Smell when turning on the hot water

[chef_doctor]

I cannot get rid of the sulfur (rotten egg) smell when running the hot water. I have drained the holding tank several times, only add water that runs through a filter and I have added a product that I picked up at West Marine that is supposed to reduce any smell. The cold water has no smell at all. What should I try next? :smt100

I was told when I got my boat to use the HW as often as possible whether you turn the heater on or not. I've never had a problem, but of course I visit my boat almost daily during the season. Be sure to add plenty of water purification stuff each time you fill your water tank.

 

[Daryl]

Like most people I us pink stuff in the tank during the winter. It does give off a smell but I use 1 gallon of bleach in the tank during the spring and flush out. The smell does go away quicker on cold water side because you tend to use it more. The bleach thing works. Also, we never drink the water from the boat. We use it for washing dishes and the head only.

 

[At Ease]

After I used the bleach I read the manual. It says to use vinegar.
Guess either or.

Now there is a good thought, read the manual. Vinegar it is...We never drink the water, only for washing and the head...

 

[Aloha Friday]

Thanks for all of the solutions. Sounds like chlorine bleach is the way to go.

Three things to consider with good old sodium hypochlorite - bleach. First use unscented bleach. No need for perfumes in there. Second, bleach deteriorates much more rapidly when exposed to heat and sunlight, hence the white opaque bottle. So, keep a fresh supply of bleach on hand. Lastly, and frankly this is more info on bleach than humans should be allowed to possess, buy name brand bleach. I used to work for a company who had a bleach manufacturing division. I learned that some el-cheapo private labeled products were not of consistant quality and have been known to contain small amounts of heavy metals like mercury and other non-desirables like volatile organic compounds. And, oh, by the way...don't mix with ammonia. It would be bad. Bleach can also release some disenfection byproducts including chloroform. Also, if thats not enough bleach information, because of its high alkalinity, it can cause an immediate precipitation of calcium carbonate which will result in scaling and potential clogging.

I have always used a 50 ppm solution for sanitizing water. This is generally the same level used by well drillers for shocking a well. Using 5.25% household bleach, for each 10 gallons of water use 1.22 ounces of bleach. For the new 6% concentrations of bleach, use just a bit less (1.07 ounces).

 

[Shining]

Here is what I did and you can find the post here: http://www.clubsearay.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3394&highlight=water+smells

Water Tank Re-commissioning
Fresh water system problems--foul odor or taste--are typically caused by allowing water to stagnate in the system. Although most people think only in terms of the tank, the plumbing is actually the source of most foul water, because the molds, mildew, fungi and bacteria, which cause these problems, thrive in damp dark places rather than under water. Many people and even some boat manufacturers believe that keeping the tanks empty reduce the problem, but an empty water tank only provides another damp dark home for those critters.

There are all kinds of products sold that claim to keep onboard water fresh, but all that's really necessary is an annual or in especially warm climates, semi-annual re-commissioning of the entire system tank and plumbing. The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated.

Before beginning, turn off electric power to your water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire re-commissioning is complete.

Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice the bucket generated during re-commissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded.

1. Use a solution of 1 pint Purex or Clorox bleach to 25 gallons of water). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank.

2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines

3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.

4. Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.

5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days.

6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filling the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.

An annual or semi-annual re-commissioning according to the above directions is all that should be necessary to keep your water tasting and smelling as good as anything that comes out of any faucet on land. If you need to improve on that, install a water filter. Just remember that a filter is not a substitute for cleaning out the system, and that filters require regular inspection and cleaning or replacement.