Rheem water heater

gbill2004 wrote: ↑ Previous owner installed a Rheem Performance electric water heater. It’s rated as 6 year warranty. Rheem also has a series with a 9 year warranty and another series that’s rated at 12 year warranty.

What’s the difference, asides from the warranty rating? How long can I expect my now 1.5 year old water heater to last?

Nothing is different besides the price and the warranty.

6-year tank is the same as a 9-year just a shorter warranty.

I just installed a 40gal 6-year tank and I'm guessing if properly maintained 15+ years will be the lifespan of it. By 6 years I'm assuming any true defects will have surfaced if I need the warranty.

barqers wrote: ↑ Nothing is different besides the price and the warranty.

6-year tank is the same as a 9-year just a shorter warranty.

I just installed a 40gal 6-year tank and I'm guessing if properly maintained 15+ years will be the lifespan of it. By 6 years I'm assuming any true defects will have surfaced if I need the warranty.

Really??!! So the parts etc. are all the same quality?

gbill2004 wrote: ↑ Really??!! So the parts etc. are all the same quality?

Edit: looks like Rheem Performance, Performance Plus, and Platinum really just refer to the warranties. What I was told is they're all the same tank.

Just maintain it and it'll last you a long time! Replace the anode rode every 6-12 months and flush it every year

barqers wrote: ↑ As long as you're talking about the Rheem 6-year, Rheem 9-year, and Rheem 12-year yes. If you're comparing different models like Rheem and Rheem Performance/Performance Plus for example, then those are different.

Mine is a Rheem Performance. I believe the 9 year is called Performance Plus. And the 12 year is called Performance Prestige.

gbill2004 wrote: ↑ Mine is a Rheem Performance. I believe the 9 year is called Performance Plus. And the 12 year is called Performance Prestige.

Apologies, checked out my old notes from my research and edited my post. The names refer to the warranty, I remember being confused. Multiple people in store mentioned they're the same tank !

barqers wrote: ↑ Apologies, checked out my old notes from my research and edited my post. The names refer to the warranty, I remember being confused. Multiple people in store mentioned they're the same tank !

That’s great to know. Thank you. Now I need to figure out how to drain the tank and change the anode.

gbill2004 wrote: ↑ That’s great to know. Thank you. Now I need to figure out how to drain the tank and change the anode.

The anode rod can be replaced once every 5 years. Don’t need to do it annually. Every 3 years if you’re on well water.

Gee wrote: ↑ The anode rod can be replaced once every 5 years. Don’t need to do it annually. Every 3 years if you’re on well water.

Could be the case. I would still recommend taking it out and inspecting it when you do the annual flush then to ensure its still working. I would rather replace it too often for a $20 part.

How difficult is it to get the nut off when replacing the anode rod?

gbill2004 wrote: ↑ How difficult is it to get the nut off when replacing the anode rod?

Use a breaker bar if you have trouble.

Even better if you have an impact gun. If you do use a breaker bar, make sure you have another person holding the tank so it doesn't move on you.

Before I dropped off my 8 year old reliance tank with likely the original anode in it, for future maintenance planning, I thought I'd pull the anode out to see how it looked. I had moved the tank out to the garage already, so I wedge the tank against a corner and took a breaker bar to the anode, it wouldn't budge but instead I warped the top of the tank (which I massaged back down with a mallet so they don't bill me for it. Mind you, you wouldn't get this much leverage on it if it wasn't wedged in a corner.

I'm contemplating if I should put some marine purposed antiseize on the new anode/tank while it's still new... but need to research if any thread dressings are no-no's for anodes.

How do I know if I need a 0.84 or 0.90 anode rod? Seems that Rheem makes both in the 44” length.

Kevin711 wrote: ↑ I'm contemplating if I should put some marine purposed antiseize on the new anode/tank while it's still new... but need to research if any thread dressings are no-no's for anodes.

You should be using a food grade anti seize thread sealant on the threads...

Actually you can just use teflon tape on the threads. Don't put too much on though (say maybe two wraps in thickness).. When you tighten the anode rod down the sharp threads should cut through the tape to make physical and electrical contact with the tank body. I used an ohmeter afterwards to confirm that that had happened and that there was good electrical contact..

An impact gun works best in removing the anode rod. When putting it back in you have to tighten manually with socket wrench.. Do not over tighten.

Incidentally, as far as the difference between a 6 year and a 9 year warranty, a 6 year tank typically only has one anode rod whereas when I bought my 9 year tank I found that it had 2 anode rods for the improved life span. Only one of the rods though was replaceable. The other was permanent and when it was gone it was gone forever. Both rods have to be the same metal so when I replaced the removeable rod I had to use a magnesium replacement to match the other rod.