Water heater having improved sacrificial anode assembly therein

A water heater comprising:

• a metal tank having an interior for holding a quantity of water to be heated, and a sacrificial anode assembly supported on said metal tank, said sacrificial anode assembly including:
• an elongated metal anode member extending into the interior of said metal tank, said anode member having a core wire extending axially therethrough and projecting outwardly through an end of said anode member,
• an insulating sleeve member receiving and being captively retained on said end of said anode member, said insulating sleeve member having:
• an end wall portion with a central opening that receives an end portion of said core wire,
• a first exterior surface groove formed in said end wall portion and having a first generally straight section extending into said central opening and having an end spaced apart therefrom, a second generally straight section offset from said first section and having an end spaced apart from said central opening, and a curved third section joining said ends of said first and second sections, and
• a second exterior surface groove formed in and extending generally axially along a side wall portion of said insulating sleeve member, said second exterior surface groove defining a continuation of said second section of said first exterior surface groove;
• a hollow metal cap member receiving and captively retained on said insulating sleeve member, said cap member being secured to said metal tank;
• and
• an electrical resistor having:
• a cylindrical body portion received in said second section of said first exterior surface groove in a spaced apart relationship with said end thereof, said cylindrical body portion having opposite ends,
• a first electrical lead wire extending from one end of said resistor body portion sequentially through a portion of said second groove section, said curved third groove section, said first groove section, and across said central opening, said first electrical lead wire having an outer end portion fixedly and conductively secured to said end portion of said core wire, and
• a second electrical lead wire extending from the opposite end of said resistor body portion and through said second exterior surface groove, said second electrical lead wire having an outer end fixedly and conductively secured to said metal cap member.