Rotten egg/ sulphur

DIJ Wilson
DIJ Wilson Forum Participant Posts: 34
edited September 2016 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

Hi

i am getting a rotten egg or sulphur smell in my Motorhome when starting off but goes when I have stopped  could it be the battery in the cab or somethings to do with the LPG conversion .

google seems to suggest it co be both or could it be the gray waste holding tank

regards

david

Comments

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited September 2016 #2

    It's hydrogen sulphide and can be formed when charging the battery. Wouldn't think it would be generated from the waste holding tank, but then depends on what's in there......

  • DIJ Wilson
    DIJ Wilson Forum Participant Posts: 34
    edited September 2016 #3

    Battery did go flat and is know on a trickle charge as alarm seems to drain cab battery when not in use - is it time for a new battery 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #4

    Overcharged battery most likely source, but propane/LPG can also have a bit of a rotten egg smell. I would go with battery as most likely.Happy

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #5

    battery possibly....broken catalytic converter?

  • NIMROD
    NIMROD Forum Participant Posts: 103
    edited September 2016 #6

    Slipping clutch?

  • WanderingHans
    WanderingHans Forum Participant Posts: 134
    edited September 2016 #7

    Possibly the leisure battery - do you have a CO alarm?  

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited September 2016 #8

    As the battery uses sulphuric acid and the rotten egg smell is associated with Hydrogen Sulphide I would suspect battery

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,675 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #9

    Ot sound like the battery to me too.

    David 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited September 2016 #10

    It could be your waste tank as you say its when you move,send OH back to sniff the wastes on the sinks/shower

  • DIJ Wilson
    DIJ Wilson Forum Participant Posts: 34
    edited September 2016 #11

    New battery?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,147 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #12

    Good guess.

  • briantimber
    briantimber Forum Participant Posts: 1,653
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    edited September 2016 #13

    Choice of either Battery or Cat.....Cool

    Does the LPG conversion affect the exhaust emissions...Cool

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited September 2016 #14

    You also need to check the output voltage of the charger. Otherwise if this faulty you will destroy your next battery. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited September 2016 #15

    True Boff. I was thinking the same 

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,389 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2016 #16

    I would have thought if it was your battery you would smell it before you even moved off especially if it was on charge before setting out, same should apply to your waste tank. If your engine is run on LPG it could be a smell of residual gas. You could
    remove your battery and go for a test drive to eliminate that cause.

    peedee

  • Marcusbb
    Marcusbb Forum Participant Posts: 51
    edited September 2016 #17

    When a battery discharges with use, sulphides build up on the plates as a by product of the energy production system. When a battery is heavily discharged the plates have a large build up of suphides/ sulphates. When a standard / Newer battery charger is
    connected it first pulses the battery to drop off the heavy build up of the sulphate residue, Then hits the battery with a proper charge when the chrager has detected the correct level of residual energy remaining in the battery. HOWEVER, if the battery is
    being recharged from a truck alternator, Its being hit with a huge charging load immediatly which drives off the sulphates rapidly and produces the Hydrogen sulphide gasses. Overcharging a battery over and over again exacerbates the problem. Dont forget Hydrogen
    suphide gas is heavier than air and can linger / concentrate in a battery compartment or along the floor of a caravn / Motorhome it is poisonous. As with Boff Check the charger before purchasing a new Battery, Disconnect the battery when laying over the vehicle
    this will stop the battery drain.

  • Boff
    Boff Forum Participant Posts: 1,742
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    edited September 2016 #18

    The alternator could the charger in this case. 

  • steve874
    steve874 Forum Participant Posts: 34
    edited October 2016 #19

    We had this and it was the smell from the waste tank. carry out an occasional clean and buy extra plugs, we use one in each sink and also in shower tray when they are not in use

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited October 2016 #20

    You also need to check the output voltage of the charger. Otherwise if this faulty you will destroy your next battery. 

    Or set your motorhome on fire!!  Friends noticed a similar smell - and whilst the motorhome was not occupied (fortunately) it set on fire. The battery was under the driver's seat area and the motorhome was almost written off due to fire damage, but as it
    had been specially customised they persuaded the insurers to accept responsibility and it was refitted, re-upholstered, and returned to them almost a year after the fire.

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited October 2016 #21

    Similar story (but fortunately not a fire) here:

    Motorhome battery overheating

  • TonyIshUK
    TonyIshUK Forum Participant Posts: 296
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    edited October 2016 #22

    Begs the question, if the battery was ever checked or topped up.

    Rgds

  • bboo
    bboo Forum Participant Posts: 10
    edited October 2016 #23

    If you examine the battery, if overheating/dangerous condition it may well be expanding and ballooning, If so get it out sharpish! You can certainly have it checked. I do recall their were issues in some van makes with the charge control system under the
    drivers seat.

    More likely to be a blocked cat - usually when hot/under strain. You may find that the vehicle is more gutless than usual, though I appreciate this is harder to determine in a motorhome.

  • Doug n San
    Doug n San Forum Participant Posts: 92
    edited October 2016 #24

    I don't think it's anything to do with your battery's sounds more like the dirty water tank get agitataed when you are moving plus air circulating when moving, try empty the tank fit all the sink plugs and try again. if it stops you have your answer.

  • RoyandBev
    RoyandBev Forum Participant Posts: 84
    edited October 2016 #25

    Does sound a lot like Battery problems if overcharged can stink like rotten eggs could be alternator regulator failed so isn’t cutting back when battery charged. This would overcharge and the water in battery will evaporate (check level) slowly destroying
    your battery.

    A tired Battery can also smell under load as your problem is right after starting might be your starter battery

     Could also be waste tank water sloshing about, our Motor home used to smell when parked up in storage. After advice here we leave drain tap open and all plugs in place when stored and smell went away.

    If your Battery fails have the charging system checked over as if the regulator isn’t regulating your new battery will go same way.

    You can do it with a multy meter there are plenty of web site will tell you what voltage to expect but if in doubt let someone that knows what they are doing look at it or you might need to buy another battery sooner than you hoped.

  • SurreySimon
    SurreySimon Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited October 2016 #26

    I think it's the battery. We had a similar smell whilst away for a weekend with our caravan earlier this year. I thought it was coming from the kitchen sink or even the drains from the site toilet block! Only when filling up our Aquaroll did I here a bubbling
    sound coming from the battery compartment! The battery was boiling, fortunately we found it in time and no damage was done... Just needed a new battery.

  • flour55
    flour55 Forum Participant Posts: 4
    edited December 2016 #27

    I have found if I don,t change the filter on the Aircondioning,  the smell from that gets to be quite bad. Just a thought. This is on my car and is under the dash by the passenger foot well. Imagine similiar place in motorhome.