Sulfur smell in the fresh water/tank monitor that lies!

[Ross Bowling]

I have moved Vita Bella from Ensenada Mexico to San Diego. While we were preparing to move the boat, we ran the fresh water and a strong sulfur smell was present. I ran the tank dry and that added another situation. The tank monitors showed 1/4 tank of water and the system was only pumping air.

I added fresh water, run through a nifty two stage filter with a UV light for the the final. (I wanted any bugs in the water dead, not just wounded). I am hopeful that this will help. Any suggestions as to fresh water tank treatments would be appreciated

Sooooo - Three questions.

1) Has anyone had the smell?
2) Is there a fix for the tank monitor?
3) What do you stick in the tank, to treat the fresh water? I have been told to add Vodka or Bleach. At least the bugs would be happy

Ross Bowling

[duetto]

well ruus, lucky you for having a freah water tank guage at all.....i have a 3' dowel

watch the bleach with aluminium tanks....corrosion, not sure about the chemistry of vodka.

[Ross Bowling]

Point well taken re: the bleach, and I am headed to Home Depot for a dowel

[Mishigas]

Ross, Do you have the smell in the cold or "Hot' water. The reason I ask is that most water heaters have magnesium annode rods inside of them. Under certain agressive water conditions the magnesium can give off the symptamatic "sulfur" smell. When this happens to my clients, we usually end up replacing the "Mag" rod with an aluminum annode to elliminate the odor problem. If your odor is coming from the cold side of your taps, there is something else going on in your tank. Sandy Kramer MISHIGAS MV34 Hull 68

[Ross Bowling]

S-
The smell is from both the hot and the cold side. I am hopeful that with several "flushings" we will get the smell out of the system. The water that pumped out of the system just before the tank ran dry was cloudy and had lots of suspended particles. Once the tank was refilled, the water ran clear and without the smell. The boat sat in Florida for several months with little attention(due to the overall poor service provided by Yacht Path International) and who knows what began to grow in the tanks. When I received the boat in Ensenada the 1st of March, the smell was not present and the water seemed fine. We added some water in Mexico, but it was run through the fancy,dancy filter that was intended to make the water as clean and clear as the flow over Yosemite Falls

So the short answer is both hot and cold and I will let you know how and what I find.

Thanks for the reply

R-

[Moonstruck]

RE Tank Monitor: It sounds like wire is loose at control panel or tank probe (I had similar problem with holding tank monitor). It also possible, but not very probable, that the mid level probe is too long and extends to the bottom of the tank. Check wiring before messing with probe. Suggest you check your PDQ documents package for installation instructions for Tank Monitor which details the length for each probe. I found manufacturer's telephone tech support very helpful.
Ralph MV34 #64.