Metal Smell and Taste From Water

Anode is a good place to start.
I never drink out of my RV tank. It sits around too much. Algae is a common problem. Even draining it and using bleach still has not been satisfactory. I bring a large container of water from my well at home and fill up one gallon bottles for drinking water.

SoundGuy wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
Sometimes all I do is open the drain plug and turn on the water and let the water blast out. Then shut off water and Use a turkey baster and fill with vinegar and/or bleach while plug is open an then turn water back on and let it blast out again. That cleans out the bottom of the tank which is a good couple of inches that does not drain out.

Using a Water Heater Tank Rinser works quite well at flushing debris out of the tank. :B

Only issue I have with those wnds are you have to stick them in thru the drain hole which then is blocked by the wand,.......especially on Atwoods which only have a 1/2" drain hole. Works a little better with Suburbans 3/4" drain hole.

Remove drain plug
Stand back..turn water supply on FULL
Let it BLAST away
Hit it couple times and the scud is BLOWN out

I don't even worry about sanitizing unless we have odors in the water anymore. We drink from one of these instead.

Why do some call it a hot water heater?? Why do people heat hot water?? Never could figure that one out!!!!

I had some pink in my HWT when I bought this rig. I bought the plastic water heater cleaner from Amazon, and rinsed out the tank thoroughly before using it. All kinds of bits came out the bottom of the tank (anode free tank) so you could try that. There was not a trace of pink left when I finally filled the tank for use.

rockhillmanor wrote:
Sometimes all I do is open the drain plug and turn on the water and let the water blast out. Then shut off water and Use a turkey baster and fill with vinegar and/or bleach while plug is open an then turn water back on and let it blast out again. That cleans out the bottom of the tank which is a good couple of inches that does not drain out.

Using a Water Heater Tank Rinser works quite well at flushing debris out of the tank. :B

mikeandlisa wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Atwood water heater with aluminum tank.....need to do an acid etching.

Vinegar Soak!

Turn off water supply (or bypass water heater)
Drain water heater and reinstall drain plug
Remove T&P Relief Valve
Using a funnel pour vinegar into water heater via T&P Opening
*6 gal tank---4 gallons vinegar/2 gallons water
**10 gal tank...7 gallons vinegar/3 gallons water

Reinstall T&P Relief Valve

Turn water heater ON...let it heat then cool down and reheat 4X
**Do Not use the water....let it heat/cool/soak
Best to let it operate overnight/into next day


AFTER 4x heat/cool cycles
Turn water OFF
Relief Pressure ---POP open T&P
Then remove drain plug and let it drain

When Drained....turn water supply back on (or if bypassed --place back in service) and let it BLAST out of drain hole
Drain/flush couple of times

Install drain plug

Fill water heater by turning water supply back on....bleed air out by opening hot side of faucet

Turn water heater ON.

Thank you for that.

X2
My water gets that taste every so often also. I don't even remember what type of metal my hwh tank is made of. I just do it.

I do what old biscuit does and it cleans up the smell and taste.

Sometimes all I do is open the drain plug and turn on the water and let the water blast out. Then shut off water and Use a turkey baster and fill with vinegar and/or bleach while plug is open an then turn water back on and let it blast out again. That cleans out the bottom of the tank which is a good couple of inches that does not drain out.

Actually I put this process on my 6 month 'maintenance list' whether it tastes/smell or not.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Atwood water heater with aluminum tank.....need to do an acid etching.

Vinegar Soak!

Turn off water supply (or bypass water heater)
Drain water heater and reinstall drain plug
Remove T&P Relief Valve
Using a funnel pour vinegar into water heater via T&P Opening
*6 gal tank---4 gallons vinegar/2 gallons water
**10 gal tank...7 gallons vinegar/3 gallons water

Reinstall T&P Relief Valve

Turn water heater ON...let it heat then cool down and reheat 4X
**Do Not use the water....let it heat/cool/soak
Best to let it operate overnight/into next day


AFTER 4x heat/cool cycles
Turn water OFF
Relief Pressure ---POP open T&P
Then remove drain plug and let it drain
When Drained....turn water supply back on (or if bypassed --place back in service) and let it BLAST out of drain hole
Drain/flush couple of times
Install drain plug

Fill water heater by turning water supply back on....bleed air out by opening hotside of faucet

Turn water heater ON.

Thank you for that.

Atwood water heater with aluminum tank.....need to do an acid etching.

Vinegar Soak!

Turn off water supply (or bypass water heater)
Drain water heater and reinstall drain plug
Remove T&P Relief Valve
Using a funnel pour vinegar into water heater via T&P Opening
*6 gal tank---4 gallons vinegar/2 gallons water
**10 gal tank...7 gallons vinegar/3 gallons water

Reinstall T&P Relief Valve

Turn water heater ON...let it heat then cool down and reheat 4X
**Do Not use the water....let it heat/cool/soak
Best to let it operate overnight/into next day


AFTER 4x heat/cool cycles
Turn water OFF
Relief Pressure ---POP open T&P
Then remove drain plug and let it drain
When Drained....turn water supply back on (or if bypassed --place back in service) and let it BLAST out of drain hole
Drain/flush couple of times
Install drain plug

Fill water heater by turning water supply back on....bleed air out by opening hotside of faucet

Turn water heater ON.

It is also possible that the bacteria growing in the water heater are the source of the problem. Check the anode first, if you have one, and if that doesn't do it, it is time for a sanitization of the water system, particularly the water heater.

Don't be squicked out. Even city water, which is disinfected, contains bacteria. And if you've been using well water, which isn't treated with disinfectant, it also ALWAYS contains bacteria. They are everywhere.

Personally, I prefer the use of a quart of hydrogen peroxide to the usual cup or so of chlorine bleach for sanitizing my water system. It does not create tastes of its own, and is easier to flush out when after the necessary 24 hour treatment cycle.