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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 09, 2016, 07:54:54 am

Title: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 09, 2016, 07:54:54 am
On February 27th I filled the fresh water tank just before leaving  Southwest Florida to go to Coach Buck City. 

About three weeks later when we got home I filled the tank again, adding the proper amount of Clorox to disinfect.

Now we're on the road headed to New England and when using the water we notice a sulphur-like
(rotten egg) smell and grayish discoloration. 

We have not had this problem previously, and neither the water in Florida nor the water at home
has ever smelled at all.

It seems to smell and look the worst when the water is first drawn,  and seems to subside if left on for a
few moments.

Any ideas anyone?

Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on July 09, 2016, 08:04:19 am
Hot water, or cold?  Do you have a anode rod in your water heater?  Decomposition of the anode rod has been known to cause smelly water.

Hot Water Bad smell - iRV2 Forums (http://www.irv2.com/forums/f54/hot-water-bad-smell-93410.html)
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: prfleming on July 09, 2016, 09:22:07 am
My 25 yr old water heater develops this smell after sitting between trips. I bought a brass barb hose fitting and made a small drain tube that I can quickly hand screw into the water heater pressure relief valve pipe threads. Before each trip when filling the fresh water tank, I put the drain tube in and flip the pressure release lever and let it drain on the street for say 5 minutes. No smelly water during the trip...
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Peter & Beth on July 09, 2016, 11:01:08 am
I drain the hot water heater after each trip before placing the coach in storage. And yes, the smell is not pleasant.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 09, 2016, 02:01:17 pm
It's the cold water..........not sure about the hot.

Rudy never mentioned an anode when he recently gave our Aqua Hot a tune-up.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 09, 2016, 02:19:05 pm
Both cold and hot.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Peter & Beth on July 09, 2016, 02:49:25 pm
Sounds like you need to sanitize the system.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: craneman on July 09, 2016, 02:51:43 pm
It's the cold water..........not sure about the hot.

Rudy never mentioned an anode when he recently gave our Aqua Hot a tune-up.
Aqua Hot dies not use one.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: speedbird1 on July 09, 2016, 05:14:05 pm
With no access to the top of the fresh tank how many different methods do we have to put the Clorox in??

I drain down each trip then fill and flush a couple of times before leaving again.

Speedbird 1.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on July 09, 2016, 05:44:39 pm
With no access to the top of the fresh tank how many different methods do we have to put the Clorox in??
Traditional methods:

Sanitizing the fresh water tank - '01 U320 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=23176.msg179255#msg179255)

OR, why wouldn't something like this work?  Fill the clear filter cup with correct quantity of bleach, connect water fill hose, fill tank.  :thumbsup:
 
Power Care Garden Hose Inlet Filter-AP31076 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Power-Care-Garden-Hose-Inlet-Filter-AP31076/202560210)
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on July 09, 2016, 06:43:42 pm
I use an 80 micron flushable filter before the coach hose.  You can open the bottom valve to flush the filter screen.  This prevents lots of nasty bits getting to the water system.  You can unscrew the bottom bowl and add any disinfectant you want to use.  Then the coach hose and all of the incoming plumbing gets disinfected.

Drip Irrigation | Dripworks | Amiad Tagline Filters (http://www.dripworks.com/product/Q_FAMCP)

If you need to disinfect, use about a cup of bleach to 50 gallons of water, run it through every water line and ever faucet, hao and cold until you smell the bleach.  Let it sit for a few hours then drain it all out.  Add water, flush all the lines, drain again,  then add new water.  Should be OK.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on July 09, 2016, 06:53:27 pm
Roger,

Is that standard garden hose thread on the inlet and outlet?
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on July 09, 2016, 06:59:03 pm
It is pipe thread but you can get a male and female pipe thread to hose fitting at the same store or any HD or Lowes. We get a lot of stuff from Dripworks including pressure regulators for our pretty extensive drip irrigation system.  Inexpensive and easy to maintain.
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: speedbird1 on July 09, 2016, 08:39:40 pm
Thanks Roger,

The answer to my pouring bleach into a hose and then connecting it to the water system.

Speedbird 1
Title: Re: Fresh Water Puzzler
Post by: Travelin' Man (RIP) on July 10, 2016, 05:48:25 pm
Water tank was sanitized near the end of March.
The water is better now with no discoloration and the wife says no smell.

Bigger fish to fry now.