Went camping for a few days this week. Camper had a bad odor every once and a while: somewhere between a septic tank smell and propane smell. After checking for gas leaks and making sure there was water in all the traps; I was washing my hands. The smell got worse and I noticed my hands were odoriferous.

The cold water was fine; but the hot water side had the smell. Is there something I can put in the water to solve this?

Thanks,
Fred

 

Went camping for a few days this week. Camper had a bad odor every once and a while: somewhere between a septic tank smell and propane smell. After checking for gas leaks and making sure there was water in all the traps; I was washing my hands. The smell got worse and I noticed my hands were odoriferous.

The cold water was fine; but the hot water side had the smell. Is there something I can put in the water to solve this?

Thanks,
Fred

 

I had this same problem with a new (used) truck camper I bought recently. The water in the hot water heater had a horrible sulfur smell to it. I still am not sure what caused it, the only thing I can suspect is that the previous owner winterized it with RV antifreeze in the lines and some of that antifreeze was still in the water heater and the heat caused it to break down releasing something that stunk.

Anyway. I hooked it up to city water/sewer and thoroughly flushed the hot and cold water lines with fresh water and the problem was gone next time I used it.

If that doesn't work, there is water freshener you can put in the fresh water tank. Most RV supply places should sell it. I dunno if it will help though.

 

Went camping for a few days this week. Camper had a bad odor every once and a while: somewhere between a septic tank smell and propane smell. After checking for gas leaks and making sure there was water in all the traps; I was washing my hands. The smell got worse and I noticed my hands were odoriferous.

The cold water was fine; but the hot water side had the smell. Is there something I can put in the water to solve this?

Thanks,
Fred

 

My guess is that somebody winterized it with RV antifreeze without bypassing the hot water heater. The odor you describe is exactly what happens in that case.

It can be very difficult to get rid of and I've known people who've actually ended up replacing their hot water heater to completely solve the problem. When the antifreeze gets in the heater it breaks down and coats the surface making it quite challenging to get rid of.

I've not heard of any additive that you can use to get rid of it (though I suppose there is probably something that would work)... but my next door neighbor seems to have fairly good luck with hooking up the hose and letting water constantly run through the system for about two days each spring (without the heater turned on).

Make sure when/if you winterize your unit with antifreeze in the future that you switch the bypass valves so you dont get any in the water heater. I dont use antifreeze in anything but the black tank -- I've got an air adapter and I just blow the water out of the lines with compressed air. Been doing a lot of winter camping and have never had any problems with that method.

Good luck!

 

Bleach....Fill your grey and fresh tanks up with I think its about a 10% bleach/water solution. Let it sit overnight and dump. You will need to rinse the fresh 1 or 2 more times. Some people will even put some of the black tank chemicals in their grey every once it awhile to help break down build up.

 

My cousin had this same problem in the water tanks in his boat. I believe he said it was some type of either bacteria or insect living in the tank. It won't do you any harm but the smell just got worse and worse. I think your best bet would be the bleach route.

 

You can prevent this (or at least reduce the possibility) in future by draining your hot water tank at the end of every trip. I drain mine and usually empty the 'lowest point plugs' so I get as much of the water out. When water stis for a long period of time (esp in HOT weather) it will get brackish and smell.

Like The_Juice said, you can use a 10% bleach solution to santize your system. Fill the fresh water tank with the mix, then run your pump and let flow thru each faucet (hot and cold). Once you smell bleach comming out, shut everything down and let it sit for 6-8 hours (or over night). Drain the fresh water tank, then refill with clean water and keep flushing it thru until the belach smell is gone.

If you're storing for the winter, nows a good time to just drain everything and add antifreeze. Then when summer comes, santize all over again.

 

It looks like you got a little happy with the post button and this post showed up 3 times.

 

First time I've ever double (triple) posted. Sorry. Now I know how its done.

The tank was bypassed when I used the RV antifreeze last fall. The water heater drain plug was left out all winter. The water was fine when I used it in June; but I left the water in through all of July. Maybe that was the problem.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

that is the problem. once you use the water in the hot water heater it will be fine.

 

if water sits in your water lines, water heater or the sink traps for more then a few weeks in the heat is starts to stagnate. When this happens you get the sulfur smell. Some water takes longer for this to happen depending on the chlorine level in the water. If you put 1 cup of bleach in you fresh water holding tank and fill it with water, then run the water until you smell chlorine. let this sit for an hour then flush your fresh water tank and the water lines until you don't smell the chlorine anymore. This will help stop it from happing so often. If my trailer is going to sit for a month I drain the water heater and blow out the water lines. Adding some holding tank deodorizer to the traps tanks care of that part.

vanman250

 

Only caution with the bleach is make sure to bypass the HW heater...depending on which water heater you have...getting bleach into the water heater and then heating it up will really do a corrosive number on the tank liner...so simply DON'T put any bleach into the water heater would be my advice.

Flush numerous times with fresh water would be the best advice. You can fill the HW heater and then simply pull the plug multiple times to get it all out.

Then after you think you have it all out...you can bypass the HW heater and put some vinegar in the fresh tank and fill the tank...draw some water thru the system and let it sit (again keep the HW heater bypassed here too)...

Drain the fresh tank and fill with fresh water and drain again...then fill and let it run thru the lines or you could connect the city water hose at this time and just let the lines flush (hot water lines also need to be flushed but remember to keep the HW bypassed)...

Once all the lines are flushed clean...you can un-bypass the HW heater and fill that...

Good luck,
joe.

 

How do you bypass the hot water heater?

 

You will need a bypass kit installed (either factory or aftermarket).

There are a few types out there. Mine has 3 valves that allow me to configure the flow of water TO the HW heater or not...i.e. bypass...

joe.