u/elsalty357

I have a new RG250S6N Bradford White heater. I am wanting to remove the anode rod and replace it with a Corro-Tec powered anode rod because once this heater is in place, it will be very difficult to replace the anode rod. Of course the rod is integrated with the hot water water outlet nipple. The nipple is about 1-1/4" above the top of the heater and the threads are about 3/4" of that. So I have a little under 0.5" of smooth surface to grip. I have a medium sized pair of channelocks that fit, but it isn't nearly enough to remove it. I have a large pair that hits about the bottom 2 threads, and it wasn't enough either. The nipple is plastic on the inside so I can't really use an internal pipe wrench either. Assuming that I CAN get it out, I do not mind if the nipple is destroyed. But I'm hesitant to do anything that will damage the threads in case I just can't remove it and end up just having to move forward and do like most people and never replace their anode rod...at least I would get a few years out of it. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

4 years back I installed a new 4th Gen Mr Cool 9k BTU Advantage Series Mini-split. This is not the DIY unit so I flared the lines, torqued them to spec, pressure tested with nitrogen, pulled a vacuum to about 200-250 microns, then I opened up the service valves and added a small amount of R410A because I had a longer lineset. I had no leaks and the system has worked great until this summer.

Previously if I set it to 72 degrees, it would get the room down to 72 then continue to run on the lowest speed and the room would continue to slowly get even colder. But this year it would only get it to 73-74 even with the fan manually set to high. But the air coming out was still in the mid to upper 50s. But today the air coming out was around 62 and then later it shut off and gave me the EL OC error.

I have a cheaper refrigerant leak detector so I plan on trying to find the leak. I am EPA 608 certified, but to be honest I have forgotten much of what I learned 4-5 years ago. I plan on recovering the refrigerant into a recovery tank, pressure test with nitrogen to find the leak (if I hadn't found it with the leak detector), fix the leak, pull a vacuum, then weigh in the correct amount of R410A.

I had a few questions:

1. When I installed it, the outdoor unit had refrigerant in it and so the service valves were closed. Obviously the refrigerant will be removed, so should I do the pressure test and pull the vacuum with those opened or closed?

2. When I add the R410A back in, will any oil need to be added to the system?

I have an 8500W that I installed 8 years ago and I've never had an issue with it. Lately I thought my wife was leaving the door up. But I checked a camera in the garage and the door was closing all the way then immediately opening. I've seen this 4-5 times over the last few days on camera, but I have never been able to replicate while watching it and I have opened/closed it 20-30 times and it works perfectly ever time.

However there is one thing I have noticed while trying to debut this problem. If the door is opening and I stop it and it is from 0-3 feet opened (and stopped) and then I close it, it will go all the way close then completely open and give an error code of excessive closing force. I'm not sure if it is related but I have noticed this behavior in the past. But opening after closing from a full open first popped up just a few days ago. Do I just need to reset my limits again? With the door fully closed, there is still plenty of tension on the cable and if I push on the arm of the cable tension monitor, it has to move a fair amount before I hear the click, so that seems to be adjusted properly.

I have released the door and operated it by hand it and opens and closes easily with no binding.