Sulphur Smell .....Epilogue

[Jim4929]

We have a sulfer smell when we open the door during the days ride.
Here are the facts. Noticed the smell about the 4th day out. Only occurs after we have been moving. Spent the last two night in Edmonton and noticed it when we got there as well as at stops durning the day. Smelled nothing while unhooked for two days. Smell is in the kitchen area where the sink, stove, fridge, and hot water heater are located. I thought it might be a gas leak so I disconnected gas at tanks....no joy still smells. Plus the propane dector in that same area has not gone off so I don't think it is gas. The fridge is the only thing that runs on gas during travel and I doubt it runs very much. We did go through a few frog choker storms and there is a exhaust vent right above this area. I've tried everything and every place to look and now I turn to my fellow travelers to "find the smell"

[Buckeye_Chuck]

Correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't the refrigerator leave an ammonium smell when it goes bad not sulphur?

-BC-

[N4VNI]

Battries

[71stang99]

DonPd wrote:
If your problem is with the sink drains or vents check this out.

http://www.hepvo.com/

If your problem is odor from the tanks check this out.

https://360productsnorthamerica.com/site/

If you remove the outside cover for the fridge and see any yellow stains your fridge has a leak. The only fix is to replace the fridge or the cooling unit.

http://www.rvcoolingunit.net/servlet/StoreFront

well i replaced the 'cheater valve' and so far so good, I even did a tank flush and a had no odors however I ordered the hepvo.com valve for the gray tank for insurance. I assume my two gray and one black tank all have independent roof tank vents? I only ordered one as I smell the super foul odor from under the sink and seems like it only happens when I use the kitchen sink gray tank.

[66Ambassador]

I have the sulfur smell, my heater is bypassed and out of the trailer. I just checked the plumbing vents by putting a vacuum cleaner on them and feeling the vacuum at each outlet. If there was vacuum, I plugged it. The tub had no vacuum. Now it does. I hope that helps.

Daniel Kilsdonk

[beetle1]

Could be refrig going out, I heard they would smell like something??

[Bzeitham]

If you are getting the sulfur smell from the water heater it is from the water heater's anode. This typically occurs when a water heater has not been used for some time. You can google this and get a lot of information. The fix for this is to drain the water heater and pour a gallon of bleach into the heater and letting it set for at least 8 hours. Also, the anode in most water heaters is magnesium which contributes to this condition. If it can be found, an aluminum anode will help alleviate this problem.

[cwit]

I would say the air is being forced down the roof vent and out the sink vents and traps.

[Jim4929]

It "appears" my problem was the tanks. I cleanded the black tanks throughly last night. Today after driving 2 hours we stopped for a rest. I left the engine running....no sulphur smell from exhaust. Opened front storage area where battery was stored...no smell. Opened the cabin door and for the first time in about 5 days no smell. Drove for another 5 hours and no smell. To me that indicates the smell was indeed from the tanks but I don't understand what caused it to start doing it when it did. I guess that is a question for another day. Many thanks to all who had suggestions, any one of which could have been the issue.

[DonPd]

If your problem is with the sink drains or vents check this out.

http://www.hepvo.com/

If your problem is odor from the tanks check this out.

https://360productsnorthamerica.com/site/

If you remove the outside cover for the fridge and see any yellow stains your fridge has a leak. The only fix is to replace the fridge or the cooling unit.

http://www.rvcoolingunit.net/servlet/StoreFront

[rjsurfer]

+1 on the fridge....leaks will smell like sulfur.

Motion of camper is causing tiny leak in plumbing of fridge.

Ron W.

[Jim4929]

I had the same thing in my unit. Realized it became worse when we ran the A/C. Cleaning the foam filter with soap and water cured it. Seems bacteria builds up on the foam depending on humidity and other factors

The smell only occurs while we are moving. We've only run the AC twice for short periods in the last 8 days. I did a total clean of both black tanks today. Tomorrow when we hit the road again, I will check the battery compartment for smell ( the battery has a plastic cap over it with a hose to vent fumes outside the trailer) but will check anyway. BIL thinks it is exhaust from the truck coming in, though I can't see that. I just have to figure out what has changed from last year where I drove 7k miles and 1500 miles to Fla in Feb and March and after the 4th day into this trip when the oders started. The first time I noticed it was at a rest area next to a truck pouring out reefer fumes on the 4th day, so I discounted that. Then it started up consistant after that and was not around other trucks. Keep throwing things out there, maybe something will pop. I appreciate all the suggestions so far. I've got an email into Keystone to see if they can tell me where the vaccum valve/valves are, but I'm not holding my breath on that reply.

[ElJefe]

I had the same thing in my unit. Realized it became worse when we ran the A/C. Cleaning the foam filter with soap and water cured it. Seems bacteria builds up on the foam depending on humidity and other factors. This is what causes the sulpher smell.

[allen8106]

Possibly a leak in the refrigerator cooling system. If I remember correctly the system contains sulfur. I could be wrong about that though.

[Puttin]

Paul Clancy wrote:
Look under the sink for a vacum valve on the drain pipe. Mine failed Very bad smell. Found a replacement at Home Depot. Very cheap.

X3...I know mine is sticking but I need to get someone who's more agile than me to replace it. It's all the way up against the wall under the kitchen sink. If you want to try this: use some white lithium grease on the rubber piece inside- it may seal again.