Thanks for noting this...on my list!!
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FYI - best time to install one of this these is during installation of your water heater.
Here’s a link:
https://www.amazon.com/Corro-ProtecTM-Eliminates-Corrosion-Limescale-Electrical/dp/B01H459TAK/
With one of these, all you’ll need is an annual flush, which takes less than 10 minutes.
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Thanks, great minds. Yeah, I was just checking and they don't have any in stock and are mid-way through the install, so it will have to be a retro-fit at some point, unfortunately.
@danabw .....Just a suggestion.....you might want to let your plumbers know that you may replace the anode rod sometime in the future so please plumb it up to allow easy replacement. My heater is in a closet off the garage where there is little headroom. I don't have the space to remove the anode rod if I wanted to. I would have to drain the heater, disconnect the piping, and put the heater on its side....and there is no way I am ever going to do that. 
Also, if the heater comes with a cheap plastic drain valve, which some of them do, I would ask them to replace it with a good brass ball valve with hose connection to allow you to easily flush/drain the heater. Those cheap plastic drain valves can leak after a few times opening/closing.
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Rock solid advice.
Btw, don’t know how much head room you have, but I have removed anode rods with about 15-20” of head room. Once you pull it out, you use a metal saw and a clamp to remove it bit by bit. Only took 2 cuts as I remember. And they make these “flexible” sausage-link replacement rods for installations like that.
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Install is done - nice guys, as far as I could tell they did a good job.
We did discuss that and there is headroom above the water heater to remove the rod, luckily. [phew] It's in the garage and so the ceiling is open up to the rafters.
Also it does have a nice brass drain valve. And - (tah dah) it's in a drain pan, which the previous water heater wasn't, so that's a great improvement. I have two leak sensors in the drain pan, so if there is a leak I have backup to send me a notification and shut off the water cop valve that controls water into the water heater/house.
Hot water is again flowing, wife is happy (= I'm happy). 
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Well done!
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Thanks. I definitely had to take the quick chicken route (simple replacement), but based on the situation it was the right choice this time.
I really appreciate all the help and advice here, and you can bet I've bookmarked this thread for future perusal.
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Solid advice. Since it’s installed already, it’s still a wise choice not to wait too long to install a powered anode. Granted, mine was almost 10 years old, but it required a pneumatic impact wrench to remove. If you replace it before the corrosion and lime scale locks it in place, you can just use a regular breaker bar and impact socket.
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In our garage we had a gas heater. I believe the underground gas line is 1/2" maybe 5/8" to the garage. I took a gamble and simply installed tankless water heater and it worked perfectly.
I did take advice that I found online and used 3/4" flex line for about 20 feet to the tankless. The advice was to increase the volume of gas in the line before the tankless.
I also have a UPS connected which will allow operation during a power outage.
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Will it power the blower motor and igniter? I don’t think any of mine would without shutting down. What UPS are you using?
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Yes, it powers everything since it easily meets the power requirements.
I use a CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD3
Ideally, a fixed or portable generator is then used for longer outages.
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I have 3 of those same ones around the house. I didn’t think they would be able to handle the blower motor. I’ll have to keep that in mind if the power goes out.
Although it just occurred to me that I could use one of my jackery batteries for this.
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Next chance I get I'll throw a power meter on it to double check the draw.
Rinnai RUCS65IN
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When using a UPS to power the blower motor, make sure the motor will run on the modified square wave from the inverter in the UPS.
Induction motors don't like anything but a sine wave and will draw alot of current due to saturation, and may over heat and burn out.
IF the UPS is a sine wave , you would be ok though.
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How much juice does a standard, natural draft tank gas water heater use nowadays? They used to have pilot lights, which didn't need anything.
In fact, my second house had a gas boiler with a gravity distribution system with cast iron radiators. I think the controller got its power to run the gas valve from the pilot light. So, with a battery powered thermostat, it could still work during a power outage.
My point...over dependence on electricity.
PS: I also like my Aladdin kerosene lamps, but not exactly smart.
