way2roll wrote:
Do you have any filtration? thinking I need to add a sacrificial particulate filter to my intake and it might slow down the anode's demise.
Speed of deterioration depends on what is in the water mineral wise and ph levels of the water.
High dissolved mineral content (AKA "hard" water) in water definitely takes a toll on metal plumbing and valves. The minerals in the water are what increases electrical conductivity of water and reacts with metals that it comes into contact with creating a galvanic action (sort of like a battery) electrical currents that eat away at the metal.
The anode is designed to be "sacrificial" and gives up it's life to extend the life of the tank.
Finding out what levels and types of dissolved minerals exactly is in your water and the Ph level may shed some light on why the anode is wearing out fast. Standard off the shelf filters do not filter down small enough to filter dissolved minerals, they are more about catching dirt.. For homes a water softener can remove enough minerals to help, RVs that may be a bit complicated to do easily.. But if Ph is off then you will need other treatments also.
I have very hard water with very high iron levels, can't drink the water directly as it comes out of the well red colored.. Run that through a whole house 10 micron sediment filter to remove dirt and large iron particles and that goes to a softener system that uses brine for backwashes. Result is good drinking water.
