New Member with problem - Montana Owners Club

johnsonk1953 · 08-30-2009, 11:03 AM

My husband and I own a 2007 (purchased new) Montana w/rear door and 2 slides.

We, unfortunately, have had quite a few issues with our Montana, including replacing the microwave and DVD player (which needs to be replaced again, but we will buy one now), the kitchen sink leaking (and still has problems).

Our latest problem has us puzzled.

We have an odor that comes from the bathroom faucet (and only the sink) when you first turn on the water (either hot or cold - doesn't matter) that smells like it is drawing water directly from the holding tank - UGH - after a couple of minutes it goes away, we have disinfected the fresh water system twice but that has not helped.

My husband first noticed this problem when he was volunteering as an Oregon Fish and Wildlife host at a fish hatchery - he was there a month, and soon after arriving there he discontinued using the bathroom sink.

Has anyone else had or heard of this problem?

We do like our Montana, but are not happy with all of the little things that have gone wrong with it. I'm not sure we would buy another one.

johnsonk1953

Mrs. CountryGuy · 08-30-2009, 11:08 AM

First, welcome to the forum!!

Next, not really what ya wanna hear, but the microwave and DVD player issues are rather common. SIGHHHHHH

Odor, question, do you have a washer/dryer hookup?? and, NO washer/dryer??

If so, the odor problem most likely will be coming from there. You have to get some water in and out of that drain/trap for the washer/dryer.

I have posted about this before, but the exact details escape me, you might try a search, but search in the archives!! Otherwise, I will have to ask CountryGuy again, he remembers how, snicker, cause he did the procedure!

With any luck someone else will happen along before I get CountryGuy in here to ask, he is out working on our Tana.

Again, welcome to the forum!!

Good luck, and enjoy that 5er!

Art-n-Marge · 08-30-2009, 11:24 AM

By any chance, does the water smell like sulfur? If so, then I have had that problem a couple of times. Here's what I know.

There is a condition in RVs called "sulphur water", It is caused by some kind of bacterial reaction in the hot water heater and storing any water in it. There is a temptation to think that it's in your sink drain, but it's not! Believe it or not, there is nothing dangerous about this bacteria and it is NOT unsafe. While I found this hard to be true, trust me, it's okay health wise. I wouldn't want to drink it, but we use our RV water for showers and dishes. We've always use filtered water for drinking, cooking and brushing our teeth.

The first time I got that condition I flushed out the complete water system, put the requisite amount of bleach in the system let it sit for hours, then had to flush out all the bleach including into the hot water heater. That's a lot of work. I also got new water supply filters.

Many trips later, I got the sulphur water again! This time (since it's not dangerous), I was angry and frustrated and impatient, we just ran the hot water faucets for several minutes until the smell was mostly gone, drained into the gray tanks, then emptied the tanks. It worked! No more smell.

The bad news is that I have not found how to prevent this in the first place. I try to empty the hot water the best I can when it's in storage (sitting on my driveway), but we shall have to wait and see.

Good luck with your hot water tank.

hookman · 08-30-2009, 12:17 PM

If you do not have a washer and someone has left the valves under the sink open the water in those pipes is not fresh. I would sanitize the system also open the washer taps. Then blow the system out with air then shut off the taps to the washer and make sure there is a cap on the drain pipe.

Champ_49 · 08-30-2009, 12:28 PM

Ok I have a question here. It is being said that the W/D has a drain? I'm a little confused so I had better ask. I thought the drain valves in the convienence center was the only drain, seeings though it is the lowest drain for the pipes. I also realize that the fresh water holding tank has a drain too. I also drain the hot water tank and use the bypass. This is the way I have winterized this now for 2 winters here in MI and never had a problem. Did I just get lucky?

Mrs. CountryGuy · 08-30-2009, 01:04 PM

Champ 49,

In my post, the word "drain" does not represent one of those drains for the fresh water tank, etc that are under your rig.

it is the drain pipe used by the washer that should be visable in the closet or area where your washer/dryer should go.

knowing me, the term "drain" is not technically correct. Sorry if I confused the matter.

Jolu · 08-30-2009, 01:14 PM

I had the problem in our Montana like Hookman describes. The water did have an awful smell to it. I cured the problem similar to what he describes. I capped off the lines under the sink leading to the Washer. I then sanitized the fresh water system with the normal bleach treatment. The smell was gone has not come back.

On a motorhome we had the water in the lines started to smell bad. I did not have a W/D. The hot water tank went bad as Art describes. In that case I did the bleach treatment to the fresh water tank and pumped it through the system and that did cure the problem. Run fresh water through the system after the bleach treatment in both cases.

HamRad · 08-30-2009, 01:21 PM

Johnsonk1953,
We have an 2002 model Montana. We have never "treated" the onboard water tank and we've never had the odor you mentioned. Is it ONLY the water in the bathroom? Not in the kitchen too?

