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Old 01-08-2019, 08:04 PM   #1
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Drain plug lose but anode won't come out.

Draining my suburban hot water heater and I was able to get the bought completely unthreaded but the anode is stuck. It will only come out about 1/2 inch. There is a chance the water heater froze but it has been in a heated shop all day. Any suggestions on how to get it out.

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Old 01-08-2019, 08:41 PM   #2
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If you're thinking the rod is stuck in ice, a hair dryer could speed the process. If water was in the tank and/or lines and allowed to freeze, she'll need a good inspection for leaks at some point. Pex tubing is somewhat forgiving, but the fitting are very fragile to ice.
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Old 01-09-2019, 12:03 AM   #3
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Turn the water heater on...melt the ice!
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Old 01-09-2019, 08:58 AM   #4
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How old is the unit?
Is there any indication of white scale on the part of the rod that you can see?

There's a chance that scale has built up enough on the rod to prevent it from coming out of the vessel. You may be able to wiggle it around while pulling on it and get the scale to break off, if that's the problem.

P.S. You don't list your location, but it would take a lot of cold for a while to freeze a water heater tank hard enough to stick the anode rod in it to where you can't pull it out.
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:05 AM   #5
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I suspect the anode is frozen to a large block of ice.

Even if you've had the rig sitting in a heated garage, just like the extended amount of time it takes to freeze water in the tank at freezing temperatures, (because of the insulation around the water heater) so goes the thawing process. It won't thaw that block of ice inside the tank in just a couple hours at above freezing.

As mentioned... better be checking the tank and the lines for damage.
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:06 AM   #6
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If it is scale build up, some scale remover like CLR would work but you would need to do a good flush on the tank afterwards to get it all out.
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Old 01-09-2019, 02:18 PM   #7
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Run some water in it.
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Old 01-09-2019, 03:26 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Mewcasa View Post
Run some water in it.

Running water through it will ony work if the water has somewhere to go. If it is a block of ice holding the anode in then you most likely have water lines froze too.

Most pressure relief valves have threads in them. You can screw a fitting in and connect the water hose to it then flip the manual relief to allow water to enter the WH and flush out the drain. Even this will take some time to accomplish and like other members have said check all the plumbing fittings while running the water and be prepared to quickly turn off the water when you find a leak.

If you left water in the system be prepared to replace the toilet flush valve. It takes than 1/2 teaspoon of water to crack it.
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Old 01-09-2019, 03:58 PM   #9
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You are not going to melt a 5-6 Gal block of ice by just being inside a heated building for a day or so. If it was not winterized, you will most likely need to replace quite a few valves, faucets, and filter if used.
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Old 01-09-2019, 04:30 PM   #10
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Stuck Anode

Seems to me that because you were able to loosen the plug the anode is attached to and withdraw it a bit from the tank...it might be a small buildup of ice, or perhaps scale. Can you shine a flashlight past the plug into the tank to see anything? You can buy small Borescopes that are ideal for jobs like this. Good luck.
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Old 01-10-2019, 12:00 AM   #11
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IF it ends up being scale and your water lines are in good shape. Tighten the anode back up and fill the water heater with 50/50 solution of water and vinegar. Let it sit overnight. That will dissolve the scale.

Doing the water/vinegar thing isn't a bad thing to do periodically. If you use electric to heat your water, you will get scale on the heating element. A buildup will slow down the heater.

Make sure you open your pressure release valve after doing the vinegar treatment and before pulling the anode... Don't bother asking how I know.
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Old 01-10-2019, 07:10 AM   #12
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Thank you everyone for the help and input I was able to get the anode out by chipping it out of a block of ice. it has been in a heated shop for almost 3 days and there is still a large block of ice in the tank. I have bypassee the water heater and charge the lines with antifreeze wand have no further pipe or plex damage. I plan to snip the anode off and plug the water heater and turn it on as I'm doing other projects. I lose my heated shop tomorrow so if need be I will drain the antifreeze and fill the tank with water to help melt the ice.

I am in North Dakota where does get cold I frequently had it heated for use but I'm guessing the insulation did not allow it to heat up after being in the cold weather.
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Old 01-10-2019, 07:18 AM   #13
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alcohol can speed up the melting process.
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Old 01-10-2019, 07:26 AM   #14
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I’m not sure what you mean by clip off the anode? If you’re going to operate the WH, you should have the anode in it and fill it with water before turning it on.
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Old 01-10-2019, 07:41 AM   #15
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Thanks for coming back and letting us know what it was. I'm surprised that you don't have a bunch of burst lines in that kind of cold, if they weren't drained.

As said above, you need the anode rod in that tank for protection. However if you're just going to temporarily use it as a plug, a 3/4" NPT plug will fit just fine and you won't have to ruin the anode rod.
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Old 01-10-2019, 08:04 AM   #16
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Correct, I have a new anode coming today so I plan to use it as a plug to cap the tank so I can heat the tank. Currently I can not get the plug in due to the ice.


I believe I don't have any burst lines, because I was frequently using it and had the heater going, I also had drained the tank and opened the faucet I just overlooked the water heater. So far I have had no leaking from the water heater but I likely will not know all extent of damage until I test it this spring.
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Old 01-10-2019, 10:59 AM   #17
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I'm wishing you all the luck that you won't have anything burst.
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Old 01-10-2019, 11:01 AM   #18
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Why not just leave the tank the way it is with the anode rod out and leave the anode hole opened and just let it thaw and drain naturally when the weather warms up?

If there is any damage to the water heater...it has already been done.

At this point, unless you were going to leave it inside and finish the project now...there really isn’t much else to do until spring.
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Old 01-10-2019, 11:13 AM   #19
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Make sure you open your pressure release valve after doing the vinegar treatment and before pulling the anode... Don't bother asking how I know. [/QUOTE]

I learned this lesson a few months ago. Shot across the yard and hit the fence.
Won't do that again.
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Old 01-10-2019, 11:22 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jd50i View Post
alcohol can speed up the melting process.
A few shots of Wild Turkey 101 goes a long ways...

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