Water Still Foamy…even Effervescent like Alka-Seltzer!

Hello again to those who answered my first post named "Foamy Water" back on 8.9.14. We thought we had resolved the "foamy water" problems yet no, now they are back.

On the 8th, we had foamy water coming from all the faucets. Not only foamy, yet effervescent like it had an Alka-Seltzer in it. It also had a light odor, not sulphur, but more of a manmade, chemical odor.

Since the first post, we have move on from the RV Park we were staying. Before leaving, we hosed off the front windshield and when it dried there was a white, "mineral" residue left in all the water drops. So, we thought there may have been a high mineral content in that park's water and that is what had been causing all the foaming water issues. So, before leaving the park, we drained the holding tank and all the water lines and left them empty. We did not drain the hot water tank via the plug, yet did run the hot water until it was empty.

When we tied into city water at the next RV Park, there was a very brief moment of lightly foam water, then it ran clear and continued to run clear for about 24 hours. Then, the foamy water returned, but only in the bath faucet and toilet sprayer. After allowing the water to run for about a minute or so, the water ran clear again and after a couple hours, it's still running clear. The Holding Tank remains empty.

Our ideas to what may be causing this or where it could be originating:

-- Do white potable water hoses go bad? As in the liner breaking down. During a recent disinfecting, we introduced bleach into the holding tank via the drinking water hose as we do not have an outside opening to our tank.

-- Can the lining of the plumbing piping break down? Could some minerals react with the PVC?

-- Is there anything in the water system like in the hot water heater that would cause this? The first time we encountered this, the foaming was in both the hot and cold water. Today, only the cold water was foaming and only in the bath faucet and toilet spray lines???

PLEASE NOTE: Our responses may be delayed as we will be off WiFi and this forum after today 8.12.14. Traveling in Canada and will be in their national parks for the next two weeks w/o Internet connection.

Thanks for all your continued ideas!

Many thanks!!!

Adventurer_Buck
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
Have it and a new main filer on the list to get tomorrow now that we're back in the states and near somewhere I can get what I want. Do not want another basic non- reinforced white potable hose thinking if it was the lining then want to avoid that reoccurrence.

Honestly I don't think the hose is the problem as since drawing-off the holding tank (8.13-8.19) and back on city water since...no foam. All and all, it leads me to believe it was something in the water at that one Park and it took a while to flush all of it out of the system. But until it presents itself again will we know for sure if that was it.

Very frustrating, yet less so with everyone's care and ideas!

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Old-Biscuit wrote:
Still haven't bought a new potable water hose......try it.
down_home
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2014
I didn't read all the posts but we've had that before. It was some antifreeze still in the system. had to drain water and water heater tanks and flush lines again. if it has any sulfur smells it is bacteria. Drain sanitize and refill with filtered water. Add some drinking water chlorine to the tank, like sold at CW and Wal Mart. Don't use clothes washing bleach as it adds terrible taste to water.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 20, 2014
Still haven't bought a new potable water hose......try it.
Adventurer_Buck
Explorer
Aug 20, 2014
That is what I would have expected in a 2012 Class A unit as we'll, but no. There is a filter for the drinking water tap at the kitchen sink and for the frig but that is it. I had a filter installed before the hose at the city tap so all water entering the unit was filtered and that was the first thing I removed when this all began, yet the foaming continued. The filter was not installed at the time of winterizing or de-winterizing.

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Harvard wrote:
There must be a filter inside the RV that filters only the city water and that filter housing is contaminated with residue antifreeze.
Harvard
Explorer
Aug 20, 2014
There must be a filter inside the RV that filters only the city water and that filter housing is contaminated with residue antifreeze.
Adventurer_Buck
Explorer
Aug 20, 2014
Have been very aware of assuring the hose is connected tightly since all this began. I'd guess if air was getting in through the city water inlet, water would also be escaping/leaking at that point when under pressure and it is not.
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ksg5000 wrote:
Since your not getting foaming when using on-board tank check for air leaks at city water inlet and related hoses/junctions.
ksg5000
Explorer
Aug 20, 2014
Since your not getting foaming when using on-board tank check for air leaks at city water inlet and related hoses/junctions.
Adventurer_Buck
Explorer
Aug 20, 2014
Hello back on WiFi,

Since last posting we have identified a couple things....

- When on "city" water and after the system has sat overnight or throughout the day without use, that's when we see the foaming. After running the water for a couple minutes, the water runs clear without foaming and continues that way until left to sit.

- We just ran water off the Holding Tank for the last week. No foaming.

- We are now back on "city" water tonight and are waiting to see what happens. We are also traveling for the next couple days so will not see what sitting during the day provides.

- The next step is foaming occurs after sitting for what is 6-8 hrs, then we will buy a new white potable hose. This one is only a few months old yet we did introduce bleach through it into the holding tank to disinfect and perhaps that changed its composition.

- If a new hose is needed and doesn't do the trick, then we'd have to believe there's air getting in the line somewhere. Where the odor is coming from makes no sense as we should have experienced that when working from the holding tank.

- The "odor" is difficult to describe other than saying it's not organic. The odor is not fowl, it's peculiar and while noticeable when smelled up close it's not strong. We are certain it's not antifreeze as the system has been in use for at least 90 days before this occurred.

Thanks to all helping to work this out. We are narrowing things down!

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myredracer wrote:
I still think a photo might help.

Buck seems to have using his unit long enough for the anti-freeze to have flushed out but maybe it is some residual trapped somewhere? It's also present in hot and cold water.

By description, I'm thinking it sounds more like dissolved air (or a gas) in the water being released since there doesn't seem to be foam and froth sitting on the surface and goes away if left to sit. It causes "twinking" in his nose which is similar to a carbonated beverage. It sounds like it has an odor, but is it a foul odor or something that isn't too bad? What does it smell like?

Some causes of air in water:

New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services

Air can be trapped in water from wells as in water in Tuscon for example: City of Tuscon water

We have 4 stage water filtration and the last filter is a very low micron rating 10" whole house ultrafiltration cartridge that supplies a dedicated RO type faucet. It doesn't matter where we are, with all water sources, the ultrafiltration filter causes dissolved air to be released. It looks very cloudy at first and after a minute or so, it's perfectly clear. I have no idea yet why it's just the UF filter that does this. This does show though, that dissolved air in water is common.
myredracer
Explorer II
Aug 14, 2014
I still think a photo might help.

Buck seems to have using his unit long enough for the anti-freeze to have flushed out but maybe it is some residual trapped somewhere? It's also present in hot and cold water.

By description, I'm thinking it sounds more like dissolved air (or a gas) in the water being released since there doesn't seem to be foam and froth sitting on the surface and goes away if left to sit. It causes "twinking" in his nose which is similar to a carbonated beverage. It sounds like it has an odor, but is it a foul odor or something that isn't too bad? What does it smell like?

Some causes of air in water:

New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services

Air can be trapped in water from wells as in water in Tuscon for example: City of Tuscon water

We have 4 stage water filtration and the last filter is a very low micron rating 10" whole house ultrafiltration cartridge that supplies a dedicated RO type faucet. It doesn't matter where we are, with all water sources, the ultrafiltration filter causes dissolved air to be released. It looks very cloudy at first and after a minute or so, it's perfectly clear. I have no idea yet why it's just the UF filter that does this. This does show though, that dissolved air in water is common.
oilslick
Explorer
Aug 13, 2014
Harvard wrote:
Residue potable anti freeze can give symptoms as described. It may be that someone (previous owner) put antifreeze in the fresh water tank and it has not been removed yet.

X2, it takes lots and lots and lots of flushing to get it to run clear.