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08-28-2019, 01:55 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Grand Forks, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21 & 2014 RAM EcoDiesel
Posts: 81
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Bad Odor from water system
We have a bad odor that is plainly related to the water system. Smells sort of sour and is present whether connected to town water or boon docking. It comes when opening taps in kitchen or bathroom or flushing toilet. It is not a sewer smell. It has been present ever since we picked up the trailer last August.
I have emptied the water system and refilled the fresh tank with a water bleach mixture, filled all pipes with the mixture and let lie for a day and then repeated the procedure with a baking soda mixture. I have done this twice in the last six months. And even when the trailer is not used at all and lines remain fully drained within a few weeks the odor is back.
It seems to me that this is possibly a water born bacteria that is causing the odor, but it is driving me crazy. We have had stick built trailers before and never had this problem, so I like to think it is not something I am doing.
Any ideas or suggestions would be most welcome.
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Kevin & Sharon
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08-28-2019, 02:10 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Where does water originate?
Grand Forks water system?
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What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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08-28-2019, 02:18 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Is it hot water or cold water odor?
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-28-2019, 02:52 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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This came up in another thread just recently but I be darned if I can find it.
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Happy Motoring
Bob
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08-28-2019, 03:22 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Grand Forks, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21 & 2014 RAM EcoDiesel
Posts: 81
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It is present regardless of where the water comes from, Saskatchewan to Arizona same problem. Hot or cold, same odor.
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Kevin & Sharon
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08-28-2019, 03:26 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
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Is it the same odor out of the bathroom sink as the kitchen sink? Did you change the faucet in the kitchen? Just trying to help determine if it's the Pex, tanks or faucets.
NEVER mind, I saw you answered MY question in the top post. D'oh!
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Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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08-28-2019, 03:28 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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Flush out your water heater and change out the anode
If the anode is bad or it is the wrong metal , you can get a rotten egg smell from the water .
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08-28-2019, 03:35 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Grand Forks, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21 & 2014 RAM EcoDiesel
Posts: 81
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Same smell all outlets, hot or cold. I will try an extra flush of the hw tank. Checked anode this past winter and looked good but will get a new one and try that. There was an eggy edge to the smell. What is the correct anode.
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Kevin & Sharon
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08-28-2019, 03:43 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Grand Forks, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21 & 2014 RAM EcoDiesel
Posts: 81
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No new faucets either. All is as it came from escape.
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Kevin & Sharon
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08-28-2019, 04:03 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Southern Alberta, Alberta
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Posts: 1,734
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Put the hot water side in bypass mode and see if it goes away it’s something in the water heater. Hope this helps.
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Cheers
Doug
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08-28-2019, 04:48 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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Have you sanitixed the system with bleach? Drain the system first including the water heater, then do a complete fill with bleach added to the water. 1/2 cup mixed in will be fine. Then drain the entire system and if you like fill it for a rinse and drain. I don't usually bother with the rinse on my annual flush as it really does not have much bleach left after draining.
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2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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08-28-2019, 05:00 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Southern Calif., California
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 62
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When you filled your fresh tank with the bleach solution, did you fill your hot water tank too?
If not, here's how to do it.
Open the pressure release valve on the hot water tank and turn on your pump -- it will pump the water from the fresh into the hot water tank.
Wait until water flows out the release valve, that's how you know it's full.
Then close the release valve (water pump should then turn off by itself since it's able to build up pressure).
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08-28-2019, 05:14 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
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Quote:
Originally Posted by goalie39
When you filled your fresh tank with the bleach solution, did you fill your hot water tank too?
If not, here's how to do it.
Open the pressure release valve on the hot water tank and turn on your pump -- it will pump the water from the fresh into the hot water tank.
Wait until water flows out the release valve, that's how you know it's full.
Then close the release valve (water pump should then turn off by itself since it's able to build up pressure).
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Even easier, just turn on a hot water tap and when water comes out of it, you know the water heater is full.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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08-28-2019, 05:14 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Fredericksburg, Texas
Trailer: sold Airstream\Casita -2019 21' Escape
Posts: 190
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08-28-2019, 05:29 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Grand Forks, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21 & 2014 RAM EcoDiesel
Posts: 81
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Thanks for all the suggestions, all of which I have done except replacing the hw anode. Will get a new anode and do the bleach thing again but can someone tell me if the usual aluminum anode is what escape uses or is some other metal recommended.
__________________
Kevin & Sharon
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08-28-2019, 05:42 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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I've never done it but I have heard of cleaning out the HW heater with vinegar. You can do a search on google or some such if you're interested in trying it.
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Happy Motoring
Bob
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08-28-2019, 05:45 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin
I've never done it but I have heard of cleaning out the HW heater with vinegar. You can do a search on google or some such if you're interested in trying it.
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Similar to what you do with a coffee maker, run diluted vinegar thru it.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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08-28-2019, 05:46 PM
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#18
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Site Team
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,122
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Quote:
Originally Posted by canakiwi
Thanks for all the suggestions, all of which I have done except replacing the hw anode. Will get a new anode and do the bleach thing again but can someone tell me if the usual aluminum anode is what escape uses or is some other metal recommended.
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the correct anode is magnesium. aluminum anodes are offered as they last much longer, but the down side is they don't actually protect anything.
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08-28-2019, 05:56 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz
the correct anode is magnesium. aluminum anodes are offered as they last much longer, but the down side is they don't actually protect anything.
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Another reason it might be a not be a good idea to use aluminum anodes in drinking water are studies have shown that it may be a factor in causing Alzheimer’s.
Magnesium anodes work better anyway.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
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08-28-2019, 06:06 PM
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#20
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Grand Forks, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21 & 2014 RAM EcoDiesel
Posts: 81
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So magnesium anode, thank you for that. I will get a new anode and sanitize the system again. Will be a week or so as I'm currently 150 Km from the nearest RV dealer.
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Kevin & Sharon
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