Smelly fresh water

[Retired wrench]

The fresh water in our bathroom, both hot and cold, has a bad smell. Kind of like rotten eggs. The strange thing is the water in the kitchen seems okay. We have a 2023 Solitude 310GK. All the water comes from the same tank. We last filled our tank at Picacho Peak RV park. Has anyone else ever experienced this phenomena?

 

[Bungy]

The fresh water in our bathroom, both hot and cold, has a bad smell. Kind of like rotten eggs. The strange thing is the water in the kitchen seems okay. We have a 2023 Solitude 310GK. All the water comes from the same tank. We last filled our tank at Picacho Peak RV park. Has anyone else ever experienced this phenomena?

Rotten egg smell means H2S..

 

[livinthelife]

The fresh water in our bathroom, both hot and cold, has a bad smell. Kind of like rotten eggs. The strange thing is the water in the kitchen seems okay. We have a 2023 Solitude 310GK. All the water comes from the same tank. We last filled our tank at Picacho Peak RV park. Has anyone else ever experienced this phenomena?

Is the line into bathroom separate from the line into the kitchen?

 

[Retired wrench]

All the water comes from the same tank and is pumped by the same water pump. I just read up on H2S, it seems like that's the explanation for the smell. I just don't understand why it's not evident in the kitchen. It's been almost two weeks since we filled our tank at Picacho. Might it take that long for the gas to appear in our water?

 

[Calbar]

We had a similar issue on our 2022 378 MBS. I changed the magnesium anode rod in the hot water heater for the aluminum one. The other thing that I did was sanitize everything including the washer lines which I didn't do before because we never used them. Between these 2 things it has gone away for the last season or so.

Rob

 

[traveldawg]

Chances are really good you picked up bad water in Picacho, AZ. I have found that the water in a lot of places in the SW is bad and produces that smell. I picked up that problem in Big Bend one year; long story short - after trying a lot of things including anode replacements, heating coil replacement, flushing with chemicals, etc. - I replaced my water heater.

Have you tried using fresh water from a different location? Have you flushed your tank?

I'd strongly urge you that if you haven't replaced that water in your tank and flushed your tank and your water heater that you do so ASAP to avoid a long lasting effect. if you have a washer then run that too to clear those lines; if not, then you can run water through those lines into a bucket to clear them.

With mine, if I ran enough water the smell cleared but until I replaced my water heater it would come back again after not using the water for a day or so.

 

[sande005]

Some attribute to needing to replace the anode in the hot water heater. But many do not have one (!) (If yours has a plastic drain plug, then no anode for you).

The bigger cause is bacteria growing either in the heater or the main tank. Usually the heater, but it is not always the case. Typically the bacteria come from local well water that was used at some point. It is smelly, but harmless. It loves hot water heaters as they are so warm and cozy, even at full temp.
So, time to buy some bleach at the store (PLAIN bleach - no color safe, splashless, or other additives) and sanitize everything. You manual will have the details. It is a several/many hour soaking process, so make plans to not have any water for 6-12 hrs. In camp, I may add the bleach water just before bed time, and then do the purging first thing in the morning.
As for the heater - many times in normal sanitizing the heater is just drained, and the bleach is by passed. But in this case, you need to get it in there. When it becomes time to drain it out, pull that outside plug to drain the bleach water from the heater completely. Flush the rest of the system, letting the heater refill. Then pull the heater plug again to get any residue out.
Some do an after fill and rinse again with very mild vinegar water to kill any residual bleach smell. Usually this is not needed unless you way overdosed on the bleach concentration.

And no, no other methods for cleaning the plumbing system will work - those little guys are tough!

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

There is an AAV underneath your bathroom countertop. It has failed. Replace it and you won't have that smell anymore. The smell you are getting is from your grey tank.
It will look something like this, but likely black.

Studor Redi-Vent | IPS Corp Plumbing.

The STUDOR® Redi-Vent is suitable for venting single fixtures, kitchen sinks and bathroom groups including back to back applications up to 20 DFU. Provided IPS Corp Plumbing.

ipsplumbingproducts.com

 

[Rabbit]

The authors description of the circumstances rules out the water source (doesn’t occur in the kitchen) or the water heater (occures using hot OR cold water). Therefore, has to involve the AAV valve or perhaps a leaving vent seal on one of the gray tanks IF it’s located under the bathroom.

 

[Retired wrench]

Chances are really good you picked up bad water in Picacho, AZ. I have found that the water in a lot of places in the SW is bad and produces that smell. I picked up that problem in Big Bend one year; long story short - after trying a lot of things including anode replacements, heating coil replacement, flushing with chemicals, etc. - I replaced my water heater.

Have you tried using fresh water from a different location? Have you flushed your tank?

I'd strongly urge you that if you haven't replaced that water in your tank and flushed your tank and your water heater that you do so ASAP to avoid a long lasting effect. if you have a washer then run that too to clear those lines; if not, then you can run water through those lines into a bucket to clear them.

With mine, if I ran enough water the smell cleared but until I replaced my water heater it would come back again after not using the water for a day or so.

Thanks for the input. We've been dry camped at Lost Dutchman SP for the last two weeks, that's why I filled up at Picacho. Tomorrow we move to an RV park with hookups. I'll sanitize everything. In over 40 years of RVing this has never happened to me. The water heater is tankless, hope it's okay. I still don't understand why the kitchen water seems okay. Maybe there's bacteria in the pipes to the bathroom?

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I still don't understand why the kitchen water seems okay.

Because the problem is not your fresh water.

 

[Retired wrench]

Scott"n"Wendy,
Thanks for your reply. Could you elaborate please.

 

[JKellerJr]

Scott"n"Wendy,
Thanks for your reply. Could you elaborate please.

Your getting solutions for two different problems. If it smells all the time its the automatic vent under the sink. If it only smells while running water than the water lines need to be sanitized

 

[jkwilson]

It’s the AAV, not the water or the freshwater plumbing.

 

[LanerC]

We had a similar issue on our 2022 378 MBS. I changed the magnesium anode rod in the hot water heater for the aluminum one. The other thing that I did was sanitize everything including the washer lines which I didn't do before because we never used them. Between these 2 things it has gone away for the last season or so.

Rob

same problem, and same solution for me.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Scott"n"Wendy,
Thanks for your reply. Could you elaborate please.

If it was your water supply it would smell in the kitchen as well. There are air admittance valves in the trailer. It allows for air movement when running, draining water. If the valve gets stuck open the valve will vent tank smell into the trailer. This is what you are smelling.
If you look under your bathroom counter you will see it. There is one by your kitchen sink as well. It will look similar to the aav in the link I posted previously

 

[sande005]

While the usual suspect for sulfur bacteria is the water heater, one can't rule out the gray tank for the bathroom. So while replacing the AAV may be in order, soaking the bathroom gray tank in bleach water may be called for, also.
Try running the shower or sink into a bucket, and see if the smell still appears. If you get it, then it is in the water line, since nothing is going down the drain. Or, vice versa, try pouring clean water obtained from an outside source down the bathroom drains (route your hose inside to the bathroom). Try it with the tank closed, and again with the gray dump line open. If you then get the smell, it is the tank and/or the AAV.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I was going to suggest sticking your head in the bathroom cabinet under the sink when you run the water - should notice a smell pretty fast but Sande's method is more scientific.

Also good to test issues, not just replace a part because some guy you don't know (me) on a forum says so.