Why do you need a magnesium anode in an electric water heater. And what is a dry heating element?

Many of those who install electric water heaters in their homes and apartments believe that the boiler is out of service. If the heating element only burns out and then, when replacing it, you can clean it, rinse the tank. But the heating element without servicing the water heater can burn out even in a matter of months, provided there is hard water in the system. This is understandable - scale is deposited on heating elements, they overheat and corrode. But not everyone knows about such maintenance as regular replacement of the magnesium anode:

Why do we need this element made of this particular metal next to the heating elements? The heating elements and the tank itself are susceptible to corrosion and salts dissolved in the water can be deposited on them. Oxygen is dissolved in water and it slowly, but still can destroy (oxidize) the metal of the walls of the tank and the heating element. Magnesium prevents this process. It is an element of passive electrochemical protection. Magnesium is bivalent, and iron is three. Therefore, oxygen begins to destroy it in the first place. And salts first of all begin to settle also on the magnesium anode.

The element is attached next to the heating element and must be checked regularly. If the water is hard, then 1-2 times a year. On average, once every two years, it is necessary to unscrew the heating element, clean it from salt deposits and check the magnesium anode. Magnesium does not pollute the water. The element is not connected to the mains. It only takes over all the oxidizing reactions, collapses itself, while the salts fall out in the form of a loose precipitate.

Replacing the magnesium anode is shown in this video:

It can be seen what will happen if you do not clean and replace this element. The magnesium anode collapses, and after its destruction, corrosion will take over the tank and heating elements.

The cost of a magnesium anode is not great as a consumable for water heaters:

Can this procedure be avoided? After all, draining the water, dismantling the boiler (if it is impossible to unscrew the heating element) is not an easy task. Yes there is. An alternative is to install dry heating elements. There are two types of them:

It is necessary to select such a flange for the fitting size of the heating element fastening unit of your water heater. But you still need to install a magnesium anode. Nobody canceled the protection of the tank walls. Yes, and scale will be less deposited on the flange tubes, the heating elements will not overheat, the water heater will heat the water faster.

If you are just going to choose a water heater for water, then you can immediately purchase it with heating from dry heating elements.

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