Water heater life extender

Abstract

An improved anode rod assembly for removing corrosive elements from the water of the tank. The improved anode rod assembly is useful for providing a longer life span for water heater units. Further, an exemplary water intake assembly is presented. The water intake assembly is useful, it provides an extra port so that more anodes can be inserted into the tank. Also having the dip tube at the very bottom of the tank provides more hot water and increases the efficiency of the water heater. Having multiple anodes will give an indefinite life span for the water heater.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An improved water heater providing lengthened cathodic protection within substantially the entire interior volume thereof for lengthened life span of the water heater, the water heater comprising:
 a tank having an interior, a top surface, a bottom surface, side walls and a heating source mounted in the bottom thereof, said tank having a tank width measurement comprising the interior width of the tank between the side walls and a tank height measurement being the distance between the top surface and bottom surface thereof, and wherein the tank is taller than it is wide by virtue of the tank height measurement being longer than the tank width measurement;   at least one top port extending through the top surface of the tank;   a bottom drain port extending through a side wall of the tank in proximity to the bottom of the tank;   a water intake assembly attached to the exterior of the tank at the bottom drain port whereby cold water to be heated is placed into the interior volume of the tank at a location near the bottom of the tank, said water intake assembly comprising:
 a three-way coupling-t-device having a left side port, a center port and a right side port; 
 a water piping for coupling to a cold-water source, said water piping coupled to the center port of the coupling-t-device; 
 a dip tube coupled at one end to the left side port of the coupling-t-device and extending horizontally through the bottom drain port of the tank for placement of cold water at a distal end thereof within the interior of the tank when coupled to the cold-water source via the coupling-t-device; and 
 a tank drain valve coupled to the right side port of the coupling-t-device; and 
   an anode rod assembly for attachment to a top port of the tank comprising:
 a plurality of unitary and non-flexible anode rods each having a top end and a bottom end, a width capable of insertion through a top port of the tank and a length longer than the tank width measurement and substantially equivalent to the tank height measurement; 
 a cap engaging a top port of the tank and having an interior to which plurality of anode rods can be attached for suspension within the interior volume of the tank; 
 an electrically-conductive attachment wire corresponding to each anode rod and being flexibly attached to the top end of said corresponding anode rod and to an interior of the cap, whereby the flexible attachment of each anode rod to the cap permits the attachment of more than one anode rod to the cap following insertion of said anode rods through a corresponding top port of the tank; 
   wherein upon suspension of the plurality of anode rods within the tank the bottom ends of said plurality of anode rods are suspended in proximity to the bottom surface of the tank interior, to provide substantial cathodic protection to the entire vertical height of the tank interior over a lengthened period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein the length of the anode rods is at least 75% of the height measurement of the tank. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein the anode rods each comprise a central steel rod coated with a sacrificial metal. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein the anode rods have a diameter of at least three-fourths (0.75) inches. 
     
     
         5 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein a power source to remove sediments and other elements from water within the tank interior is created by cathodic action. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein the water piping comprises a poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) material. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein the dip tube comprises a poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) material. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater of  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional anode rod assembly comprising a cap and plurality of anode rods attached thereto via electrically-conductive attachment wires, corresponding to and inserted in an additional top port of the tank. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater of  claim 1  wherein the electrically-conductive attachment wire used to connect an anode rod to the interior of a corresponding cap is twenty (20) gauge bus bar. 
     
