hotwater STINKS!

[TravisNuwa81]

So this is our first outing and whenever we use the hotwater it smells horrible. We only for washing dishes and hands. I wont shower cause it smells so bad... I refuse to drink the water in any rv so its not a big deal but... is there anything i can put into my holding tank to rinse the pipes clean? I dont wanna do anything that will cause harm when it runs through lines or a hotwater heater. Thanks all!

[G Boyd]

I had the same problem and cured it by adding a cup of bleach to 10 gal of water in the water tank and and running this into the hotwater tank. Let it sit for 24hrs and then flush. It works best if you drain the HW tank first. Also, to prevent it from occuring again I always drain my HW tank when we return from a trip.

[TravisNuwa81]

Thanks! Ill give that a shot!

[tomwalt]

If it smells 'metallic', pull out and clean (or replace) the water heater anode (about 1" bolt at the bottom of water heater). It will probably look bad when you get it out - scrape/rinse/sand it clean.
If it smell like sewer or mold, flush the water system with bleach as previous note states.
The water in the tank is only good for a couple weeks - then needs replaced.
I carry bottled water to drink as well.
P.S. Shut water pump/external water source off prior to pulling anode.

[kketterling]

Does your hot water tank have a anode rod? If so it maybe long past due to be changed. On my previous coach mine had never be changed and was over 7 yrs old. When I pulled it out the contents that came out of the hot water tank looked like oatmeal and smelled really bad. After replacing with new rod and flushing hot water tank smell went away. Note the anode is a sacrificial rod that needs replacing every so often.

[TravisNuwa81]

Not sure what to look for when searching for the rod... do I have one?

[UK Gordo]

Originally Posted by TravisNuwa81

Thanks! Ill give that a shot!

If the smell you are getting seems like sulphur then you need to change the anode in the tank, it's almost always the problem! but you must turn off the electric hot water element before draining it.
take out the drain to get the old one out but, before putting the new one in flush out the old bits well by running the pump at the same time as connected to city water then put your thumb or a cork over the drain to build up pressure (it will because there will be air in top of the tank) and then let it go several times , you may need to also scrape some out with a plastic covered coat hanger wire or similar anodes are readily available at most RV or marine stores

another trick to keep your water nice is crush 3 or 4 dental tabs and drop them in the end of your hose before connecting it to the camp faucet but turn it on soon as otherwise it may stick in the hose
(we are also a yacht charter company and we do this with every fillup and it keeps all the drinking water nice)

[TravisNuwa81]

Originally Posted by UK Gordo

If the smell you are getting seems like sulphur then you need to change the anode in the tank, it's almost always the problem! but you must turn off the electric hot water element before draining it.
take out the drain to get the old one out but, before putting the new one in flush out the old bits well by running the pump at the same time as connected to city water then put your thumb or a cork over the drain to build up pressure (it will because there will be air in top of the tank) and then let it go several times , you may need to also scrape some out with a plastic covered coat hanger wire or similar anodes are readily available at most RV or marine stores

another trick to keep your water nice is crush 3 or 4 dental tabs and drop them in the end of your hose before connecting it to the camp faucet but turn it on soon as otherwise it may stick in the hose
(we are also a yacht charter company and we do this with every fillup and it keeps all the drinking water nice)

My rig is an 85 jayco fifth wheel. I dont believe i have electric control on the hotwater heater. :-(

[dennis45]

I had the same problem on my MH. The problem is caused by a reaction between the water from some campgrounds or other sources that have a sulphur content in their water. It does not have to be a large ppm count to cause the smell.
What happens is when you are hooked up to a water source with sulphur content, depart and do not use your rig for some period of time. The sulphur reacts with the Aluminum Anode Rod and results in a Rotten Egg Smell from the hot water system.
As one other post stated, run bleach into the system, let it sit for a few hours and flush. This should cure the problem. Check the Anode Rod and replace if needed.
Next, if you are not using your RV for a while, it is best to drain the Hot Water Tank during storage to avoid future problems.
I used vinegar and then bleach but I think bleach only would do the trick.

[BFlinn181]

If you have an anode, it is probably attached to the plug that I see under the combustion chamber in the first photo. Typically, Suburban WH have a steel tank so they have an anode, Atwood tanks are aluminum so they don't have an anode. Take that plug out and use a wand on the end of a hose to flush out the tank. You'll probably find all sorts of disgusting gunk in there! A good thing to clean the tank is vinegar. A couple/three of gallons poured in through the hole the pressure relief valve is screwed into would be how I'd get it in there. After filling more than half way with white vinegar, fill the rest of the way with water and let sit 24 hours, then flush from the bottom plug. If you have an anode, don't use teflon tape on the plug, it will electrically insulate the anode on the back of the plug.

[dennis45]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

If you have an anode, it is probably attached to the plug that I see under the combustion chamber in the first photo. Typically, Suburban WH have a steel tank so they have an anode, Atwood tanks are aluminum so they don't have an anode. Take that plug out and use a wand on the end of a hose to flush out the tank. You'll probably find all sorts of disgusting gunk in there! A good thing to clean the tank is vinegar. A couple/three of gallons poured in through the hole the pressure relief valve is screwed into would be how I'd get it in there. After filling more than half way with white vinegar, fill the rest of the way with water and let sit 24 hours, then flush from the bottom plug. If you have an anode, don't use teflon tape on the plug, it will electrically insulate the anode on the back of the plug.

I found the best way to get vinegar or bleach into mine was to pump in in using the winterize pick up off the water pump, closing off the outlet of the heater using the by-pass valves and opening the overflow. Pump a gallon or so and then switch back to water and fill the tank until it flows out the overflow.

[TravisNuwa81]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

If you have an anode, it is probably attached to the plug that I see under the combustion chamber in the first photo. Typically, Suburban WH have a steel tank so they have an anode, Atwood tanks are aluminum so they don't have an anode. Take that plug out and use a wand on the end of a hose to flush out the tank. You'll probably find all sorts of disgusting gunk in there! A good thing to clean the tank is vinegar. A couple/three of gallons poured in through the hole the pressure relief valve is screwed into would be how I'd get it in there. After filling more than half way with white vinegar, fill the rest of the way with water and let sit 24 hours, then flush from the bottom plug. If you have an anode, don't use teflon tape on the plug, it will electrically insulate the anode on the back of the plug.

As far as I know I dont have an electrical component for the hotwater heater. That bottom plug has teflon tape on the threads now...

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by TravisNuwa81

As far as I know I dont have an electrical component for the hotwater heater. That bottom plug has teflon tape on the threads now...

I read through your thread here and I missed what kind of water heater you have, pull the bottom plug out first before trying to bleach it and see if there is a anode rod on the plug. On suburban hot water tanks the plug is 1-1/8" hex and the anode rod molded to it. If no rod , bleach your lines and tank.
Here is a suburban anode rod http://www.amazon.com/Suburban-23276...ords=anode+rod
By the looks of your plug, that is all it is........a plug. What kind of tank is it?

[BFlinn181]

The anode doesn't have anything to do with electrical heating elements. Whenever 2 or more different metals are immersed in water, one will corrode and the other won't. In the case of steel and copper, steel will rust and the copper will be unharmed because the steel is 'more sacrificial' and reacts first in water. An anode of aluminum or magnesium will react even faster than the steel, thus protecting the steel from corrosion. Same idea as the big 'zincs' bolted on underwater metal on the bottom of a boat. They dissolve so the important metals (props, rudder, etc.) don't.