Water heater configuration for SHTF

Got a new electric water heater.
Got the magnesium anode in.
I have only had the original presumably aluminum anode and heating element in a week or 2 and they are already are getting worked over.

 

Last drain out I removed the stupid cheap little plastic valve and installed a ball valve.
No more clogs.

 

I didn't know that any thing other than zinc was used for anodes .

 

After living in the new place for 9 months I am finally getting to know the water heater.
Good news is its not as old as I thought.
The anode had plenty of meat left on it. Pretty sure it's an aluminum anode.

I will save this one cut down the worn end, hit it with my needle descaler, wire wheel and save it for my rental house hot water heater.

Hot water heaters are expensive, I'm cheap and I hate water damage. Keeping the water heater in good to very good condition is advantageous.

In other news I bought a 20 gal hot water heater on fb yard sale for $100 it is like new. Put it in dry storage as an emergency replacement.

 

I dragged it out side and flushed it out with water and got enough scale deposits out to fill a gallon jug.

Doing preventive maintenance on a hot water heater is as about as interesting as watching paint dry. But this can make a hot water heater last 30+ years instead of 5 to 9 years. At $500 plus installation cost if you can't install it your self it seems worth it to me.
I can think of other stuff I would rather spend $500+ on.

I also found a melted thermal switch cover and burned wire in the hot water heater closet, from the last guy.

I amp clamped the hot water heater power wire and found it only draws 16 amps when the big element is on and 13 amps with the small element on.
It's on a 30 amp circuit fed from a square d QO panel. I will probably swap out that tandem 30 for a tandem 20.