loose anode electrons in my geo W/H???

Ron342 · 01-24-17, 02:07 PM

So I am finally piecing together my window unit geo w/h after twirling 20' of 1/4 copper condenser tube down into the 80 gal tank from a 3/4" npt access hole in its top and spiralling down and out the drain at the bottom. (Buy one of those $15 inspection camera snakes with an led lite and plug it into your phone, makes jobs like that a snap!)
Then I get ready to replace the long magnesium anode down from tits access hole at the top center of the tank and another of those damn questions pops up......
The anode will likely contact the copper tube some where on the way down its ugly spiral and even if i can move the spiral off of the anode i still have the copper closer to the anode than the steel tank its supposed to protect. Those "more or less noble metal ions" questions, visions of rotted water tanks! Wives with no showers!
I immediately begin to sweat as i recall the wasted day i spent reading a pamplet on galvanic corrosion on boats because i thought that should be something i could grab in a day, but noooooo.
Help! Does anyone have any good ideas on what to do with the anode???

randen · 01-24-17, 04:41 PM

Stick a long steel rod down the anode tapped hole and just push (bend) the copper HX out of the path. You don't need much clearance just so the rod will not touch the copper tube.

I don't think I would worry too much about erosion, more I would worry about vibration wearing a hole in the side of the copper tube.

Randen

jeff5may · 01-25-17, 12:10 AM

The magnesium anode rod is there to preserve the tank because it is the most anodic common metal. When and if it ever disappears, the steel will go before the copper. This process is super slow, and only really happens if your water has enough "stuff" dissolved in it to either change the pH or conduct electricity well.

Ron342 · 01-25-17, 04:51 AM

Thanks Randen and Jeff, I think I'll be sure it not contacting the copper and forget about it!

01-24-17, 02:07 PM	#1
Ron342 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 120 Thanks: 26 Thanked 12 Times in 8 Posts	loose anode electrons in my geo W/H??? So I am finally piecing together my window unit geo w/h after twirling 20' of 1/4 copper condenser tube down into the 80 gal tank from a 3/4" npt access hole in its top and spiralling down and out the drain at the bottom. (Buy one of those $15 inspection camera snakes with an led lite and plug it into your phone, makes jobs like that a snap!) Then I get ready to replace the long magnesium anode down from tits access hole at the top center of the tank and another of those damn questions pops up...... The anode will likely contact the copper tube some where on the way down its ugly spiral and even if i can move the spiral off of the anode i still have the copper closer to the anode than the steel tank its supposed to protect. Those "more or less noble metal ions" questions, visions of rotted water tanks! Wives with no showers! I immediately begin to sweat as i recall the wasted day i spent reading a pamplet on galvanic corrosion on boats because i thought that should be something i could grab in a day, but noooooo. Help! Does anyone have any good ideas on what to do with the anode???

01-24-17, 04:41 PM	#2
randen Uber EcoRenovator Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Strathroy Ontario Canada Posts: 657 Thanks: 9 Thanked 191 Times in 129 Posts	Stick a long steel rod down the anode tapped hole and just push (bend) the copper HX out of the path. You don't need much clearance just so the rod will not touch the copper tube. I don't think I would worry too much about erosion, more I would worry about vibration wearing a hole in the side of the copper tube. Randen

01-25-17, 12:10 AM	#3
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	The magnesium anode rod is there to preserve the tank because it is the most anodic common metal. When and if it ever disappears, the steel will go before the copper. This process is super slow, and only really happens if your water has enough "stuff" dissolved in it to either change the pH or conduct electricity well.

01-25-17, 04:51 AM	#4
Ron342 Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 120 Thanks: 26 Thanked 12 Times in 8 Posts	Thanks Randen and Jeff, I think I'll be sure it not contacting the copper and forget about it!