This is probably a good question for Vic.

I am having a similar problem with the sulpher smell to the water on this BurnsCraft. I think it is mostly the cold water but the hot may be too. I would assume this water has been in the tank for some time. I was going to just drain it all out and put in fresh to solve the problem, will this solve the problem? or is there something causing this... The freshwater supply from the marina is fine. No smell and no bad taste.


BurnsOwner38915.4796412037

It could be a problem with the water heater but the first thing I'd do is to make some ice and mix a drink. If, when you're drinking and the ice cubes are right in front of your nose, you smell the sulphur smell, it may be the actual water. The only cure there is to add a good water filtration system to the boat. If you're in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and other "heartland" areas, it could very well be sulphur in the water...

Some water heaters have anodes in them, that should be checked once a year, usually during spring commissioning. If there's less than 50% of the original _meta_l left, replace the anode. The _meta_l anode rods are made of magnesium and have an iron core in the center, to help support them. When the magnesium has been eaten away (by acids in the water, stray electrical currents, etc.) to where the iron is exposed to the water, some sort of chemical reaction occurs between the iron, the magnesium and the water, resulting in a rotten-egg smell in the water. If that happens, replace the anode.

Good point Vic. I think that the smell is actually coming from the hot water side only so that might explain it. I drained all the water from the whole system last nite. Looks like I need an anode for my water heater.

Thanks for the info Vic

Magnesium
is a highly versatile _meta_l favoured for its light weight and high
strength-to-weight ratio. It is non-toxic, has excellent machining qualities,
and exhibits a capacity to dampen and absorb vibration and electromagnetic
waves.


I hope that things you were talking about are finished yet. I work for a big company made products by magnesium _meta_l and I 'm sure in some ways magnesium in the water is helathy for people...don't implicate tham
magg39079.0641203704

Magg, Vic wasn't implicating magnesium. He wes explaining that if the anode (which is made of magnesium) is deteriorarated, the result can be a a sulpher smell. The magnesium doesn't hurt the water, but if the Iron inside is exposed, it can make it stink.

A little further explanation appears to be in order regarding the anode inside certain water heaters. Water heaters that have steel tanks usually have anodes inside them. Their purpose is to protect the tank if the glass lining becomes compromised. The steel tanks are heated red hot during their fabrication, and glass powder is sprayed inside. It adheres, on contact, to the inside of the tank, effectively coating the inside of the tank with a thin _layer_ of glass. BUT, there are certain cracks and crevices that don't always get coated and in these small areas, usually pinhead-sized, the plain steel is exposed to the water, and will rust away over time. The magnesium anode is a sacrificial rod that is inside the tank, that gets "eaten away" by the acids and so forth that are in the water, along with random stray electrical currents, etc., that will attack the steel of the tank. So, instead of the tank being "eaten away," the magnesium rod is eaten away. But, when the magnesium is mostly gone, and the iron reinforcing rod that is in the center of the anode becomes exposed, a chemical action occurs between the water, the magnesium and the iron. This results in a "rotten egg" smell coming from the hot water. The cure for the situation is to remove and replace the anode and drain, flush out ,and then refill the tank with clean water. In the case of Raritan water heaters, the anode is the actual hot water "out" nipple that is part of the water heater. Inside the nipple that sticks out, is a plastic insulator, and the magnesium rod is attached to this plastic insulator. The actual nipple assembly, if you could see the inside of the tank, is over a foot long - extending across the inside of the tank. To check and/or replace the anode, the hot water "out" nipple must be removed with a small pipe wrench, and you must have 16-18" of clearance outside the tank, to pull the anode out. Slit the little white plastic finish washer with a razor knife, and remove it. You'll see a short section of the nipple that isn't threaded. Connect your pipe wrench there, and unscrew the nipple from the side of the tank (you'll have to remove any additional plumbing that was added by the boat builder first). Be sure to turn off the electric power to the water heater before doing any of this. Also turn off your pressure pump and bleed the pressure from the lines.

Aluminum and stainless steel water heater tanks don't have this anode - only steel tanks that are subject to internal rusting if left unprotected, have the anode. The same anode, only much larger in size, is inside your water heater at home - if your water heater tank is "glass-lined".
Vic Willman39079.4513194444

If all that doesn't fix it try pouring a 3-4 ounces of bleach in with a full tank. That kills any bacteria in the tank and gets rid of the smell. That small amount of bleach in a full tank won't hurt you.

I have a procedure for commisisoning tanks in the spring - should be the same for any time of the year, but I can't lay my hands on it at this exact moment. I'll send it as soon as I find it.