Your RV Questions Answered! - National RV Training Academy

Welcome back to another Two-Minute Tech Tip Tuesday, brought to you by the National RV Training Academy (NRVTA)—the largest hands-on RV training facility in America! This week, we’re answering questions straight from our viewers while on-site at the NRVTA. As always, be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don’t miss a single RV tip!

This Week’s Questions: Anode Rods & Battery Setups

Question 1: “Should I Replace the Anode Rod or Just Use a Drain Plug?”

This first question comes from Rodney Alagar, who mentioned that the previous owner of his RV removed the anode rod from his Suburban water heater and replaced it with a simple drain plug. He asks:

“Should I reverse the work and put the anode rod back in? I also saw some anode rod and drain combo parts—are they a good option?”

Answer:

Let’s get right to it—you should never remove the anode rod from a Suburban water heater and replace it with a drain-only plug. Here’s why:

The anode rod is sacrificial by design.
Its purpose is to attract minerals and corrosive elements in the water, protecting the metal tank from damage.
Without it, your tank is exposed.
Replacing the anode rod with a drain plug might seem like a shortcut, but it leaves your tank vulnerable to corrosion and mineral buildup.
Faster mineral buildup = shorter tank life.
Over time, the absence of an anode rod means hard water deposits will accumulate more quickly, potentially leading to expensive repairs or even full replacement.

What To Do If Your Anode Rod Is Missing:

Clean the tank first.
If your tank has been running without an anode rod for a while, you likely have significant mineral buildup inside.
- Fill the tank with white vinegar and let it sit for about 24 hours.
- Drain and flush the system—you’ll probably see lots of white, chalky material come out.
- Rinse thoroughly.
Install a new anode rod.
Once clean, go ahead and install the proper anode rod for your Suburban model. This will help extend the life of your water heater moving forward.

As for the anode rod and drain combo parts: Todd notes that he’s not personally aware of a combo unit that works effectively, so be cautious and do your research before installing one.

Question 2: “Can I Use a Bus Bar to Parallel My Batteries?”

Next up is Chris McGee, who installed two 320 amp-hour batteries in his RV and asked:

“Can I use a bus bar to run them in parallel to create 640 amp-hours? Or will that act like a series setup?”

Answer:

No worries here—a bus bar will not make your battery setup act like a series connection, as long as you wire it correctly.

How to Set Up Batteries in Parallel:

Parallel = increase in capacity (amp-hours), not voltage.
You’ll keep the voltage the same while combining the total storage of your batteries.
Wiring Instructions:
- Connect positive to positive, and negative to negative.
- Use a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar.
  - Run the positive terminals from both batteries to the positive bus bar.
  - Run the negative terminals from both batteries to the negative bus bar.
- Then connect your loads (devices) to each bus bar.

This method allows you to get the full 640 amp-hours while maintaining the original voltage. Bus bars are actually designed for parallel configurations, making them a smart and organized way to expand your battery bank.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re diving into water heater maintenance or upgrading your battery bank, understanding your RV systems is key to traveling smarter and safer. This week’s Tech Tip Tuesday highlighted just how important it is to ask questions and get trusted answers.

If you have your own RV maintenance questions, don’t hesitate to send them our way—we might feature them in an upcoming video!

And remember:
For hands-on, expert training in all things RV, check out the National RV Training Academy. Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or pursuing a career as a certified technician, NRVTA is your next step.

Stay safe, and happy travels!

Your RV Questions Answered!

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