Does Your RV’s Hot Water Smell Like Rotten Eggs?

As RVers, we know odd smells can come from a variety of locations around the RV. Ranging from odors coming from the bathroom and toilet to the smell of propane, odors can seem to to come from all around the RV. It can also be easy to misdiagnose the source of the odor in question. One such odor which can cause confusion is water flowing out of faucets and shower(s) that smell like rotten eggs. 

If you are running a sink or shower with hot water and you are getting a rotten egg smell, it is most likely coming from the RV’s water heater. 

In most RVs, the propane powered water heater has a device installed in it called an anode rod. Minerals that are present in water supplied by campgrounds or even from a household water supply will travel  to the anode rod (also known as the sacrificial rod) rather than to the water heater tank to keep the tank from corroding or rusting.

Anode rods are typically made from either magnesium or an aluminum and zinc alloy. If the anode rod is made of magnesium, bacteria  present in the water supply will attach to the anode rod. When this happens it will create hydrogen sulfide gas, which is the source of the rotten egg smell.

Aluminum and zinc alloy anode rods are a more modern version, and bacteria will not adhere to them. 

If you are getting a rotten egg smell from your sinks or showers while running the hot water, you  likely have a magnesium anode rod in your water heater. When purchasing a new anode rod or having an RV service technician replace the anode rod, be sure you get  an aluminum/ zinc anode rod to keep this from happening in the future. 

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