Hi everyone, help needed. We are parked up and hoolked on ehu got up yesterday bad egg smell. Thought about gas leak so put it off and opened windows. I decided to clean out drains just to make sure, left the van for about 10 min and when entering the van the smell was unbearable. I new this wasn't right so checked on here, a number of threads relating to battery. I unplugged ehu and left door abd every window open everything off and spent the night at daughters. Took battery to Halfords who said ok. Any help very much appreciated in layman's terms as not very technical. Thanks in advance
Bad egg smell
- Thread starter Yamas
- Start date
Oh, just bought a multimetre haven't got a clue 
not telling hubby yet, divorce could be on the cards 
not telling hubby yet, divorce could be on the cards
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- Sep 2, 2020
- 88
- 57
- Funster No
- 75,350
- MH
- Mobilvetta Kea P68
- Exp
- Coachbult, caravan 50+yrs
Same thing happened to us a few weeks ago go starting with bad egg smell around the fridge but the fridge still was working. Later when the motorhome was at home a few days the fridge gave off a pungent ammonia smell when you opened the door. Checked at the back by removing the vents and sure enough the condenser was leaking. Currently waiting for a new fridge after taking it to dealers who condemned the vehicle from being driven until the fridge was taken out due to the dangerous pungent gases.Sadly I fear it might be your fridge dropping its refrigerant, happened to us some years ago
Sniff around the fridge vent see if it’s worse there
The fridge freezer is a Thetford three-way which has only been used for 7-days from new!
Understand Thetford has now been taken over by Dometic for fridges.
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Jonno1103
LIFE MEMBER
It doesn't have to be anything to do with the habitation side of things.
The exhaust DPF could need cleaning, they give off a very strong sulphuric rotten egg smell. Try Wynns diesel particulate filter cleaner poured down the filler cap.
Most people drive diesel motorhomes too slow and leave them standing too long. You get a build up of particulate matter. Exhaust systems rot quicker too with all of the moisture build in them. It's also bio diesel so there maybe a build up of diesel bug in your fuel filter.
The exhaust DPF could need cleaning, they give off a very strong sulphuric rotten egg smell. Try Wynns diesel particulate filter cleaner poured down the filler cap.
Most people drive diesel motorhomes too slow and leave them standing too long. You get a build up of particulate matter. Exhaust systems rot quicker too with all of the moisture build in them. It's also bio diesel so there maybe a build up of diesel bug in your fuel filter.
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Tell him you bought him a motorhome-warming present. Every motorhome needs one.Oh, just bought a multimetre haven't got a clue
Connect the black lead to the 'COM' socket. Connect the red lead to the socket with 'V' in the label,usually the right-most one.
Red is positive, black is negative. Set the range to 20V DC.
Sometimes instead of the letters 'DC' there's a symbol that looks like an '=' , with the lower line dotted. The symbol for 'AC' is a kind of twiddle. All battery voltages are DC. House mains electrics are AC, but leave them well alone until you know a bit more.
Push the red probe onto the battery positive terminal. Push the black probe onto the battery negative terminal. You should get a reading between 10 and 15 volts. If you get the probes the wrong way round, nothing bad happens, but a minus sign appears in front of the numbers.
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Electrics been on all night without any problems, checked back of fridge and put on early morning so far all good no smells . Gas on for the rest of day wish us luck, it could of just been the loose wire starting to cook battery but caught in time fingers crossed, thanks everyone again your all amazing 
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- Mar 25, 2020
- 174
- 598
- Funster No
- 69,618
- MH
- SWIFT KONTIKI 649
- Exp
- SINCE 1980
It's not your wife's SBD's is it?
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Clive Mott
Funster
It could be any of the charging regimes. If you have a B2B then that is a contender when the engine is running. The mains Hookup charger not cutting back or the solar regulator. Or a shorted cell in the battery which results in the remaining 5 good cells being overcharged. Or the kitchen or washroom plughole letting out the pong. Test battery voltage with a separate digital voltmeter, both leisure and starter batteries 14 volts or quite close is expected. . Both should vent outside anyway!!
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unless she is the hubby and played us all ...the plot thickens
To add to a possible source of bad smells, I had this once and traced it to the windscreen washer bottle water. I hadn’t added any additive and the water in the bottle had gone rank in the warm weather. The smell was terrible. Flushed it out and replaced the water and the smell went away. Not directly related to having the smell being so pungent inside the van but nonetheless worth mentioning as it came through he vents. I now always add windscreen additive - lesson learnt.
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You have the vehicle battery and the leisure one , if on hook up they both are being charged via the battery to battery charger.
I had similar and the alarms kept going off until I put all the breathers on the leisure batteries (3) together and led them outside the van.
The eggs smell is hydrogen sulphide gas and it is poisonous as well, it is caused by heavy overcharging and boiling the cells dry evaporating the sulphuric acid . You vehicle controller is probably faulty and over-voltage going to the batteries, which might be both dry now.
I had similar and the alarms kept going off until I put all the breathers on the leisure batteries (3) together and led them outside the van.
The eggs smell is hydrogen sulphide gas and it is poisonous as well, it is caused by heavy overcharging and boiling the cells dry evaporating the sulphuric acid . You vehicle controller is probably faulty and over-voltage going to the batteries, which might be both dry now.
