Anode rod plug needed for water heater? Or not?

[otterprods]

Greetings fellow RV'ers,
I bought a slightly usest (2021) Class C RV last year. The plug for the water heater that came with the RV is just a plastic plug, with no anode rod. Over the past year + I've been reading a lot of winterizing/sanitizing advice that mentions removing the plug + anode rod. This makes me think I should be using a plug like that as standard practice, even though the original RV did not use one and the seller never mentioned it. Before this RV, we had a '95 Jayco that also used a plastic plug. I never lost a water heater due to corrosion, etc but that could have just been dumb luck. Thoughts and advice on this will be much appreciated.
-James

 

[Neemer]

It depends on the brand of water heater. Unless something changed, Dometics use an anode rod and Atwoods do not.

 

[TheLooks]

Even more basic, if the tank is aluminum, no anode. Steel you need an anode.

 

[otterprods]

Thanks very much for your quick responses. I checked the water heater manual and it is a Dometic, but it did not mention anything about an anode rod. It also dis not say whether the tank was steel or aluminum. It just said to flush it with water or air before storage which I did. The plug that came with it was just a plastic plug with no anode rod on it. So I'll just leave it as is and flush it occasionally.

 

[Scooterfan]

Check (remove) the relief valve. Often the anode is part of that.

 

[Lunge motorsport]

Scooterfan...
The probe on the T&P valve is not an anode rod, it is a temperature probe

 

[Scooterfan]

Ah...that makes sense...thanks