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Hey guys, I bought a Camco 5500 electric hot water element and have been using it for a few months. Over that time it has corroded like a MF. Like drips iron oxide in my kettle as it dries and it can't be left with any water in the kettle or it turns the water brown within a day. I'm guessing I ordered a defective one? Should I look at buying a block of magnesium to bolt to my keggle? I use filtered city water, so hardness shouldn't be an issue...

Those elements rust at the threaded part. There's really no way around that from my experience. You just need to try to keep it dry. But maybe there is a chemical reaction that is making it worse in your case.

FWIW I have the same one and I haven't noticed it rusting. I'll take another look this evening as it's had water in it for like a week at least since I forgot to empty it after a sous vide cook.

Mine only rust at the threaded part. What have you used to clean it? I think TSP will strip off the outer layer, then it can rust. Or you got the wrong/bad element.

IIRC, some of them are plated, and won't rust until that layer begins to break down. Some of the others are not and will rust right away.

I've read of a few rusting before on that "other" forum. I haven't had mine in water yet but when I do I'll report back. I got the 4500W ones

The conditions aren't quite the same, but you'll not find an element in a hot water heater that hasn't rusted and pitted.