Rotten egg smell- hot water

[camp-n-nut]

2015 Cedar Creek 34RLSA. Hot water has a rotten egg smell. Cold water is ok. How do I get rid of it?

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by camp-n-nut

2015 Cedar Creek 34RLSA. Hot water has a rotten egg smell. Cold water is ok. How do I get rid of it?

Video #5 here at this link below explains how:


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...es-135977.html

[camp-n-nut]

Thanks for the information!

[richp]

Hi,

I totally cured this problem by draining the water heater between trips.

The chemical process that creates the smell needs time to work in stagnant water. Starting each trip with fresh water in the tank was the answer for me.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by richp

Hi,

I totally cured this problem by draining the water heater between trips.

The chemical process that creates the smell needs time to work in stagnant water. Starting each trip with fresh water in the tank was the answer for me.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips

This works due to the Chlorine in the new water. The answer to smelly hot water is to sanitize the hot water heater.

[richp]

Hi Herk,

I'm only describing what has worked for me for quite some time. Our summers are hot, and provided a great environment for this to develop between trips -- before I started draining when we got home.

My original premise was that if you don't have water in the heater (which is where the bacteria or chemical reaction incubates), it can't brew up the compound that creates the odor. When we resume camping, typical use patterns quickly push through any small, diluted amounts of water that had remained in the tank. And then of course ongoing use deters reemergence of the smell because of volumetric exchange -- no time for a new chemical/bacterial reaction to take hold.

I'm not saying not to sanitize -- that's good practice anyway from time to time. I'm just pointing out a less intricate solution some folks might want to try. And of course, you are right about sanitizing if the sulphurous condition is already established.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips

[SBurson]

We had the same issue the first year of owning our MH. Thanks to the knowledgeable folks on this forum, our problem is solved. It was our most important lesson learned. We now drain our hot water heater every time we return from a trip and empty our tanks. I know it's overkill to do it as often as we do; however, we are on well water and our water is *very* hard. The only thing we had to learn on our own was the fact our Atwood WH does not have an anode rod. I kept looking for one and it didn't exist.

[Comanchecreek]

Remember that well water is not chlorinated generally. Draining the system between uses will help keep the system from growing things, but a good flush before each use is also helpful and disinfection a couple of times a season doesn't hurt also.

Attwood anodes are available on Amazon and at RV parts dealers.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

Remember that well water is not chlorinated generally. Draining the system between uses will help keep the system from growing things, but a good flush before each use is also helpful and disinfection a couple of times a season doesn't hurt also.

Attwood anodes are available on Amazon and at RV parts dealers.

Atwood WHs don't use anodes.

[nomad297]

If you can work out a way to get your hot water temperature up to 138 degrees, this will kill the anaerobic bacteria causing the smell. I have never needed to do this with an RV water heater, so I don’t know if this can be accomplished. Others may know.

This is what I do with residential water systems. If there is a problem on the cold side as well, I will create a “loop” at the water heater, or somewhere else if it is more practical, to enable the hot water to flow through the cold water lines and through the cold side of the fixtures, then run the hot water for several minutes at each fixture. I leave the loop in place, if possible, so the homeowner can do this on their own if the problem returns.

In a residential setting, this is a much more practical and safer method of killing those bacteria than introducing chemicals into the potable water system. Sometimes, though, it just doesn’t work as well or as quickly as chlorine — usually when the water system is any form of plastic pipe/tubing, especially CPVC and PVC.

Bruce

[Comanchecreek]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Atwood WHs don't use anodes.

you are correct that they do not come with them, but they are available, (I bought and have one in my Attwood water heater). There are many discussions here whether they are necessary on an aluminum tank. I err on the side of caution. I do see the anode reacting so I feel it does work, but like always do what you think is right. Manufacturers will do anything to save pennies per unit, and I feel this is one of those situations. I keep my rigs for years, and I don't want to find out I could have had my heater last longer 10 years from now.

[Comanchecreek]

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-11533-A...r+heater+anode