Community Forums

jupoa · 07-18-2009, 06:17 PM

Had a weird, possibly hazardous situation on our last trip involving a really strong odor in our coach.

Before we left, I had remodeled the bath area and relocated the toilet slightly using an offset toilet flange. Had to make a custom gasket due to the oblong shape of the flange. Also, just before we left, I noticed the coach batteries would only charge to about 10 volts but had no time left to get new ones and we never dry camp anyway.

The first night we stopped, the was a slight obnoxious odor I assumed was from someone nearby not fitting their sewer connection properly. The next night it was stronger. I thought maybe it was due to my custom gasket under the toilet leaking fumes from our own black water tank. The next morning, I added some deodorizer to the tank and the odor disappeared once we were underway.

The third night we stopped, the odor became very, very strong. Deodorizer didn't help, flushing the tanks didn't help and it definitely seemed to be coming from inside the coach. We slept with the bedroom windows open and a fan on even though it would have been cooler to close the windows and use the air conditioner. Also, DC systems in the coach were acting weird as if the voltage was too low. Figuring that one or more batteries had a dead cell, I stopped the next day at a Costco and replaced them.

That night when we stopped, the odor never came back at all. Zero.

Now I'm wandering if the smell was actually propane! My tank was down to 3/4 even though we filled it before leaving. We had not used the furnace at all, only the fridge and water heater, both of which switch to AC electric when avaiable. Our propane leak detector had not alarmed, but it runs on the batteries as well.

Could the low voltage cause the pilot valves to try to light constantly with no success? Could the low voltage cause some dangerous glitch in the burner controls? Could we have been two boomers about to go out in a big, fiery boom?

Your thoughts if you please.

TXiceman · 07-18-2009, 07:50 PM

You might check the batteries. With a dead cell a battery can get really hot and smells pretty bad. Try disconnecting the batteries and see if the smell is gone.

The propane devices are generally "fail-safe" and low voltage will basically cause them to just shut down.

Ken

hoppers4 · 07-18-2009, 08:33 PM

Have to agree with iceman. Propane appliances have a lot of built-in safety features so very doubtful it was propane. Your tank was at 3/4 because that's considered a full tank.

Don

RV Wizard · 07-19-2009, 03:22 AM

I agree also. Change out the batteries and I bet the odor goes away.

Carvin Marvin · 07-19-2009, 06:44 AM

Jupoa: I stopped at the Costco in Bend. The batteries they have are labeled "golf cart" batteries and are made by Johnson controls. Sure look like the U2200 but did not have the amp hour rating nor any other spec ratings on the battery. They are $76. Are these the ones you purchased? Mine are 8 yrs old and ready for retirement. Marv

hamguy · 07-19-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jupoa

Had a weird, possibly hazardous situation on our last trip involving a really strong odor in our coach.

Before we left, I had remodeled the bath area and relocated the toilet slightly using an offset toilet flange. Had to make a custom gasket due to the oblong shape of the flange. Also, just before we left, I noticed the coach batteries would only charge to about 10 volts but had no time left to get new ones and we never dry camp anyway.

The first night we stopped, the was a slight obnoxious odor I assumed was from someone nearby not fitting their sewer connection properly. The next night it was stronger. I thought maybe it was due to my custom gasket under the toilet leaking fumes from our own black water tank. The next morning, I added some deodorizer to the tank and the odor disappeared once we were underway.

The third night we stopped, the odor became very, very strong. Deodorizer didn't help, flushing the tanks didn't help and it definitely seemed to be coming from inside the coach. We slept with the bedroom windows open and a fan on even though it would have been cooler to close the windows and use the air conditioner. Also, DC systems in the coach were acting weird as if the voltage was too low. Figuring that one or more batteries had a dead cell, I stopped the next day at a Costco and replaced them.

That night when we stopped, the odor never came back at all. Zero.

Now I'm wandering if the smell was actually propane! My tank was down to 3/4 even though we filled it before leaving. We had not used the furnace at all, only the fridge and water heater, both of which switch to AC electric when avaiable. Our propane leak detector had not alarmed, but it runs on the batteries as well.

Could the low voltage cause the pilot valves to try to light constantly with no success? Could the low voltage cause some dangerous glitch in the burner controls? Could we have been two boomers about to go out in a big, fiery boom?

Your thoughts if you please.

Batteries that can onlly charge to 10V are not batteries. They are boiling timebombs. Get them out of the rig before something serious happens.

wa8yxm · 07-19-2009, 12:02 PM

Could the low voltage cause pilot lights to try to light without success... No, if you have pilot lights you don't have a sprak type ignition. Modifying question: Could low voltage cause burners to try to ignight without success. YES: however after a few tries the control boards are SUPPOSED to give up and light up the FAULT light on your control panel.

What did the odor smell like.. I have had two cases of strong odor due to battery failure.. One smell I assoicate with acid, I can't describe it but as I know nothing else that smells like it.

The other, which is often mistaken for sewer odor, is the smell of Rotten Eggs.. That smell is Sulfur Dioxide and batteries contain sulfuric acid.

If a battery has a shorted cell, the other cells will out-gas and it is possible for sulfates to oxidize and stink to high heaven.

I've only had that happen one time. and I'm still not 100% sure it was the batteries. NOTE: those batteries are still in service (3 years later) and showing no signs of wear.

jupoa · 07-19-2009, 03:27 PM

After reading your replies and reconsidering the facts, I believe the dying batteries were indeed the source of the odor. Didn't know batteries could smell like that, it was no smell I had ever experienced before. The old batteries were the AGM type that were in the coach when I bought it.

Marvin, the batteries from Costco were size 24, 12V, 85amphour "deep cycle" units. The item number was 12851 and a pair of them were ~$145 including tax. There was a cash rebate for turning in the old batteries too but I forget how much. They were very easy to change being on a slide out tray. All the connections were wing nuts. No corrosion and no tools necessary.

Would have liked to go to larger batteries but space was limited, especially height.

Thanks all for your replies. The depth of knowledge and experience on tap through this forum always amazes me.