Powered Anode Rod Vs Sacrificial Anode
Powered anode rods may look similar the perfect option for anyone on the marketplace for a novel anode rod—no maintenance, long lifespan, together with good operation. All these claims power sound a flake also practiced to be truthful. Taking into account their high cost tag, it is no surprise that you lot would want to know more than about these rods before you brand the buy.
You’re inward luck! This article volition exhibit you how they compare with the regular anodes inwards their toll, maintenance, performance, as well as more.
Sacrificial rods are cheap as well as don’t demand electricity to go, simply they ask to be replaced about every 3-v years. Different types of these rods perform ameliorate in different types of H2O. Powered rods are expensive, just they tend to final xx years, run volition all types of water, in addition to trim limescale buildup.
How Do They Work?
An anode rod is a device required past almost water heaters that take tanks. Typically, novel H2O heaters volition come amongst a sacrificial anode rod already installed. Their use is to limit the sum of corrosion that the water heater’s tank is subject area to.
They tin can extend the water heater’sec lifespan too tin forbid the water heater from bursting open up.
Powered Anode Rod
Corrosion is an oxidative process that involves the loss of electrons from a gist. A powered anode rod supplies a small-scale total of current to the H2O heater, which halts the loss of free energy (inwards the class of electrons) from the metals contained inwards the H2O.
As the metal tank is no longer losing electrons, the atomic number 26 does not educate a positive charge to which the partial negative charge of oxygen atoms in water molecules would be attracted. Thus, the oxidative process of corrosion is prevented.
Furthermore, the electrical electric current disrupts the attachment of minerals to the tank, preventing limescale build-upward.
The system is made up of a titanium anode in addition to a electric current rectifier that needs to be plugged in. Because the rod is titanium, it does non corrode, dissimilar a sacrificial anode rod.
For a more inwards-depth explanation, y'all can read my article: How Do Powered Anode Rods Work.
Sacrificial Anode Rod
A sacrificial anode rod is made upwardly of a metal rod, unremarkably magnesium or zinc, that corrodes over time in home of your H2O heater tank. The rod corrodes until alone its centre remains.
The reason it corrodes instead of the steel tank is that metals are not all as reactive alongside oxygen. Their grade of reactivity is predictable to the betoken that metals are arranged into something known as the reactivity serial.
Both magnesium too aluminum are higher inward the reactivity series than iron because they react more readily amongst oxygen together with volition preferentially corrode.
Thus, the rod will proceed protecting the H2O heater tank until it becomes completely degraded.
There Are Several Types of Sacrificial Anode Rods
The types of sacrificial anode rods vary by the type of metallic they utilise. These metals include magnesium, aluminum, too aluminum/zinc alloys.
The metals are chosen due to their reactivity since they must live more reactive than the water heater tank metal.
The differences betwixt unlike sacrificial anode rods include cost, their lifespan, whether they add together extra benefits to the water or whether they perform ameliorate in soft or difficult H2O.
Comparing Performance
Based on the H2O content too every bit whatever specific problems the water mightiness take, such every bit aroma, a sacrificial anode rod may function ameliorate than a powered anode rod too vice versa.
For sacrificial anode rods, specific types (magnesium, aluminum, etc.) may run ameliorate than others.
Hard Water
Hard H2O contains more than minerals too leaves more than deposits than other types of water.
Because of this, the anode rod suited for difficult water would have to be able to withstand these high mineral concentrations. This would include both aluminum sacrificial anodes and powered titanium anode rods.
Powered anode rods have the added advantage over aluminum rods of existence able to cut down limescale accumulation associated alongside hard H2O, while sacrificial anode rods are less capable of this.
Magnesium sacrificial anode rods are not good-suited for difficult water because they are likewise reactive too would corrode more than chop-chop than aluminum rods.
Softened Water
While hard water has more minerals dissolved inward it, soft H2O contains more than corrosive substances.
Magnesium is highly reactive, then it would live able to handle the high amounts of corrosive substances, although it would demand to be replaced more than frequently.
An aluminum rod, on the other hand, would not be able to continue upwardly with the number of ions inwards the water in addition to the tank would offset to corrode inwards add-on to the rod. Yes, the rod would “last” longer, but it volition not fully reach its function too the water heater tank’second life would be shortened.
As far every bit how a powered anode rod would fare, they would grip the weather simply fine just alongside no added advantages, unlike magnesium rods, which mightiness add wellness benefits to the H2O.