     
         10 . A method for enhancing the lifespan of a water heater by providing lengthened cathodic protection within substantially the entire interior volume thereof, wherein the water heater comprises:
 a tank defining an interior of the tank and having a top surface, a bottom surface, side walls and a heating source mounted in the bottom thereof, said tank having a tank width measurement comprising the interior width of the tank between the side walls and a tank height measurement being the distance between the top surface and bottom surface thereof, and wherein the tank is taller than it is wide by virtue of the tank height measurement being longer than the tank width measurement;   at least one top port extending through the top surface of the tank; and   a bottom drain port extending through a side wall of the tank in proximity to the bottom of the tank;   said method comprising:   attaching a water intake assembly to the exterior of the tank at the bottom drain port whereby cold water to be heated is placed into the interior volume of the tank at a location near the bottom of the tank, said water intake assembly comprising:
 a three-way coupling-t-device having a left side port, a center port and a right side port; 
 a water piping for coupling to a cold-water source, said water piping coupled to the center port of the coupling-t-device; and 
 a dip tube coupled at one end to the left side port of the coupling-t-device and extending horizontally through the bottom drain port of the tank for placement of cold water at a distal end thereof within the interior of the tank when coupled to the cold-water source via the coupling-t-device; and 
 a tank drain valve coupled to the right side port of the coupling-t-device; 
   determining a desired plurality of unitary and non-flexible anode rods to be suspended within the interior of the tank to provide lengthened cathodic protection, each unitary and non-flexible anode rod having a top end and a bottom end, a width capable of insertion through a top port of the tank and a length longer than the tank width measurement and substantially equivalent to the tank height measurement;   inserting each of the desired plurality of anode rods through a selected top port in the tank for suspension therein and attaching each inserted anode rod to a cap corresponding to each selected top port by an electrically-conductive attachment wire which is flexibly attached to the top end of said corresponding anode rod and to an interior of the cap, whereby the flexible attachment of the inserted anode rods to corresponding caps permits the attachment of more than one anode rod to a cap;   wherein upon suspension of the plurality of inserted anode rods within the tank the bottom ends of said plurality of anode rods are suspended in proximity to the bottom surface of the tank interior, to provide substantial cathodic protection to the entire vertical height of the tank interior; and   wherein the shorter length and horizontal orientation of the dip tube provides enhanced lifespan to the dip tube.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the length of the anode rods is at least 75% of the height measurement of the tank. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the anode rods each comprise a central steel rod coated with magnesium or another sacrificial metal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the electrically-conductive attachment wire used to connect each anode rod to the corresponding cap is twenty (20) gauge bus bar. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the anode rods having a diameter between one-half (0.5) inches to (0.840) inches. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dip tube comprises a poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) material. 
     
     
         16 . A retrofit kit for installation in a water heater to provide lengthened cathodic protection within substantially the entire interior volume thereof for lengthened life span of the water heater, the water heater comprising:
 a tank having an interior, a top surface, a bottom surface, side walls and a heating source mounted in the bottom thereof, said tank having a tank width measurement comprising the interior width of the tank between the side walls and a tank height measurement being the distance between the top surface and bottom surface thereof, and wherein the tank is taller than it is wide by virtue of the tank height measurement being longer than the tank width measurement;   at least one top port extending through the top surface of the tank; and   a bottom drain port extending through a side wall of the tank in proximity to the bottom of the tank;   wherein the retrofit kit comprises:   a water intake assembly for attachment to the bottom drain port of the tank of the water heater, whereby cold water to be heated is placed into the interior volume of the tank at a location near the bottom of the tank, said water intake assembly comprising:
 a three-way coupling-t-device having a left side port, a center port and a right side port; 
 a water piping for coupling to a cold-water source, said water piping coupled to the center port of the coupling-t-device; 
 a dip tube coupled at one end to the left side port of the coupling-t-device and extending horizontally through the bottom drain port of the tank for placement of cold water at a distal end thereof within the interior of the tank when coupled to the cold-water source via the coupling-t-device; and 
 a tank drain valve coupled to the right side port of the coupling-t-device; and 
   an anode rod assembly for attachment to a top port of the tank comprising:
 a plurality of unitary and non-flexible anode rods each having a top end and a bottom end, a width capable of insertion through a top port of the tank and a length longer than the tank width measurement and substantially equivalent to the tank height measurement; 
 a cap engaging a top port of the tank and having an interior to which plurality of anode rods can be attached for suspension within the interior volume of the tank; 
 an electrically-conductive attachment wire corresponding to each anode rod and being flexibly attached to the top end of said corresponding anode rod and to an interior of the cap, whereby the flexible attachment of the plurality of anode rods to the cap permits the attachment of more than one anode rod to the cap following insertion of said anode rods through a corresponding top port of the tank; 
   
       wherein upon suspension of the plurality of anode rods within the tank the bottom ends of said plurality of anode rods are suspended in proximity to the bottom surface of the tank interior, to provide substantial cathodic protection to the entire vertical height of the tank interior over a lengthened period of time. 
     
     
         17 . The retrofit kit of  claim 16  wherein the length of the anode rods is at least 75% of the height measurement of the tank.