What's that smell in my FW tank?

[3campers]

Used our As for the first time this past weekend...awesome! One question...noticed the fresh water was kinda stinky... Didn't drink it just boiled it and brushed teeth. Some suggested fill tank add about a cup of bleach...drain and fill a couple more times to rinse... Suggestions?

[xrvr]

There is another thread about tank gunk currently active. Might be of some help. I say shock it with bleach, drain, repeat. Jim

[xrvr]

Be sure to fill it completely before draining to get the whole tank done. Run water in the lines also. Jim

[TBRich]

With a used rig you should definitely sanitize the fresh water system...

Check the Fresh Water Systems Sub-Forum for info: Fresh Water Systems - Airstream Forums

Good luck and happy Airstreaming!

[Melody Ranch]

And.....if it was the hot water tap you opened it probable smelled like sulfur. If it did, your tank anode needs to be replaced and the hot water heater flushed out.....[probably a good idea anyway when you sanitize the entire system.

[3campers]

Thanks...

[eubank]

Ah, a little bell started ringing when I read the OP's question.

A couple of years ago, we had some folks who came in with an SOB and hooked up to the water with an older green garden hose. An hour or so later, the owner came up to the house and complained that our water tasted terrible. So I grabbed a glass and tasted the water at the house: No unusual taste. So I took a glass down to their rig, disconnected their hose, filled the glass directly from the faucet, and handed it to him. He tasted and pronounced it good. So then we took the glass inside and filled from his kitchen faucet. It was foul, I mean, really, really foul. I didn't taste it; the stink was bad enough to convince me not even to try.

It was indeed the garden hose. I recommended a white hose. He got one, and the problem was solved.

So I guess you can kind of figure out the question I have here: What color and how old is your hose?


Lynn

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

And.....if it was the hot water tap you opened it probable smelled like sulfur. If it did, your tank anode needs to be replaced and the hot water heater flushed out.....[probably a good idea anyway when you sanitize the entire system.

Atwood/Bowen water heaters do not have anode rods. Suburbans do, but they are generally not found in Airstreams.

Also, when I check out a trailer's water system, I drain everything back out, since we use well water, and it isn't treated. Untreated well water will also smell pretty bad after a few weeks in a tank.

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by eubank

...>snip<... I recommended a white hose. He got one, and the problem was solved. ...>snip<...


Lynn

Ditto. Few of us read the fine print when we buy household water hoses but with garden hoses there is usually a warning not to drink water from them. I'm surprised when I see a rig with a regular garden water hose being used for fresh water. The white marine/RV hoses are intended to be used for drinking/cooking water and are made from materials that will not give the water a bad taste (or worse).

It doesn't mater what kind of how you use for your grey water purposes as in rinsing the black tank, etc ... just keep them separate from your your fresh water hose(s) and "unconfuseable".