I just drained my water heater for the season and it had lots of small lumps of clear to brownish slime or gelatin like substance. You could smoosh it and it would disintegrate. It didn't seem to have any solids in it (like some insect eggs might).I did suffer from the rotten egg smell, if it's related. Although they didn't seem to have a harsh smell themselves.This is a suburban type tank with an anode rod.I don't think I'll ever drink from my water system again :( Here's a pic of some of them after draining:

Might disconnect the inlet side of your pump & see if the same stuff is there also. Almost has to be coming from your fresh water tank. Something may have gotten into the fresh tank at some point & contaminated it.

I see that kind of stuff on the anode rod every time I remove it. I drain our water heater and clean the anode rod by wiping it with a paper towel after each camping trip and have never had any issues with smelly water.Dick

Do you have a magnesium anode rod...they can react with microbes in water and result is that rotten egg smell.Flush/rinse.......new aluminum rod...good to go.

I would try to determine if the lumps were created in the water heater or brought up from the fresh water tank. When was the last time the system was sanitized?Could send a water sample to a lab. Include some of the lumps.

I had the same issue with some pink antifreeze I left in over the winter. The water filter and many of the lines were packed with clearish gelatin by the end of the season. It took lots of flushing and sanitizing to get it all out. I never used AF again after that.

Hot water heater has lumps of clear slime!! | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

ScottG
Nomad
Oct 18, 2014
I had the same issue with some pink antifreeze I left in over the winter. The water filter and many of the lines were packed with clearish gelatin by the end of the season. It took lots of flushing and sanitizing to get it all out.
I never used AF again after that.
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 18, 2014
I would try to determine if the lumps were created in the water heater or brought up from the fresh water tank. When was the last time the system was sanitized?

Could send a water sample to a lab. Include some of the lumps.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 18, 2014
Do you have a magnesium anode rod...they can react with microbes in water and result is that rotten egg smell.

Flush/rinse.......new aluminum rod...good to go.
dclark1946
Explorer
Oct 18, 2014
I see that kind of stuff on the anode rod every time I remove it. I drain our water heater and clean the anode rod by wiping it with a paper towel after each camping trip and have never had any issues with smelly water.

Dick
Dakota98
Explorer
Oct 18, 2014
Might disconnect the inlet side of your pump & see if the same stuff is there also. Almost has to be coming from your fresh water tank. Something may have gotten into the fresh tank at some point & contaminated it.

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Hot water heater has lumps of clear slime!!

15 Replies

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