Persistent Odor To Water After Winterizing Coach

[srfridley]

I winterized my 2006 Winnebago Tour last fall for the first time using the appropriate RV anti-freeze and the procedure from the factory manual. Now, on our first trip in the spring, I cannot get rid of the slight odor/taste in the water system. I have flushed all of the water taps several times for extended time periods but the taste/odor keeps coming back. The anti-freeze was purchased at Wal Mart, I don't remember the brand.

Anyone have similar problems or a solution?

[hermanmullins]

srfridley,

To you taste and odor problem, I have no advice. However I have never put the anti-freeze in my water lines. I will drain my water tank and hot water tank. I will then Blow out the water lines. I then add anti-freeze to the drains. This way when we de-winterize the coach we have nothing in the water lines to clear other then air.

Good luck and I look forward to the solution to your problem.

Herman

[rossboyer]

X2

[whiteeagle]

Is it possible you left the filter in when you winterized .... or didn't empty the filter canister after the fresh water started coming thru?

[srfridley]

The only filter in my system is for the ice maker and a filtered water tap on the sink. The odor/taste is in all faucets, which are not filtered

The ice/drinking filter was isolated and saw no anti-freeze

[cmarq]

Sanitize with bleach including hot water heater. I blow out the water lines and then put in antifreeze every year, I have been doing it for 30+ years and I use Walmart antifreeze never had any problems. It may be overkill, but I sleep good when temps go below zero.

[nitehawk]

Easiest to use Peroxide. It sanitizes your system, then breaks down to water and leaves no taste or odor. Try running some vinegar thru your system to neutralize any bleach or other stuff in your lines. Sometimes your lines just need to be flushed for quite awhile to remove most of the taste. Suggest you drink bottled water until your system has had time to clean itself with frequent use.

[hermanmullins]

emarq,

I am not disagreeing with you, but if you have drained your water heater and blown out the lines then you will not have any water in your system therefore, I see no reason for anti-freeze.

[desertdeals69]

Hydrogen Peroxide works great in sanitizing and eliminating odors.

[cmarq]

Herman, I do it for peace of mind and if there is a pocket of water some where. It only takes a couple of gallons cheap insurance and keeps seals and washers from drying out. As I said it may be overkill but I sleep good at night all winter.

[wolfe10]

I also suspect the weather in Connecticut is colder than in Texas!

[klcracing]

I too have had an odor in my water like a strong onion smell and was asked if I had a anode rod in hot water tank, and was told to take it out and just use a plug. Don't know if that was it or not but the odor is gone. I'm in Oklahoma with hard water. I also use water purifier from Wally World to put in tank.

[wolfe10]

Yes, if Suburban water heater, you NEED an anode.

If Atwood water heater, they recommend their nylon drain plug.

The difference is tank material.

[klcracing]

It is an Atwood, and I thought it needed an anode and put one in, and they told me to change it back to the nylon plug. The water sure ate up that anode. I also put water purifier in every load of fresh water and change filter after unwinterizing.

[wolfe10]

Correct. The nylon drain plug is the proper one for the Atwood. Atwood does not even sell anodes.

[klcracing]

We use it once or twice a month. As for the water purifier, it is the bottle sold at Wally World, and it smell like clorox.

[zulu54311]

• You must remember that filters will remove contaminates such as sand and rust and will improve taste and odor but a filter is not a purifier and will not kill bacteria and other microorganisms.

Though perhaps not technically a "filter", a UV sterilizer will kill bacteria and other microorganisms.

• Prepare a 5% sodium-hypochloric solution using chlorine bleach (non-scented and non-gel) and water.

The numbers you provided were for a 50 ppm bleach solution (1/4 cup of bleach per 15 gal tank size) and let sit at least 4 hours.

However, you can also use a stronger 100 ppm bleach solution (1/2 cup of bleach per 15 gal tank size) and let sit at least 1 hour.