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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / July 2006Sulfurated Water Heater
We recently spent 7 weeks at an old campground on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in PA. The park manager warned us that the park water was heavily sulfurated from mineral springs in the area. He wasn't kidding. Despite our efforts to filter the water, a strong rotten egg odor permeated the 5th wheel for an hour after every bath or dishwashing episode. Since then, we've moved down to the VA coast and the sulfur is no longer present in the water supply to the 5th wheel. However, we continue to get a strong sulfur odor from our *hot* water. This is not only annoying for the odor, but it instantly tarnishes any rings or silverware washed in warm or hot water. The cold water seems clean. Has anybody here had any experience with sulfur contamination of a hot water heater? Wisdom imparted to date is that the air in new water entering the tank will eventually oxidise the sulfur away. We've also been told that filling the tank with a dilute solution of Chlorox, followed by a thorough rinsing of the tank will do away with the sulfur odor. Any additional help from the folks here? All suggestions appreciated. Regards, John Kinney >Any additional help from the folks here? All suggestions appreciated. I would think that draining and flushing it vigorously would clean just about anything out of it. (CW and others sell a long, narrow wand for the end of a hose, for just that purpose.) As for removing an odor -- I can't say about bleach, but baking soda works for me in most situations. Plus it leaves a "cleaner" aftersmell. In fact, I've used baking soda to remove the trace of bleach odor that remained after I bleached and then flushed my fresh water tank. HTH. GB in NC >>Any additional help from the folks here? All suggestions appreciated. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >GB in NC Check the anode rod, if so equipped, it may have eroded down to the point where it's actually the culprit.  SignatureFrank Tabor >We recently spent 7 weeks at an old campground on the West Branch of the >Susquehanna River in PA. The park manager warned us that the park water [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Try this; Dissolve as much of baking soda in a few gallons of water as you can. Drain your hot water tank and using the winterization inlet system and the water pump to pump it in to the tank. Fill the tank on up and heat it. After overnight allow it to drain and flush. SignatureBILL P. Just Me & DOG >Try this; Dissolve as much of baking soda in a few gallons of water as >you can. Drain your hot water tank and using >the winterization inlet system and the water pump to pump it in to the >tank. Fill the tank on up and heat it. After overnight allow it to drain >and flush. That will not do it. You need to get sulpher out of there first. This will work. Drian a refill heated with half water and half vinegar and let it sit overnight (it will remove surpur and any other build up) Drain tank then use some baking soda solution to neutralize vinegar (which is a mild acid) and let it sit for a hour or two and then flush tank and press back into service. It may have a sight vinegar small for a bit but it will go away. ----------------- The SnoMan www.thesnoman.com >John Kinney <jwkinney@smoke-island.com> wrote: >Has anybody here had any experience with sulfur contamination of a hot >water heater? It depends whether you have an Atwood or a Suburban water heater (different anode technology). For a Suburban, you use bleach: <http://www.rvcomfort.com/suburban/service/water_questions.php> For an Atwood, you use vinegar: http://engineering.marssociety.com/documents/Atwood_GE16EXT_water_heater_MPD_937 58_9.10.04.pdf Since that's a 2.2 MB document, I'll paste the relevant portion from the Atwood paper: A rotten egg odor (hydrogen sulfide) may be produced when the electro galvanic action of the cladding material releases hydrogen from the water. If sulfur is present in the water supply the two will combine and produce an unpleasant smell. 1. Turn off main water supply. Drain the water heater tank and reinstall drain plug. Remove the pressure-temperature relief valve. Mix solution of 4 parts white vinegar to two parts water. (For a 10 gallon tank, use 6 gallons vinegar to 3 gallons water). With a funnel, carefully pour solution into tank. 2. Cycle water heater with the above solution, letting it run under normal operation 4-5 times. 3. Remove the drain plug and thoroughly drain all water from the tank. Flush the water heater to remove any sediment. you may flush the tank with air pressure or fresh water. Pressure may be applied through either the inlet or outlet valve on the rear of the tank or through the pressure-temperature relief valve coupling located on the front of the unit. SignatureDD >1. Turn off main water supply. Drain the water heater tank and >reinstall drain plug. Remove the pressure-temperature relief valve. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >tank or through the pressure-temperature relief valve coupling >located on the front of the unit. You really should flush with a mild base solution (Baking Soda) after this to neutralize the mild acid residue from the vinegar ----------------- The SnoMan www.thesnoman.com > > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >www.thesnoman.com > We used baking soda only in a steam heat system but if it was real bad we used the vinegar first. Of course that was to get the built up calcium deposits out. SignatureBILL P. Just Me & DOG > >John Kinney <jwkinney@smoke-island.com> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Since that's a 2.2 MB document, I'll paste the relevant portion from the > Atwood paper: I have this problem about every other year with my Atwood water heater. I don't bother introducing anything into the system, I simply give it a good flushing out. What works for me is to hook up to city water, open the drain and the pressure relief valve and let the water flow for 15 - 30 minutes with water draining from both openings. Turn it off, let the water heater drain and then refill. Problem solved, it works for me. SignatureJon JPinOH > > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >drain and then refill. Problem solved, it works for me. > Naturally that would depend on how much sulphur was contained in the minerals that remained in your tank. I would be willing to bet you have no idea what a heavy sluphur water dropping sediments in your tank is really like. Try going down to Sulphur Oklahoma at the Chickasaw National recreation area for a few days or a week. Of course there is no doubt you will not drink the water, in fact it is not unusual to have a few folks actually become sick to their stomach while in the area. Just depends on how well you accept the smell of old rotten eggs. ;-) SignatureBILL P. Just Me & DOG >>I have this problem about every other year with my Atwood water heater. I >>don't bother introducing anything into the system, I simply give it a good [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > actually become sick to their stomach while in the area. Just depends on > how well you accept the smell of old rotten eggs. ;-) I flushed it out with the drain open. There are no mineral deposits left in the tank, if there were any to begin with. The only time I have ever found minerals in the water heater was right after I bought the vehicle (used). Flushed it out and haven't seen any build up since. I used to live in Oklahoma and traved much of the state. Chickasaw and Sulpher were only a couple of the places that I had been through while I was there. I don't have to go back there to find sulpher water, it's available ust south of here from wells in Commercial Point It doesn't take sulpher water to create the stink in the water heater, water with a well balanced pH will do it also. SignatureJon JPinOH >I flushed it out with the drain open. There are no mineral deposits left in >the tank, if there were any to begin with. The only time I have ever found >minerals in the water heater was right after I bought the vehicle (used). >Flushed it out and haven't seen any build up since. Flushing will only remove loose sediment, not deposits firmly attached. ----------------- The SnoMan www.thesnoman.com
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