Help, fresh water smells like @&%^#&

[floriduramax1]

You should not have anything in gray water that is harmful to the water. Soap, toothpaste, and assorted things you use are all non damaging to the water. While one might get in trouble putting a tanker load of toothpast or dishwashing detergent in the lake a mouthfull will not hurt anything. I have heard they use Dawn dishwashing detergent to clean wildlife after oil spills.

MM

Dawn works awesome for that big cloud of fuel and oil spills that surround your boat as well....so I have heard :wink:

 

[MonacoMike]

Dawn works awesome for that big cloud of fuel and oil spills that surround your boat as well....so I have heard :wink:

Good to hear from you Donnie.

MM

 

[Gunn]

I don't see what there is to fear about using and drinking the fresh water in the tank...IF it's properly conditioned. After you get done following the previous recommendations to get your tank clean, here is what I do to enjoy perfectly fresh water from my tap, on my boat:

1) Use a water filter in the line going from your water source, to your tank. I use a filter with a male hose connection so that I can screw it right onto the end of my freshwater hose. This filters the water going into the freshwater tank.

2) I also use Aquabon as previously suggested, in the tank. Pour the indicated amount in the tank.

That's it. I've left freshwater in the tank for several weeks. I've never had an issue with any smells. It actually smells and tastes more like city water than the water coming out of my well...

 

[floriduramax1]

Good to hear from you Donnie.

MM

:thumbsup:I get a break every now and again...lol

 

[Rob1961]

I had the same problem on my 93 290DA when I bought it, and I flushed with everything to try and clean it up but still smelled bad. I soon realized it was only from the hot water side so I started flushing the hot water tank, and it still smelled bad. After discussing it with another boater he said he had a similar problem he had brought on himself. He turned on the hot water heater while there was still anti-freeze in it and that caused the problem. The only solution was to replace the heating element which I did and the problem was solved immediately. It seems the element burns the anti-freeze into its pores and makes that putrid rotten egg smell from that point on. Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

[hillsideshortleg]

Thanks for all the input!! Rob1961 I think you nailed it
Thanks everyone
Rick & Jeannie

 

[Creekwood]

I use the flush/bleach/flush in the spring as well. The pink does not "rot" but I can tell you that if you fire up the water heater hot with any amount of residual pink in the tank (even well diluted), the stuff does stink up the system pretty bad. It rinses through eventually, but it takes a while.

After I get it cleaned up in the spring, I do add about 1/4 glass of bleach to each 40gallon water fill up as a preventative measure. At that level it doesn't bleach towels, but the water does have a slight chlorine smell but nothing skunky at all. I never drink the water from the tank, but I have brushed teeth with it a few times. Our marina has potable water at the fuel dock (the white hose - the red one is used to flush the waste tanks). Our dock water comes from the same system, but travels a long way to get to the slip so I generally don't fill up with it at the slip.

 

[Gunn]

When winterizing, you should simply open the valve to drain the hot water heater, and then bypass it when filling the water lines with anti-freeze. Not only will spring commissioning be easier and quicker, but you'll save on several gallons of antifreeze!