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Old 07-28-2016, 05:17 AM   #1
bwright
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Smelly Water

The last two trips in the RV, our water from the campground water line smells like "rotten eggs". Two different campgrounds with the same result. Do I have a problem with my water lines in the RV or is there something else going on?
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Old 07-28-2016, 05:27 AM   #2
JRTJH
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It is probably a hydrogen sulfide buildup in your water heater. For your Atwood water heater, try this:

FLUSHING TO REMOVE UNPLEASANT ODOR
A rotten egg odor (hydrogen sulfide) may be produced when the
electro galvanic action of the cladding material releases hydrogen from
the water. If sulfur is present in the water supply the two will combine
and produce an unpleasant smell.
1. Turn off main water supply. Drain the water heater tank and
reinstall drain plug. Remove the pressure-temperature relief valve.
Mix solution of 4 parts white vinegar to two parts water. (For a 10
gallon tank, use 6 gallons vinegar to 3 gallons water). With a
funnel, carefully pour solution into tank.
2. Cycle water heater with the above solution, letting it run under
normal operation 4-5 times.
3. Remove the drain plug and thoroughly drain all water from the
tank. Flush the water heater to remove any sediment. you may
flush the tank with air pressure or fresh water. Pressure may be
applied through either the inlet or outlet valve on the rear of the
tank or through the pressure-temperature relief valve coupling
located on the front of the unit.
TO FLUSH TANK WITH AIR PRESSURE:
Insert your air pressure through the pressure-temperature relief valve
coupling. With the drain valve open, the air pressure will force the
remaining water out of the unit.
TO FLUSH TANK WITH WATER PRESSURE:
Fresh water should be pumped into the tank with either the onboard
pump or external water pressure. Continue this flushing process for
approximately five minutes, allowing the fresh water to agitate the
stagnant water on the bottom of the tank and forcing the deposits
through the drain opening.
4. Replace drain plug and pressure-temperature relief valve.
5. Refill tank with fresh water that contains no sulphur.
The Atwood water heater is designed for use in a recreation vehicle. If
you use your vehicle frequently or for long periods of time, flushing the
water heater several times a year will prolong the life of the storage
tank.

If you have a Suburban water heater, these are the directions from your owner's manual:

ODOR FROM HOT WATER SYSTEM
Odor from the hot water system is not a service problem and many water
supplies contain sufficient amounts of sulphur to produce an odor. The odor is
similar to rotten eggs and is often referred to as "sulphur water". It is not
harmful - only unpleasant to smell. Sulphur water can be caused by a chemical
action or by bacteria. The solution to eliminate is chlorination of the water
system. Add about six (6) ounces of chlorinated common household liquid
bleach to each 10 gallons in the water tank. Then run the chlorinated water
throughout the system, opening each faucet one at a time until you smell the chlorine. Let the RV sit
for a few days and the chlorine should take care of the problem. Then you will
need to take care of the chlorine. Remove the chlorine by flushing the system
with fresh water. This may take several attempts. You may consider adding a
filtering system that removes chlorine and prevents sulphur water. If the sulphur
or rotten egg smell continues, flush the system once again as described above
and replace anode rod as necessary.
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Old 07-31-2016, 02:42 PM   #3
hdxbonez
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I operate out of my holding tank, so when my stored water starts to smell, I use this Camco product from Walmart.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Drin...hener/14504326

It eliminates all odors from both hot and cold water supplies. I would think you could fill your holding tank and use this product to flush your hot water heater by getting it to temperature and running it out a few times.
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Old 07-31-2016, 05:55 PM   #4
hankaye
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bwright, Howdy;

Quote:
Originally Posted by bwright View Post
The last two trips in the RV, our water from the campground water line smells like "rotten eggs". Two different campgrounds with the same result. Do I have a problem with my water lines in the RV or is there something else going on?
I've lived in many places in my life and some had water that had the Sulfur/
rotten egg smell. Let it sit for a few minutes and the smell is gone. It has
something to do with the minerals and other stuff in the ground that the water
comes from when the water comes from a well. Here's a link to explain better
than I can; http://www.water-research.net/index.php/sulfur

hankaye
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Old 08-05-2016, 05:21 PM   #5
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If you don't already have a two canister water filter system you might want to give it a try. First stage filters sediment, second stage is a carbon filter for odor and taste. Check out https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com

We haven't had issues with sulfur, so this may or may not solve the problem.
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