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Bad eggs smell= Hydrogen sulphide. It’s given off from a faulty battery whilst on charge. A failed cell will gas more than a good one. Each 12v.battery has 6 x 2v cells. Lead acid batteries, leisure or starter, behave the same. A failed battery will still read 13v or so whilst on charge, it’s no guide as to its condition. That can be tested by disconnecting it and putting an electrical load on it (drop test) or a more gentle electronic test, whilst measuring voltage.
A leaky fridge will stink of ammonia. It’s in the liquid coolant. Contained under pressure, even a pinhole leak will be very apparent. Take out the cooling grills outside and have a sniff. You won’t mistake it, you might even see the telltale yellow stain from the source. Good luck.
A leaky fridge will stink of ammonia. It’s in the liquid coolant. Contained under pressure, even a pinhole leak will be very apparent. Take out the cooling grills outside and have a sniff. You won’t mistake it, you might even see the telltale yellow stain from the source. Good luck.
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Golden Graham !
Free Member
- Nov 18, 2018
- 27
- 30
- Funster No
- 57,281
- MH
- Van conversion1
- Exp
- 10yrs
Do you have aircon, of any kind ? They can smell of bad eggs if not cleaned. Just a thought.
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Yeah right, and if one does sneak out it will smell of roses?All good, everything working and no smell, BTW I am the wife and I don't
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Bluethunder
Free Member
My first thought was Battery cooking (overcharged).what happens when you disconnect the battery,also have you checked leasure battery as well as main battery.
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Yep,they need a good clear out from time to time. Aka thrashing/Italian tune up.
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You may have a rotten egg that’s gone astray. You put six in the fridge (btw you shouldn’t put eggs in the fridge but it’s ok if you’re away in the van), and, quite by accident,one falls out and rolls away………….where has it gone?? Maybe it rolled under the fridge,where it became lodged between the upper decker flopper stopper and lower decker knacker flapper?? 
Or,maybe a mouse,from where….under the stair! Right there! Oh no,can’t be that,you don’t live in a windmill,do you??
Ive no idea,don’t pretend to sound surprised! I know nothing,and the older I get,the more I realise how little I know!
Or,maybe a mouse,from where….under the stair! Right there! Oh no,can’t be that,you don’t live in a windmill,do you??Ive no idea,don’t pretend to sound surprised! I know nothing,and the older I get,the more I realise how little I know!
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Jonno1103
LIFE MEMBER
My flopper stopper has turned into a knacker flapper and is now, well... knackered. My acka macka valve has seized up too.You may have a rotten egg that’s gone astray. You put six in the fridge (btw you shouldn’t put eggs in the fridge but it’s ok if you’re away in the van), and, quite by accident,one falls out and rolls away………….where has it gone?? Maybe it rolled under the fridge,where it became lodged between the upper decker flopper stopper and lower decker knacker flapper??
Ive no idea,don’t pretend to sound surprised! I know nothing,and the older I get,the more I realise how little I know!
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Oooo that sounds nasty…..have you tried the cream or the tablets?
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Eyegeedee
Free Member
You say that you have ruled out grey waste, but I had this same issue two years ago. Check the water traps in your sinks and especially the shower tray. As we always used site showers, the tray waste had died out. This allowed a direct fume path from the grey tank into the motorhome. Worth a check
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Flying Fifer
Free Member
- Apr 24, 2015
- 34
- 24
- Funster No
- 36,030
- MH
- Renault Lunar H622
- Exp
- 2014 (camper/ caravanner since 1990's)
Rotten eggs is sulphuric acid, which means battery. If a 'fishy' smell its the Alde heating fluid us needing changed
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- Mar 6, 2019
- 434
- 956
- Funster No
- 58,909
- MH
- A Class
- Exp
- Since 1987
Great ideas folks - If there is a rotten smell in our van, I get the blame - Have you checked the laundry - my sock have been known to clear a room the size of B&Q.
Alternatively, think about what you had for supper the night before it started. Some dishes can make the air thick enough to slice.
D
Alternatively, think about what you had for supper the night before it started. Some dishes can make the air thick enough to slice.
D
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All still working fine, no egg smell. Will get hubby to have a play with multimeter at the weekend so he can get used to it, he is pretty good at picking things up just a time factor. Thanks again everyone wish us luck
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Had exactly this on my last m/home
I did as you but to no success until final solution.
Do you have a solar panel on the roof. is it a fairly large one say 85Watts +
Mine was because the batteries were being cooked by the solar panel was kicking out like 15+ volts and (as it turned out after many visits to dealer - the solar regulator was not connected. between having the problem and getting a solution I carefully covered the solar panel with a couple of black bags selotaped all round and down to the roof. this stopped the smell immediately. as i say the fault was the regulator, although fitted had not been connected in line between the panel and the sargent control unit. Hope this helps
I did as you but to no success until final solution.
Do you have a solar panel on the roof. is it a fairly large one say 85Watts +
Mine was because the batteries were being cooked by the solar panel was kicking out like 15+ volts and (as it turned out after many visits to dealer - the solar regulator was not connected. between having the problem and getting a solution I carefully covered the solar panel with a couple of black bags selotaped all round and down to the roof. this stopped the smell immediately. as i say the fault was the regulator, although fitted had not been connected in line between the panel and the sargent control unit. Hope this helps
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