aluminum interior smell

[baseballmark]

I have a friend who owned a 22' CCD. He sold it because when it gets hot (like in the SW desert hot) he had an odor from the aluminum interior. He also experienced when renting one at the KOA in Las Vegas. Had to check out and get a refund.

As anyone else experienced that?

[Al - K4GLU]

No.

[NJtoNC]

i have a VERY sensitive sense of smell - my family thinks im delerious when i smell something they dont.

i havent smelled 'aluminum' but its freakin' freezing in philly and we only got the trailer in dec. plus, we've been using hardcore stripper to remove the yucky zolatone.

so why am i even posting?

[BradS]

We have had a 2006 22'CCD for four seasons and spent almost 200 nights in it.

We have never smelled anything like that before

Maybe we found a reason to stay in this frozen, ummm well ummm, place!

[tkowalyk]

Nope -- perhaps your friend should try some new deoderant.

:-)

[DaveFL]

Maybe that is what he is smelling as deoderant's main ingredient is Aluminum product.
I've never smelled aluminum, but my AS is FG. :-)

[barts]

The odds are good that the smell is out-gassing plastic or other coatings, not aluminum. Aluminum has a faint metallic oder when wet-sanding it, but dry it is pretty inert. Aluminum cookware is used at temperatures above that experienced even in the desert, and it doesn't smell.

- Bart

[firedog]

Hi are you talking about the metallic smell that you can taste in your tongue?

Originally Posted by baseballmark

I have a friend who owned a 22' CCD. He sold it because when it gets hot (like in the SW desert hot) he had an odor from the aluminum interior. He also experienced when renting one at the KOA in Las Vegas. Had to check out and get a refund.

As anyone else experienced that?

[ASwifey]

Yes, our trailer has a smell inside when it's hot outside, or when it's been closed up for awhile. We do live in a very hot climate also.
First noticed the same smell when we were shopping for a trailer at a dealer here in California. A very distinct yucky smell. But after the trailer gets aired out I never notice it. I've never had a visitor notice it either.
Certainly not a reason to get rid of the trailer.
I'm sure it's from adhesives, or insulation. Maybe it's just more noticeable with the CCD aluminium interior?

[firedog]

I think its chemical vapors from the treated aluminum.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, maybe they should cover all of the walls and ceiling with vinyl and mouse fur; Then you won't smell aluminum. My trailer still has that new smell from the wood, glue, and vinyl Etc, I think. Now it smells like dryer sheets because I put some inside of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Smell or no smell I'm going camping tomorrow morning.

[ASwifey]

I'm totally jealous Bob. Keep posting those pictures. I'm taking notes and planning our future travels!

[sempi2]

Maybe we will try the dryer sheets. We have a odd odor, not real offensive, but still notice it. Can't really figure it out. I'm hoping that our upcoming nw rally will provide some help with that.

[olddog299]

Most likely it is the formaldehyde off-gassing from the chipboard, plywood and other resin-saturated materials used in the construction. Also, if you have vinyl tiles or flooring, your rugs and other plastics experience accelerated gassing of plastics when exposed to the temperatures found in the closed-up trailer in direct sunlight. The cure is ventilation for 6 months to a year until the chemical levels are no longer as noticeable.

[Ahab]

Had ours going on 3 years now. Haven't noticed any strange smell. We do open doors and windows for an occasional airing out.

[THEPILL]

Mine smells strong also. I like it. Smells like a new car smell. Which I believe it's the adhesive. I hope it never goes away. There is just something about new.

Shane

[CanoeStream]

Hi baseballmark -- Welcome to the Forum! No, aluminum doesn't smell in my experience. And the interior aluminum isn't bare -- it has plasticoat just like the outer shells of current day Airstreams.

New materials will have a lot of odor that diminishes over time but I'm sure a hot day will bump up odors from materials as well as the human habitation, tanks, etc. Being shut tight during storage will increase the "Oh my!" reaction when you open the door.

Formaldehyde is only one aspect of smells in a newer Airstream, SOB (square old box trailer), or home. But some of the discussions on that topic help flesh out how to process through these issues.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...yde-24769.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f396...mes-30096.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f160...yde-32999.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...rvs-43409.html

[Wabbiteer]

I can believe some people sense raw aluminum in the same way a lot of people get a reaction to chewing a stick of gum with the foil wrapper still on it... not a pleasing sensation. In a Airstream the amount of raw metal in free air contact is fairly low as there are protective coatings built in along the way, but yes, some people can smell a pop rivet laying on the table in front of them.