Odor in RV

[whistlebritches]

We recently went on an almost five week trip and had no issues with odor in our 5th wheel. Then went on another one week trip and last night noticed a strong suphur (rotten egg)smell in the bathroom area, not the potty room, but near the sink and shower. Tonight, it is permeating throughout the coach. We checked the vent and it did have some mud dobbers in it, so we got those out, but it is still smelling. We dumped our tanks and put new chemicals in the black water and I put some deodorizer in the galley and bathroom tanks. What else can we do?

[rondeb]

If you haven't used your shower in a while, your p trap might be dry and letting the odor from the gray tank into your vehicle. Happened to us once as we used our shower as a pantry. Poured water down the drain and the odor went away.

[guidry]

Hot water tank! Just got done draining and putting white vinegar in mine because putting fresh water didn't help. Vinegar and water mix solved the problem! Open a hot water faucet and like others said, if it is stringer smell, that's it. You can also hold your hand under the wfaucet and smell it.

Please post back what you find.

[SH]

3oaks wrote:
I would guess the smell is coming from your hot water tank caused by mineral buildup. Check and see if the smell gets stronger when you turn the hot water tap on at the sink or shower. If so, drain and flush the water heater tank to eliminate the source of the smell and check the anode rode at the same time if your tank has one.

This happened to us once. Picked up some water at a campsite that smelled bad after sitting in the hot water tank a few weeks! Drained the tank, ran fresh water through the system and the smell stopped!

[gmc6000]

Check to see if you have one of these and if the smell is coming from here.


Sink Vent

[3oaks]

I would guess the smell is coming from your hot water tank caused by mineral buildup. Check and see if the smell gets stronger when you turn the hot water tap on at the sink or shower. If so, drain and flush the water heater tank to eliminate the source of the smell and check the anode rode at the same time if your tank has one.

[copeland343]

Sulfur smell Battery

[mowin]

Yep, sounds like a new battery is in your future.

[HJGyswyt]

How old is your RV? Any chance you are smelling ammonia from a fridge that has just begun to fail. When cooling units rust out internally, you get a rotten egg smell.

I've also had the sulfur smell come from our hot water tank, but that is only when using hot water. Something with mineral build up, but it always goes away.

Sure hope it's not your fridge off gassing. Open the outside vent area and sniff around. You'll know quickly if that is the issue.

I also know gray water tanks can get almost as bad at the black tank, and many RV's have a tank vent right under the counter next to the sink, instead of a stack that goes out the roof. Could it be the check valve in the sink vent is stuck open?

[1492]

Moved from Forum Technical Support

[newman_fulltime]

sounds like its your battery