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Old 09-20-2018, 03:25 PM   #21
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No, I've always got water in mine.

I had the sulfur smell problem in my hot water too--one time when I first got the rig. I bought it used so I have no idea how long the water was in the system before I took possession, or what the water source was. Different parts of the country have high sulfur levels naturally. The central valley in California has some areas that have such smelly water, you really have to wonder if taking a shower did you any good.

Anyway, once I got my initial sulfur smell problem taken care of with the peroxide treatment, it never came back again, even though I always keep water in the system. (I repeat the peroxide treatment once per year anyway.)

--Don

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Old 09-20-2018, 03:31 PM   #22
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It could always be worse...

Who took my picture this morning?
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Old 09-20-2018, 03:55 PM   #23
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Who would stare stand in there with you? :eek

Whenever I make a point of showing my Missus that scene: she threatens to mount a large monitor on my gravestone, and...
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Old 09-20-2018, 04:43 PM   #24
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I drain my tank until I have a gallon or two of water left in it. Then I drive the rig to Wallmart , get 4 of the large peroxide bottles (pint size), dump them in and let them slosh around the tank on the way home.

At home, I run all fixtures both hot and cold so the peroxide can get in to every pipe and the water heater. Let it sit for an hour, then run everything dry, then run clean water through every fixture a time or two.

Even if a little residual peroxide stays in the system, it won't hurt anybody, and it definitely does not stink like bleach.

Thank You for the tip & update.
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Old 09-20-2018, 05:28 PM   #25
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Thanks for all of the inputs
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Old 09-29-2018, 06:43 PM   #26
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I had the rotten egg smell once. It happened because I filled the freshwater tank with water from a well and stored the RV with that well water in it. When I use "city" water that has been chlorinated, I don't get the smell no matter how long the RV is stored.
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Old 09-29-2018, 07:38 PM   #27
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Thanks for all of the inputs
Skip,
Did you get it all cleared up?
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Old 09-29-2018, 10:04 PM   #28
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Get Rid of that Smell

Here are three great ideas to help you out.


1. Drain your tank into a bucket. Bottle it up and sell it in the Appalachians as Moonshine.

2. Loan your rig to a hairdressers convention for on the spot dye jobs. When they return it the smell will have been replaced by an ammonia smell.

3. Let your dear mother-in-law stay in it over a weekend. Call the cops and tell them she is running a meth lab.
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Old 09-29-2018, 10:28 PM   #29
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Ooh...

Number Three has definite possibilities!
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Old 09-30-2018, 12:42 AM   #30
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Drain It!

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Do you let your water heater tank sit empty when you store your unit for a couple of months?
Thanks for the tip DonKarstedt. I will try that instead of bleach the next time it is due for tank sanitizing.

Skip, we were taught to empty the hot water tank after every trip if it was going to sit for more than two weeks before the next trip, when we bought our first travel trailer a number of years ago. We have just always adhered to that policy with every RV we have owned since that time, and have never had a problem with getting stinky water. We have had a relative discover though, that the amount of time that you can let water sit depends greatly on the quality of the water that you put in. (I know, duh, right?!?) My cousin has a well at their home, and the water has some iron content. They found that if they leave water in the hot tank for two weeks, it will rot and get a heavy sulfur smell. Ughhh! Good luck figuring out what works for you.
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Old 10-01-2018, 11:40 AM   #31
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It isn't the water "rotting." It's a chemical reaction of the sacrificial anode that reduces the corrosion of the hot water tank and impurities in the water. Forms smelly sulfur compounds that dissolve back into the water.
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Old 10-01-2018, 12:06 PM   #32
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It isn't the water "rotting." It's a chemical reaction of the sacrificial anode that reduces the corrosion of the hot water tank and impurities in the water. Forms smelly sulfur compounds that dissolve back into the water.
That is very interesting. But as I recall, when I had a rotten egg smell in our motor home, it was with the cold and hot water. Since we don't get the rotten egg smell unless we leave untreated well water in the plumbing and tank (did that only once), do you think the city water treatment prevents the sulfur compounds from dissolving back into the water?
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Old 10-01-2018, 12:41 PM   #33
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ROT:
"gradually deteriorate through lack of attention or opportunity"


Nothing scientific here...rotting is rotting...when things go bad...they rot!
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Old 10-01-2018, 12:52 PM   #34
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ROT:
"gradually deteriorate through lack of attention or opportunity"
So THAT's what has happened to me!
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Old 10-12-2018, 01:28 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by DonKarstedt View Post
No, I've always got water in mine.

