I have a Catalina 30 that I bought used and have been working to get back into shape. The water heater does not work (believe it needs an element), but when the hot water tap is turned on, the water that comes out has a "rotten egg" smell. The cold water smells fine. Has anyone run into this?
water from hot water tap has sulpher smell
- Thread starter Franzcat
- Start date
Ewee yucky
You have some work to do. A gift from the previous owner. You may find, if the water heater has seen better days that replacement is the better choice.
Look for Peggie's info on treating foul water. Many posts here. Rotten egg smell means something organic has died.
Clean and sanitize.
You have some work to do. A gift from the previous owner. You may find, if the water heater has seen better days that replacement is the better choice.
Look for Peggie's info on treating foul water. Many posts here. Rotten egg smell means something organic has died.
Clean and sanitize.
Thanks. I will do a search for peggie's article. Would replace the heater but it is a bit of a job in a Cat 30. May wind up doing this anyway. Wonder if someone has come up with a nice, more compact unit since the boat was built in '88.
I used to have same problem. I read somewhere...(this forum) That if you put antifreeze in hot water tank to wintetize....it reacts with anodes. And causes the rotten egg smell that never goes away.
I replaced water tank anode, then
Flushed tank a few times. Smell is completely gone.
Now i just drain hot water tank and bypass it when winterizing. So no antifrreze in it any more. No smell at all
I replaced water tank anode, then
Flushed tank a few times. Smell is completely gone.
Now i just drain hot water tank and bypass it when winterizing. So no antifrreze in it any more. No smell at all
You may also have simply lost the anode. Galvanic corrosion also causes that smell (it reduces--in the chemical sense--the sulfate in water to sulfide, causing the smell). Check the anode and replace if needed.
Antifreeze can plate-out (intentionally) on the anode, reducing its effectivness. NEVER put antifreeze in either the hot water heater or the freshwater tank. Empty them.
Antifreeze can plate-out (intentionally) on the anode, reducing its effectivness. NEVER put antifreeze in either the hot water heater or the freshwater tank. Empty them.
Fresh Water System Recommissioning 101 - Peggie Hall's "Cocktail" Rotten Egg Odor http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5836.0.html
Although the whole system could likely profit from recommissioning (Stu posted a link to the instructions), that won't cure a "rotten egg" odor that's ONLY in the hot water. As others have already mentioned, galvanic corrosion is what causes that. If you're lucky enough to have a water heater that has a glass lined tank (in which case, it's prob'ly a Raritan), it has a replaceable anode...replacing it is the solution. It's a simple inexpensive job. However, the water heaters you'll find on most boats don't have replaceable anodes...they have galvanized metal tanks. Over time the galvanizing wears off. The only cure: replace the water heater. These water heaters cost a lot less than a Raritan, but cost a whole lot MORE than replaceable anodes.
Thanks, Peggie. Yes, I followed the winterizing directions and filled the water heater with anti freeze. Probably what got me in trouble. The heater is the original Atwood EHM6-SM. I had planned to replace the heating element but do not think it has a replaceable anode...can you advise? I will continue to research, but may have a new water heater or no water heater in my future. Your advice is very much appreciated.