Hot water tank funky smell

[pbyrne]

No matter what I do, I don't seem to be able to get the water that comes from the hot water tank to smell 'ok'.  It's always got this slightly putrid scent to it.

I've flushed the tanks with bleach solution as per Catalina manual TWICE, and scrubbed the forward (yes scrubbed it) tank and added the 'fresh water cleaner' powder stuff.

Cold water smells great, hot water tank not so much.

To be fair the hot water tank doesn't get a lot of use, as we get to the boat every 2 weeks.

I don't mind doing something to flush the hot water tank when we get there, but I don't know what will work to make it sanitary as I'm assuming 'bad smell' equals DON'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING.

Selfishly, what I really want the hot water for is a SHOWER!!

Any suggestions?

[Sailing Amok]

It seems funky smells are often from the lines rather than the tanks. This applies to fresh water, and the sanitary system. Could you try disconnecting it from the plumbing, adding some water, and then checking that sample? We were just doing some work on our forward tank, which always appears clean through the inspection port. When I pulled off the vent line, it was full of some pretty nasty stuff.

[pbyrne]

It seems funky smells are often from the lines rather than the tanks. This applies to fresh water, and the sanitary system. Could you try disconnecting it from the plumbing, adding some water, and then checking that sample? We were just doing some work on our forward tank, which always appears clean through the inspection port. When I pulled off the vent line, it was full of some pretty nasty stuff.

Already did that.  Both tanks on cold water come out fresh and clear. Overflow lines look good.  One advantage of a fresh water boat,in a freaking cold climate that spends 6 months on the hard.

[Ron Hill]

pby : It's the water lines from the water heater!! Look at my Mainsheet tech note article where I change out my lines from the water heater.

Also change out your anode in the water heater itself!!

A few thoughts

[Noah]

Ron: I am very interested in how-to/if/when and why you changed the anode in your hot water heater. I have never changed mine in the 9 years I have owned my boat. BUT, surprisingly, I have one that the PO had in his very meager spare parts stash onboard. Probably OEM 1990!

[waughoo]

I might consider doing a lime descale on the hot water tank. 

[pbyrne]

pby : It's the water lines from the water heater!! Look at my Mainsheet tech note article where I change out my lines from the water heater.

Also change out your anode in the water heater itself!!

A few thoughts

Interesting!  To be more specific, the water has a strong sulfur smell from the galley, the head, or aft cockpit faucet.  Is it ALL those lines that need to be changed?!

[Jim Hardesty]

PBYRNE, 
When the hot water gets funky on Shamrock I just flush the hot water with regular water.  Open galley sink, head sink and cockpit shower run for 5 minutes, wait, repeat a few times.  Then refill the aft water tank.
The hot water tank is not quick to flush, it's made to mix hot and cold water, opening the drain will still leave water in the tank, a few inches.

That and trying to use the hot water, even if it's not hot, as much as possible works for me.
Hope that helps,
Jim

Another thing that comes to mind.  If the lines are funky the smell would be strong at first then less as more fresher water flows.  If the tank is funky the smell would continue. 

[robbjd]

Peter, Ours is an ex-Georgian Bay boat that one of her previous owners removed the aft water tank from, and plumbed all the taps (galley, head, cockpit shower, deck wash) with lake water. The forward tank only supplies water to a spigot at the galley sink. We also experience the Sulphur/funky smell from the "hot" water side.
Yesterday I disconnected the lake water supply from the through hull, stuck it in a big clean pail, ran fresh water into the pail, and flushed the entire system for about 20 minutes per tap. I then ran a water & bleach mix through each tap, and let that sit for two hours, rinsed and repeated the bleach mix for another hour. Flushed the entire system again with fresh water and voila , no more funk. I'll let you know how long it stays fresh. Our water heater breaker stays open so the only heat the system sees is engine heat but I do think new PEX water lines are on my winter project list, and I may flip the forward tank to supply taps, and lake water to supply spigot, and deck wash.

[britinusa]

Recently our Hot tank sprung a leak, no choice, I could not find the leak so I installed a replacement.

The 'funky' smell in our water, which occurred every time we left the boat water tanks sit for a few weeks,  disappeared after replacing the tank.

[Stu Jackson]

Peter, Ours is an ex-Georgian Bay boat that one of her previous owners removed the aft water tank from, and plumbed all the taps (galley, head, cockpit shower, deck wash) with lake water.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 and I may flip the forward tank to supply taps, and lake water to supply spigot, and deck wash.

Man, o man...after all that good work you did cleaning your system, and you are proposing to STILL use lake water anywhere near the domestic water system on your boat...you are crazy.     You do what you are proposing the lake water still gets in the system right?  You only have one domestic water pressure pump.

You do realize it was the crap in the LAKE water itself that made the smell to begin with?  Surely you do...

Are you actually sailing in a place where you can't get 20-30 gallons of fresh city water?  If you use a bucket to get lake water to wash your dishes, that single water tank can last two people a long time...including showers.

[Jim Hardesty]

Man, o man...after all that good work you did cleaning your system, and you are proposing to STILL use lake water anywhere near the domestic water system on your boat...you are crazy.     You do what you are proposing the lake water still gets in the system right?  You only have one domestic water pressure pump.

You do realize it was the crap in the LAKE water itself that made the smell to begin with?  Surely you do...

Stu,
I talked with a municipal water engineer that used water from Lake Huron and the Georgan Bay. He claimed it was safer than the water in the marinas that has been sitting in pipes/hoses of questionable quality.  He did treat with clorox 1oz per 30 gal.  This water from the North Channel is crystal clear.
That's not what I do but I've talked to one expert that does.  After talking to him I do add Clorox to my water tanks when I fill them 1.5 oz aft tank 1 oz fwd tank.
Jim

[Jim Hardesty]

Man, o man...after all that good work you did cleaning your system, and you are proposing to STILL use lake water anywhere near the domestic water system on your boat...you are crazy.     You do what you are proposing the lake water still gets in the system right?  You only have one domestic water pressure pump.

You do realize it was the crap in the LAKE water itself that made the smell to begin with?  Surely you do...

Stu,
I talked with a municipal water engineer that used water from Lake Huron and the Georgan Bay. He claimed it was safer than the water in the marinas that has been sitting in pipes/hoses of questionable quality.  He did treat with clorox.  This water from the North Channel is crystal clear.
That's not what I do but I've talked to one expert that does.  After talking to him I do add Clorox to my water tanks when I fill from the marinas  1.5 oz aft tank 1 oz fwd tank.
Jim

[KWKloeber]

I am very interested in how-to/if/when and why you changed the anode

Noah you may or may not have one installed.  See the Seaward manual for example.
https://c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Manuals#Water_System_Manuals

[Noah]

Yeah Ken you are correct. I looked at some of my historical photos from when I changed hot water lines to PEX an sure enough I have a petcock drain valve there instead of a magnesium anode. The anode that has been sitting in my spare parts since I bought the boat is probably it. Maybe I'll install it someday ;-)