When deciding between magnesium together with powered anode rod for softened water, it is wise to consider costs, durability, too maintenance.
Smelly or Well Water
The best type of sacrificial anode rod for smelly or well water would accept to live aluminum/zinc anode rods.
The inclusion of zinc handles unpleasant smells. Aluminum would likewise aid inwards the case of good water since it often has higher levels of dissolved minerals, which would liken good H2O to difficult water.
Powered anode rods would as well live skilful in a smelly/good H2O scenario, as almost models also claim to be able to kill the bacteria that produce the odor.
Powered Anodes Have a Long Lifespan
Sacrificial anode rods are literally designed to habiliment away over time. While aluminum rods tend to final longer than magnesium ones, you are withal only looking at an effective lifespan of three-five years.
As such, powered anode rods are clearly triumphant when it comes to lifespan. Some pop models are made to concluding more than than xx years!
If for whatever reason, they do not, as well as yous accept complied amongst the price of the warranty, your powered anode rod could live replaced for complimentary inside the kickoff xx years. Sacrificial anode rods do not come alongside a warranty.
Maintenance in addition to Installation of Anode Rods
Sacrificial Anode Rods Require More Maintenance
It is rubber to enjoin that sacrificial anodes take to live replaced every 5 years just about. If you lot have difficult or softened H2O, then this mightiness live reduced.
In social club to check the state of the rod, you lot must turn off the water heater too at to the lowest degree partially empty the tank since the rod is immersed inward the H2O.
If your anode rod is more than than 75% (close to experts fifty-fifty order l%) corroded, it’second a expert idea to supervene upon it.
As previously discussed, your powered anode rod is made from a non-reactive metal, then y'all will not need to supercede it and so ofttimes (possibly non fifty-fifty at all).
Powered Anode Rods Require an Electrical Outlet
By instantly you know that powered anode rods utilize a small-scale current in society to protect against corrosion. The current rectifier must be plugged into an electrical outlet for this electric current to live produced.
Because of this necessitate, the powered anode needs an electric outlet only like the water heater does. This may complicate things if the nearest outlet is already total too wires are non long plenty to suit for relocation.
On the other paw, all y'all demand to take away and install a sacrificial anode rod is:
- An 11/16 inch socket wrench
- I recommend the TIGHTSPOT 50-piece Impact Socket Pro Set (amazon link) for its high ratings too lifetime warranty.
- Work gloves (the rod may be hot)
- I recommend the Gorilla Grip Slip Resistant All Purpose Work Gloves (amazon link) for their reach in sizes too every bit uses.
It volition non ask whatsoever additional wiring or extension cables, which is practiced because water too electricity are a volatile combination.
Powered vs Sacrificial Anode Rod: Comparing Cost
Cost to Buy
- Powered anode rods tin cost upwardly to $170 dollars. On the low side, they are even so near $145.
- Magnesium sacrificial rods oftentimes exclusively price nigh $15 to $thirty.
- Aluminum rods are oftentimes about $15.
- Aluminum/zinc anode rods tin can toll from $xx to $45.
As you lot tin can meet, the powered anode rods tin can live upwards to ten times the cost of sacrificial rods.
Cost to Maintain
Not solely is the initial toll of the powered anode rod far higher than the i of sacrificial anode rods, only y'all must besides account for the price of the electricity the powered rod will role.
Luckily, this number should be likewise significant. According to Corro-Protec, their anodes toll less than $2 to operate per twelvemonth.
On another banknote, the demand to supercede the sacrificial anodes more than often tin significantly add together upwardly to the toll.
For example, if you lot purchase the higher finish ($45) aluminum/zinc rod too must replace it four times within the 20-twelvemonth catamenia of a powered rod, you’d pay $180 for iv replacement rods.
This is more expensive than the most expensive powered anode rods, too that presumes that yous will replace the rod yourself. If yous decided to hire a professional person to do it for y'all, the final replacement price would live even higher.
Table Summary
| Powered Anode Rods | Sacrificial Anode Rods |
| They tin final upwards to 20 years. | They tin concluding a reach of 1-five years. |
| The price can be upwards to $170. | They oft price well-nigh $fifteen-$45. |
| The rod does non corrode. | The rod corrodes too must live replaced near every 5 years. |
| They are suited for hard water in addition to perhaps soft water. | Depending on the type, they tin can be suited for difficult, soft, as well as well/smelly water. |
| The electric current rectifier must be plugged into an outlet. | No electric charge is needed. |
Sources
https://www.corroprotec.com/powered-anode-rod/
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