Magnesium Anode

Magnesium anode rods are the most common type of anode rod. The magnesium anode rod protects the tank by corroding in place of the steel. Because the rod is designed to corrode, it will eventually wear away. It ideally used for water heaters, boilers and stainless steel containers where corrosion is common. The three most active metals used for sacrificial anodes are Zinc, Aluminum and Magnesium. The more negative the voltage, the more active the metal is considered, and magnesium generates negative 1.6 Volts compared to Zinc and Aluminum which generates negative 1.05 volts and 1.1 volts respectively. Hence, magnesium is highly preferred to give water heaters, solar heaters, boilers etc., a longer life.