Sulphur Smell from Cold Water Faucets
#1
12-16-07, 05:09 PM
Sulphur Smell from Cold Water Faucets
We just moved into this house in Eastern Ontario, Canada, and it has a 50 foot drilled well. Our water equipment consists of a potassium permanganate system, and a water softener system.
Initially the hot water in the house had the bad sulphur smell, and the cold water seemed to be fine.
We had a guy come in and he did some maintenance on the control valve (Fleck 5600 I think) that draws from the potassium permanganate tank. I think he replaced the timing motor, and just cleaned it up. He also cut the magnesium rod out of our hot water tank.
This helped immediately. Both the hot and cold water had no more smell. A couple days passed, and I went down to check on the control valve and the time was off, indicating the timing motor stopped working. So I reset the time and set it to do a manual regen. It started that, and I checked on it later that day and again it stopped mid way through the regen.
I did this couple times, and eventually I just advanced it until it completed the cycle and went into service. It seems to keep time for a bit, then stop randomly.
Ever since this our cold water has the sulpur smell, and the hot water is fine. This is the case with all faucets.
We can't figure out why this is. Before when the cold was fine, and the hot smelled, it made sense. The magnesium rod was amplifying the smell.
Now we can't figure out what would cause the cold to be bad, but the hot is ok.
The guy is coming back to replace the timing motor in the control valve, but I can't see that being the cause of the smell, since the hot water is fine.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Initially the hot water in the house had the bad sulphur smell, and the cold water seemed to be fine.
We had a guy come in and he did some maintenance on the control valve (Fleck 5600 I think) that draws from the potassium permanganate tank. I think he replaced the timing motor, and just cleaned it up. He also cut the magnesium rod out of our hot water tank.
This helped immediately. Both the hot and cold water had no more smell. A couple days passed, and I went down to check on the control valve and the time was off, indicating the timing motor stopped working. So I reset the time and set it to do a manual regen. It started that, and I checked on it later that day and again it stopped mid way through the regen.
I did this couple times, and eventually I just advanced it until it completed the cycle and went into service. It seems to keep time for a bit, then stop randomly.
Ever since this our cold water has the sulpur smell, and the hot water is fine. This is the case with all faucets.
We can't figure out why this is. Before when the cold was fine, and the hot smelled, it made sense. The magnesium rod was amplifying the smell.
Now we can't figure out what would cause the cold to be bad, but the hot is ok.
The guy is coming back to replace the timing motor in the control valve, but I can't see that being the cause of the smell, since the hot water is fine.
Does anyone have any ideas?
#2
12-20-07, 05:42 AM
Testy. I have a well system with sulfur water here in South Florida. We use what is called a aeration tank to remove sulfur smell. These are tanks that hold about 150 gallons of water and the water that comes out of the well is sprayed into the larger tank allowing the sulfur gas to escape into the air. Then the water is repressurized with a second house pump with little if any odor.
I have notice with our water that the sulfur smell will also go away if the water is stored for a length of time as it would in your case in your water heater. So maybe some of the smell is being removed by that.
I have notice with our water that the sulfur smell will also go away if the water is stored for a length of time as it would in your case in your water heater. So maybe some of the smell is being removed by that.
#3
12-20-07, 06:09 AM
Thanks for the info.. That makes sense.. One of the suggestions my water guy thought of trying is putting an in-line activated carbon cartridge..
You think that would work?
You think that would work?
#4
12-27-07, 03:25 PM
Originally Posted by testy
Thanks for the info.. That makes sense.. One of the suggestions my water guy thought of trying is putting an in-line activated carbon cartridge..
You think that would work?
You think that would work?
Amount of bleach depends on depth of well, mine is 200 feet.
This worked for me. BTW i'm no pro, just a home owner.
#5
12-28-07, 10:04 AM
Thanks for the suggestion... We found another thing that is probably causing my valve for the potassium to stop working.. There was a tooth on the gear that was flat, or broken.. So we are replacing that, and we will see how that works..
I also want to pick up a cartrige filter for carbon, but not sure what I should be looking for. Is there anything specific? I am also looking into a UV Light, but I am sure I can find them cheaper then some of the quotes I have got.
Any suggestions?
I also want to pick up a cartrige filter for carbon, but not sure what I should be looking for. Is there anything specific? I am also looking into a UV Light, but I am sure I can find them cheaper then some of the quotes I have got.
Any suggestions?