I had the sulfur smell problem in my hot water too--one time when I first got the rig. I bought it used so I have no idea how long the water was in the system before I took possession, or what the water source was. Different parts of the country have high sulfur levels naturally. The central valley in California has some areas that have such smelly water, you really have to wonder if taking a shower did you any good.

Anyway, once I got my initial sulfur smell problem taken care of with the peroxide treatment, it never came back again, even though I always keep water in the system. (I repeat the peroxide treatment once per year anyway.)

--Don
Yeah I lived in central California a long time ago. I can attest to that sulfur smell in the water. Had to change the house water filter EVERY month. One good thing? Well, when we went to the movies, the ice for the sodas used filtered water, so we just bought the ice... then we smuggled in canned sodas... then we added those little booze bottles. Extremely Northern California water was very good though. And around El Centro in Southern Ca.? Drink the Beer.
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Old 10-06-2019, 02:22 AM   #36
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Follow up to rotten eggs

I’ve read the various posts on this forum and elsewhere and figure I have bacteria in my hot water tank. But here’s my conundrum…

I’m on day one of an eleven day trip. I have no idea how I can rain my HW tank and disinfect it when I’m at a campground. I doubt they’ll appreciate me draining 50 gallons at the campground. I figure tomorrow I’ll let it drain as I drive the next 275 miles, then fill it with the freshwater from the fresh tank that contains some chemicals to kill the bacteria and sludge. But I don’t have the ability to fill it and drain it all at a campground.

Any ideas on a course of action? ��
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Old 10-06-2019, 04:40 AM   #37
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Put in your chemical, Clorox or HP in and let it slosh around. You can always use your pump to drain the Fresh water into the campgrounds sewer via the gray and/or black tank.
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Old 10-06-2019, 11:13 AM   #38
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Originally Posted by phoeg View Post
I’ve read the various posts on this forum and elsewhere and figure I have bacteria in my hot water tank. But here’s my conundrum…

I’m on day one of an eleven day trip. I have no idea how I can rain my HW tank and disinfect it when I’m at a campground. I doubt they’ll appreciate me draining 50 gallons at the campground. I figure tomorrow I’ll let it drain as I drive the next 275 miles, then fill it with the freshwater from the fresh tank that contains some chemicals to kill the bacteria and sludge. But I don’t have the ability to fill it and drain it all at a campground.

Any ideas on a course of action? ��

If you are just draining the HW tank, it is only 6 gallons. Turn off the input to heater (winterizing valves), and remove drain plug from outside... You can refill/flush from your fresh tank which you said already has chemicals in it.
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Old 10-06-2019, 12:52 PM   #39
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Thank you all! I will try this tonight at our destination.

I actually meant our fresh tank had 50 gallons and I was worried about having to dump all of that! It was late and I was tired and stressed. So my wording was poor! LOL
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Old 10-06-2019, 02:18 PM   #40
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Originally Posted by Skip 500 View Post
This weekend while camping, found out that the hot water smelled like rotten eggs. I had not drained the water heater since our last excursion in April.

Is it better to leave the water heater empty when sitting for a few months or better to leave it full and flush it good before using it?

During the summer months it regularly gets up to 115 to 120 degrees!
Hydrogen sulfide is often produced from the microbial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen gas, such as in swamps and sewers; this process is commonly known as anaerobic digestion which is done by sulfate-reducing microorganisms. The answer to your question is yes. Water trapped in the waterlines will also smell after a month or so.
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