiny slight smell, but it’s hardly noticeable, and we rarely run it completely out of hot water so it’s not often it happens. Overall I’m very happy with the result. We have not had to replace the powered rod. It seems to still be working great. Thanks for watching and good luck with the house maintenance.
I just installed the Corro-Protect in my 11 month old Rheem Hybrid water heater. I was worried about voiding the warranty, so I asked the Rheem tech on their official CZcams channel. The response directly states that as long as the replacement anode rod is installed properly. It will not void the warranty. The response is there for anyone to see. Let me know if you want a cut and paste of the response.
Thanks for sharing. A couple of other members have commented that they also talked to Rheem, and were told the same thing. I guess I should have done my homework before I assumed it would avoid the warranty. Anyway thanks again for sharing, it’s good information for everyone.
@@EvolutionDIY I have brand-new unit and I called Rheem and they told be to replace the anode rod before I install it, I didn't ask them that, they said the electric one would be best
Is this still keeping the smell out of the hot water side of this unit. I have the 50 gallon same system
Yep sure is. Still not sure the longevity of the system with this rod, but going on 3 years now with no sulfur smell at all. Totally worth it!
The heat pump water heater by Stiebel Eltron comes standard with an electronic anode. It will last a lot longer since the tank won't rust out by an used up sacrificial anode. You know what they say about German engineering 😉
That looks like a fantastic unit. If mine ever fails, I will consider this company. Thanks for the info.
Same issue for me as everyone says here. Just so pissed that Rheem doesn't bother offering a "hybrid w/elec anode for homes with well water." It would be so @#%% simple instead having to do these major DIY replacements
Good video, I have the same HPWH but It's 50 gallons. It's just about to hit the 2 year mark and I was contemplating taking the top off to clean the coil. I was wondering how old your unit was when you did this video and did you take notice of how clean or dirty the coil was, thanks
I had the tank for about two or three weeks when I made this video so the coils weren’t dirty at all yet. I have since cleaned the filter one time at about the one year mark. The filter had almost nothing on it at all. I guess my basement must not be that dusty. I’m not sure how often I would be willing to go through the trouble of removing the top to clean the coils. Maybe every three or four years I suppose. If you do happen to do it let me know how dirty they are. Maybe it will motivate me to take mine apart and clean them.
@@EvolutionDIY since I'm ducting the exhaust end of the house for the summer I was also a little concerned about the possibility of maybe a little black mold on the coils as I know when air conditioning and clothes get wet all the time they can grow mold. It seems to me that they could have easily designed a nice big access/inspection plate on the side of that upper part where you wouldn't have to disconnect the electrical wiring and any duct work you had coming in the top.
@@EvolutionDIY I placed a thin material air filter on the air intake and it catches quite a bit of dirt. The air filter that is in the system is like a lint filter!