Stink from new(ish) RV

Water level on the batteries was fine. It's not propane or septic, those are different smells and I'm sure I'd be able to tell what those are.

Here's my current theory :

Running fridge on battery / propane for 48 hours continuous depleted the battery charge state such that when I got back in the rig to leave, the charging unit (whatever that may be) said "oh wow, batteries are down, better charge them up pronto !" and began to charge them at a rate higher than is prudent. Caused *some* overheating / boil off / sulfur smell until the batteries charge level came up then the charger calmed down and the smell dissipated.

Thoughts ?

This is the only theory I can come up with that matches the fact that everything in the rig is still working fine. Batteries (2x 6 volt) are showing fully charged, fridge is still working fine and there isn't an smell anywhere now.

To confuse you more, one last possibility. We had trouble with sewer (rotten eggy) smell which I believe came from the black water tank roof vent. It found its way in while driving through some combination of open and closed windows, cab air vent and, I think, was affected by wind direction and air pressure (not while driving with a 60 mph head wind but wafting in when driving slow, sitting at a light or in traffic etc). I actually never did figure it out for sure but by adjusting window openings, cab air vent supply on and off and often when just hitting the open road for an extended period it went away. I even put a slight extension on the roof vent to raise it up a little which seemed to help. Mysteries, Mysteries. Especially when it comes to smells. RVing can stink sometimes.

How about a cold water? Why heat water that is already hot?

:>)

To me, propane smells like,,,well, propane and not like rotten eggs. We get a strong sulphur smell from our hot water if the system sets for more than a month or so

MERCAPTAN!
Why hasn't anyone suggested checking for a propane leak someplace?
Personally, I don't trust the detectors to ALWAYS do their job as expected.

Word Up

If the batteries are inside the coach and are not AGM, they need to be replaced ASAP, because most stairwell enclosures are not vented, and are designed for AGM batteries that do not need watering or constant ventilation to get rid of the hydrogen gas when they are being charged.

My shower drain dried up and the bathroom smelled like a sewer. Also once I made and used the pressure wand type device for the black tank my odors are pretty

non-existant.

I'll check battery water level and report my results. I took the maintanence cover off the back of the fridge area (cover on outside) and it all still looks brand new in there, and I don't smell the rotten egg thing in that compartment at all. It's more inside the cabin area.

Worth noting, the house batteries (2) are under the entry steps in this model, so it seems reasonable that the smell could be coming up from there to inside the cabin.

Have you checked your eggs? Maybe they've gone rotten? (okay...just kidding).

Have you looked in the outside fridge compartment to see there's anything there that looks like yellowish dust? That could be indicative of a leak. (How unlevelly were you parked?)

And have you checked your battery electrolyte levels? Batteries sometimes smell like rotten eggs if they've boiled due to overcharging (as Biscuit noted).

I'd check those two things, even if the smell is no longer present.

(EDIT: There oughta be a "What's that Smell" subforum. Or at least a sticky.)

Strong rotten egg smell is almost certainly the battery. Sewer gas smells more like, well, a sewer (which yes, smells sulfurous but not usually a strong rotten egg smell).