We have had slightly smelly city water on one or two occasions but nothing as severe as you indicate. When we moved to another city water system no smell.

We will be very interested in what you discover so please post when you have your answer.

HamRad

racerjoe · 08-30-2009, 01:57 PM

We had the problem,found that there are two capped off drain lines under the bath area that held water in them when not in use. that little bit of water would go "bad" and the bath,sink and shower would smell. So when parked in between uses,we also make sure to drain out those lines. that cured our smell.

OntMont · 08-30-2009, 03:13 PM

Check this: Under the vanity counter top to one side, you should see a black vent pipe with a vent valve on it. First of all make sure that the vent cap is there, if it is, remove it by unscrewing (probably can be done by hand) and make sure that it is working right. There should be a thin flat rubber diaphragm that is normally in the closed position, but opens under a slight negative pressure to vent the line. If that is not working right, it might cause a puff of tank odour to blow back into the vanity when you let water down the sink.

That was the cause of our problem, and if that is it, it is easily fixed.

FLSTS03 · 08-30-2009, 03:28 PM

Art,
In certain conditions, typicaly well systems, iron and sulfur will interact with the standard magnesium anode rod in the heater causing the foul gas smell. Replacing the magnesium rod with an aluminum rod will more than likely fix the problem. Steve

rames14 · 08-30-2009, 03:37 PM

The forum helped us out with the "odor" problem last year. We had never opened the valves on the hot/cold for the washer connection. Put a bucket under the faucets and opened each one - problem solved. The draining of the water is simply opening the water faucet valves and letting the water flow out. We had tried sanitizing chemicals, bleach, etc. to no avail. Drained and no more problem.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 08-30-2009, 03:45 PM

Yep Ron, that is the fix! Thanks!!

I know it sounds rather simplistic, but, this has worked for a couple of MOCers.

Worked for Ron, and it worked for us.

Believe what CountryGuy did (now that I think about it) is he connected a hose to those faucets and ran the water for a awhile, dumped to sink or toilet, did not really matter.

We were starting to get that again, finally got Tana to a full hookup site and ran the new washer (after it was fixed), took care of the problem.

Geeshh Ron, thanks for jogging my leaky memory!

johnsonk1953 · 08-30-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Mrs. CountryGuy

First, welcome to the forum!!

Next, not really what ya wanna hear, but the microwave and DVD player issues are rather common. SIGHHHHHH

Odor, question, do you have a washer/dryer hookup?? and, NO washer/dryer??

If so, the odor problem most likely will be coming from there. You have to get some water in and out of that drain/trap for the washer/dryer.

I have posted about this before, but the exact details escape me, you might try a search, but search in the archives!! Otherwise, I will have to ask CountryGuy again, he remembers how, snicker, cause he did the procedure!

With any luck someone else will happen along before I get CountryGuy in here to ask, he is out working on our Tana.

Again, welcome to the forum!!

Good luck, and enjoy that 5er!

johnsonk1953 · 08-30-2009, 04:32 PM

Thank you everyone! We do have a W/D hookup, but no W/D. When Ron about capping the pipe to the W/D, he said that makes perfect sense - so I'm sure he will be doing that this week. Thanks to all.

Texas Firefighter · 08-30-2009, 06:56 PM

I agree with Steve, try replacing the anode rod in the water heater. You should drain the water when you are not using the trailer for a long period of time. When you drain the water try to flush it out with a water hose, do not use a lot of pressure, just let it flow inside and let the water pour out, do this several times. Hope this will help. Be safe! John Daniels

KTManiac · 08-30-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by johnsonk1953

Thank you everyone! We do have a W/D hookup, but no W/D. When Ron about capping the pipe to the W/D, he said that makes perfect sense - so I'm sure he will be doing that this week. Thanks to all.

I eliminated the possibility of the W/D lines going stagnant by disconnecting the lines where they Tee into the rest of the hot and cold system. I capped off the Tee's and the ends of the hoses that still go out to the W/D faucets, that way there are no "dead end" hoses where the water will not circulate. If I ever do get a W/D, I can uncap the hoses and reconnect them very easily, and be back in business in no time flat.

maphillips · 08-31-2009, 10:30 AM

Had this same problem while on vacation in July. We do have W/D hook-ups but no W/D. Changed the Anode rod, did not help. This W/D thing is making more sense to me than anyhting I've read. I will have to look inot that on my rig.

mtheo · 09-02-2009, 02:31 AM

I had the same problem once this summer. It was in the hot water heater, flushed real good, not had a problem since.

jpkelpe · 09-03-2009, 02:36 PM

We have the same problem. Will do the drain thing when we get the Monty back from the dealer--some warenty work being done

You may also like: