Timeline for how to remove an anode nut with an awkward access
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
14 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 27, 2022 at 16:44 | vote | accept | Matt F. | ||
| Feb 15, 2022 at 9:00 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackDIY/status/1493510411894808577 | ||
| Feb 15, 2022 at 5:03 | comment | added | Mazura | Remove the obstruction; it's only sheet metal. Step drill? Tin snips? Flat head and a hammer? | |
| Feb 15, 2022 at 4:57 | comment | added | Harper - Reinstate Monica | You're definitely making it hard on yourself with that particular choice of tool. That makes no sense; seems like you bought a single-use tool that is a) flimsy, and b) has no other application. A quality ratchet set (the stuff Greg Hill talks about) is a lifetime investment. The $25 Craftsman tune-up set I bought in my teens is still my mainstay tool set, but has been massively added to over the decades. The 1-1/16" socket was added in the 90s, but the 5/8" and swing ratchet are original. | |
| Feb 15, 2022 at 4:40 | history | became hot network question | |||
| Feb 15, 2022 at 3:32 | comment | added | Ecnerwal | If the cover cannot be rotated to line up properly, then I'd cut the access hole in the cover to allow the wrench to line up properly. I might also write a scathing letter to the company regarding sloppy manufacturing tolerances interfering with tank maintenance. Of course, they don't want you to do tank maintenance, they want your water heater to fail on schedule and they get to sell you a new one... I assume the top cover/jacket is steel, as with most heaters I've seen. | |
| Feb 15, 2022 at 0:00 | comment | added | Armand | I have heard comments on home renovation shows that in practice, anodes often get stuck/corroded in place and cannot be easily removed, so keep that in mind. | |
| Feb 14, 2022 at 22:54 | answer | added | Greg Hill | timeline score: 10 | |
| Feb 14, 2022 at 20:29 | comment | added | crip659 | Top cover of the tank might just be screwed on. Removing the screws and lifting cover a bit should make lining up better. | |
| Feb 14, 2022 at 20:18 | comment | added | Matt F. | @DrMoishePippik, I've edited to show more clearly that the insulation above the nut is already removed. | |
| Feb 14, 2022 at 20:17 | history | edited | Matt F. | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
added overview photo and removed distractions in two other photos
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| Feb 14, 2022 at 20:02 | comment | added | DrMoishe Pippik | What seems to block it is the plastic shell and thermal insulation. Simple use of force will likely press the thermal insulation back, but if space is still too tight, careful cutting with a knife and trimming the plastic with a file should leave sufficient room. If concerned about the small loss of insulation, push in a bit of fiberglass batting and cover with tape. | |
| S Feb 14, 2022 at 19:49 | review | First questions | |||
| Feb 14, 2022 at 22:33 | |||||
| S Feb 14, 2022 at 19:49 | history | asked | Matt F. | CC BY-SA 4.0 |