Water heater smell

[10brink]

I plugged in my new Atwood water heater today to discover a very strong rotten egg smell (hydogen sulfide from the old chemistry days ?) eminating from the hot water coming out of the new faucets. I've run water through the heater before, while hooking up, etc.., and there was no smell then. Cold water line is fine. Water has been sitting in the heater tank for about 2 months or so before running it today. I heated and ran the water pretty much all day, but the smell remains....maybe not as bad, but still pretty strong. I'd rather smell an open black tank than this! Any ideas?

[Melody Ranch]

Replace the anode.....smell goes away.

[dwightdi]

It depends on your water. The heating makes a chemical reaction occur and the resultant gas is then emitted. It is worst when you use the shower and let all the gas emit from the water. You should smell the same odor in the house, if the water is the same.

[Foiled Again]

A) replace the anode
B) pour in about 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar - let sit 1/2 hour - flush

Paula

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by 10brink

I plugged in my new Atwood water heater today to discover a very strong rotten egg smell... Water has been sitting in the heater tank for about 2 months or so before running it today.... Any ideas?

hi brink

there is NO anode rod to fiddle with (in a NEW atwood) and no need for one either...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...rod-39475.html

YOU have correctly id'd the issue which is a concentration of sulfur from whatever was the water source, TWO months ago.

covered here...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/583786-post15.html

this allows for some bacteria to grow (even in hot water) that reduce sulfur to the odor'd jour...

basically you need to pull the plug and flush via the plug opening, LOTS of flushing.

a dose of acetic acid or other neutralizing agent will help too.

then replace the plug and sanitize the water system per protocol.

consider DRAINING the freshwater tank now too, since it may still have some of this old water and needs to be sanitized anyway.

in the future consider a good filter for INCOMING water that removes strange minerals...

oh, and any questionable water source should not be allowed to remain IN the tank for a long time.

lots of INFO on this issue on the web here is a place to start, but google 'sulfur reducing bacteria' for more info...

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/...uild/g1275.pdf

cheers
2air'