Anode added to pool system to help avoid corrision of heater

[creechy]

Our pool man added an anode (i think it is called that - see pic) to our pool system to protect the heater from corrision. We run the pool year-round but we do have freezing weather. Someone mentioned to me that we should cover the anode in the winter to keep it from cracking and causing a water leak. Does that make sense and if so what should I use to cover it?



Thanks!

 

[JVTrain]

Proper water chemistry should prevent corrosion of the heater. Galvanic anodes are by design, supposed to corrode. That anode to me just looks like another point of failure for the plumbing or the beginnings of a moonshine still.

 

[tim5055]

As Joel points out, anodes are seldom necessary, but as folks from my youth used to say, it can't hurt......

From the photo I can't see that it will be any more prone to freeze/cracking than any of the other plastic parts thT are exposed to the weather.

 

[chem geek]

Is the anode the wire coil and is it just sitting on top of the pump strainer or is it going through the top of the strainer so that some metal is exposed to pool water? Anodes are most effective if they are buried in moist soil. If they are just loose in the air, they won't work as well. They still work a little in that they can still corrode in air, but moist soil is better since you want a higher corrosion potential for the anode so that it imparts a higher negative charge on the bonding wire to which it's attached.