Anode rods are such an easy piece to forget about, but they’re so incredibly important and useful for extending the life of your water heater! With several different types of rods out there, you’ll want to make sure you get the type that best suits your household.
Powered anode rods are a relatively recent invention and one that is gaining popularity. If you’re wondering about the differences between a powered rod and an aluminum rod, we’ve got you covered.
On paper, powered anode rods do all that aluminum anode rods can, but they do these them a little better. In reality, it depends on the anode quality. Powered units don’t break down, so they last longer, are less maintenance, and cost less overall. They are good for hard, soft, softened, and smelly water.
Mechanism of Action
A powered anode rod will automatically detect the type of water you have and send out a small electrical pulse that is adapted to suit your type of water.
This electrical pulse scatters harmful electrons that would otherwise gather on the walls of your water tank and cause corrosion.
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Aluminum anode rods, on the other hand, naturally and preferentially attract the corrosive elements in the water so that they do not attack and corrode the steel of your tank. Because of how the aluminum rod operates, it is considered a type of “sacrificial” rod, as it literally sacrifices itself to protect your tank.
External Power Requirements
Aluminum anode rods require no power to operate since they function using natural properties of attraction between certain elements.
Powered anode rods, on the other hand, do require a power source, as the name would imply. However, they don’t require a significant amount of power to run—usually around 10KWh per year on average, though this will differ according to the water hardness of each home.
Maintenance Requirements
As powered anode rods don’t require replacement every few years, they can be considered lower maintenance than aluminum anode rods. This is particularly true when you consider all the things that can go wrong when replacing a corroded aluminum anode rod (it can seize or break).
Typical Lifespan
As mentioned earlier, aluminum rods are “sacrificial” and will attract corrosive substances to themselves rather than your water tank. Depending on the quality of your water, they generally last about 3-5 years before needing to be replaced.
Powered anode rods are non-sacrificial rods, and can last quite some time since they aren’t meant to corrode. Typically, a powered anode rod will last a minimum of 6 years in an average water heater. However, most last much longer than this, and many come with a warranty of 20 years.
Average Cost
The first aluminum anode rods usually comes free with the water heater are cheap to replace when they are finished, and can usually be found at a price between $20-40. That’s not at all expensive for a part that only needs replacement every few years.
On the other hand, powered anode rods are more costly, and can be found at around $150. This is much more expensive upfront, but it levels out when considering that a powered rod is meant to last for a long time.
Helps With Smelly Water?
If your water smells a bit rotten or eggy, this is likely caused by sulfur bacteria. While pretty harmless, it isn’t pleasant.
Regular aluminum rods can’t do anything to stop this, in fact, they contribute to it. The bacteria produce the sulfur smell by reducing in the presence of the free electrons released by the corroding aluminum anode rod.
As powered anode rods do not break down, these bacteria cannot reduce and the smell is not produced.
Level of Water Hardness it Works Best With
Aluminum anode rods tend to work better than their most common alternative, magnesium, in hard water conditions.
However, they are generally not suitable for softened water (hard water treated with a water softener).
Powered anode rods are capable of automatically adjusting to any water conditions. They will work in hard water, soft water, and even softened water.
Table Summary
| Powered Anode Rod | Aluminum Anode Rod |
| Prevents corrosive elements from binding to tank | Attracts corrosive elements to self |
| Requires an external power source to operate | Does not require any power |
| Less maintenance | More maintenance (must be replaced often) |
| Lasts at least 6 years, often comes with 20 year warranty | Lasts an average of 3-5 years |
| Costs around $150 to purchase | Costs about $20-40 to purchase |
| Gets rid of eggy smelling water | Cannot eliminate smelly water |
| Works well in hard or soft water conditions | Works best in hard water conditions |
Sources
https://www.corroprotec.com/blog/ufaqs/what-is-the-annual-power-consumption-of-corro-protec/
https://homeinspectioninsider.com/powered-anode-rods/
https://www.nebraskyplumbing.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-a-water-heater-anode-rod/
https://plumbingnav.com/water-heaters/anode-rod-by-water-type/
https://sierracoolslv.com/what-is-an-anode-rod/
https://www.waterheaterhub.com/powered-anode-rod/
https://waterheatershub.com/water-heater-anode-rods-aluminium-or/