[deniseO30]

Where I live, the water has a high sulfur content apparently. My newish water heater has an aluminum tank. but the old glass lined Raritan HWH also had the "stink"

Other then bypassing the HWH for anything other then actual trips with the boat, what can kill the stink? I've used bleach, it helps a little but the stink soon comes back.

 

[Multihullgirl]

You'll have to pre filter the water going into your tank. Culligan etc make a whole-house filtration system for sulfur, there may be others, I'd Google and see what's out there

 

[boatpoker]

Bleach corrodes aluminum

 

[deniseO30]

Thanks MHG! I even the the "smell" occasionally at the home faucets too. but that water isn't being heated and reheated and stored for gawd knows how long til the next time I use it on the boat LOL

 

[capt jgwinks]

You can get sulfur odor in your lines whether theres sulfur in your water or not. When closed up without contact with free oxygen, anaerobic bacteria will multiply and they exhale sulfur dioxide. The same thing happens in waste tanks without adequate vents. The only prevention ifs to use chlorine or biocide or keep water flowing periodically.

 

[Brewgyver]

Removing said bacteria before it gets into your boat's system is your best bet. The better water machines use both UV light and a reverse osmosis filtration systems, and the water from them is about as pure as you can get, typically for 25 cents a gallon. My marina has one, typical big blue box machine like you see at the supermarket, and I see a lot of folks wheeeling 5 gallon carboys down to their boats. Of course, a simple 10" filter housing with a good carbon block filter will do fine with most water sources.

 

[bblument]

We've occasionally had to deal w/ sulphur-smelling water, too, but I don't think it's related to bacteria. A cheap whole-house water filter w/ charcoal cartridges works fine for us. Another source of that smell, especially in hot water lines, is a corroded or used-up sacrificial anode rod in your hot water tank. If you're in an area with hard water, change your rod every year or so.

Denise, you mentioned you have a new HWH, so that anode rod may not be your problem... unless by "new" you mean "in the past few years." If that's the case, you could try changing the rod.

Good luck!

Barry

 

[deniseO30]

It's really from not using the boat much. I need to take the WH out of the circuit to really solve the problem. The smell was there even with the old WH that was glass lined.

Thanks all!

 

[Multihullgirl]

Welcome to New Orleans. Sounds like it, from the descrip of the water.

Just thought about it, wonder if this would work? I got one, not for water smell, but just for general filtration into the tank:
WEST MARINE In-Line KDF Water Filter | West Marine

 

[Stu Jackson]

Denise, try this, especially reply #4, John's a good friend and our C34 Tech Editor, he knows his stuff.

hot water "rotten egg" odor

 

[bblument]

Denise, try this, especially reply #4, John's a good friend and our C34 Tech Editor, he knows his stuff.

hot water "rotten egg" odor

Good thread... and if you continue down the thread to Peggie Hall's post, you'll see her address the anode rod issue I mentioned. Just an idea..

Bb

 

[AlaskaMC]

Does anyone use a recirc system to move water in the system on occasion, maybe through a filter? My house has this ability so that water doesn't sit in the holding tanks and for other reasons as well. Really is quite slick.

A pump and a return that could be activated manually to push the water through a filter and back would be interesting.

 

[Capt Len]

If you go to a circulating system for the hot water it may as well go thru a radiator in the foc'sle on its way to a filter with a tap at the head for instant hot.That gray pvc pipe is wonderful stuff and cheap too.