Hot water smell


Snipman4

New Member
I am still new to RVing. I have a 93 Fleetwood 37" I bought it the end of Oct and the previous owner winterized it with me. I am now getting a smell from the hot water. I think it's from the antifreeze, how do I clean out the hot water heater?
 

Ed H.

New Member
Hot water smell

Hi and welcome to the forum.
Therre are a couple of possible causes for a smell from the hot water. There could have been bacteria in the water or minerals in it could have reacted with the anode rod. If it is bacteria, a normal cleaning and sanitizing of the plumbing should take care of it. If it is a chemical reaction, I would try replacing the anode rod. You can get one at an RV dealer and it is a screw-in replacement.
To sanitize the plumbing, put a few gallons of fresh water in the tank and add enough bleach to smell it. Run this water to all the faucets and let it sit for a few minutes then flush the system with clean water. This should be done each spring anyway.
If that doesn't do the trick, try a new anode rod.
Ed
 

Snipman4

New Member
Hot water smell

Ed, Sorry, but remember I am new. You said put fresh water in the tank, are you talking about the Hot water tank? Because I do not have a fresh water tank, it runs straight from the campground. I set up as a seasonal, tow it in and leave it. How would I go about adding fresh water into the hotwater tank, do I need to disconnect the fresh water line and manually pump it through like I would to winterize, keeping the hot water spicket open?
 

Ed H.

New Member
Hot water smell

Snipman, you've got it. Pump the mixture of bleach and water through all the lines in the trailer, let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes and flush it out with clean water. You will need 2 or 3 gallons more than the water heater holds to do this.
If it was bacteria, this should take care of it. If not, you'll know. When I was learning refrigeratoin, the instructor always said to try the easiest thing first because it's most often the problem.
 

Snipman4

New Member
Hot water smell

Thanks for your advice... I'm heading up this weekend... I'll try that first, and let you know how I make out....I shut off the water heater when I left last weekend... I would think that drianking that first might help also?? Any thoughts....I think it's eight a 6 or 10 gal heater....
Thanks Jim
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Hot water smell

I don't know what Fleetwood product you have since they build several makes of RV in both motorhomes and travel trailers. But I know of none that do not have both a fresh water tank and an onboard 12V-dc pump to supply that water to the water system. What you do is to turn off the water supply from the RV park and put water into the tank along with 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach for each 10 gallons of fresh water. Then run the water pump to supply water while you open each faucet one at a time untill the chlorine smelling water comes out of each. You need to sanitize the entire system at least annually just to be sure that you have not algee in the system and for safe drinking water. Once you have the super chlorinated water in the system and water heater, allow it to stand for two hours or so and then drain it all out and reconnect the water supply. Flush it thoroughly and it is ready to use again.
 
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