styrofoam meltdown??...

hello all.
we just returned from a nine-day trip during which we experienced the most sickeningly "sweet" odor. it was fume like--and we could sense it on our membranes in our throats, even. we ruled out the following: theford aqua-chem, toilet, human odor, propane, or any outside smells, like camping fuel.
the odor was strongest upon entering the TM and when near the bathroom. but when BR door was opened the smell was not so strong.
we finally tried sniffing thru the outside small vent next to the hot water heater unit. the smell was strongly coming thru this vent!! another camper suggested the odor might be styrofoam in the wall melting from the heat of the hot water unit. we turned off the hot water heater--and no more smell .
has anyone experienced anything like this? the smell was so unpleasant, we moved out to our tent. if you have, we would appreciate knowing what you found out.
thanks all.

[Bill]

When you smelled the smell, was there water in the water heater? If you have a water heater bypass, did you remember to open it? Or were you heating it while it was dry (a big no-no)? If you heated it dry, it would cause the unit to overheat. Since the water heater itself is wrapped in a close-fitting rigid white foam casing, that could be what you are smelling. Be warned - dry-heating can cause serious damage to the unit. It will burn out the electric element, if that is what you were heating with. I don't know what it does to the gas element, but it isn't good.

If there was water in the unit, then you have to look elsewhere. I would suggest a quick check, which you may already have done.

The water heater is located under the kitchen sink, so look around under there, to see if you can see any signs of heat damage. Also, remove the panel outside the water heater, and look around for any sign of overheating (charred areas, melted plastic, etc) in there. If you can't see any problems, fill the heater with water, then switch on whatever element (electric or propane) you were using when it smelled. After a few minutes, run your hands around the heater, both inside and outside, to see if you can find any overly hot area.

Bill

thank you both for your reply. bill, i will answer yours first, and what wonderful suggestions you have offered us ...

yes, we had put the water in the water heater.
no, we do not have a bypass.

we will follow your suggestions, and let you know what transpires. thank you again for your time and help.

Texas Camper, my husband is a CPA, and every april 15 we are OUTTA HERE!!(Amarillo, that is--or, this year , barely out of amarillo). at least we were out of the house and the office! ha.
we spent our time in Palo Duro Canyon State Park--we find long-distance trips after tax season are---well, "taxing"! i love birding, and the birds are in migration now in the canyon. some of the USA's best birds are there(painted bunting, etc.) we also hiked the many trails, backpacked on a high ridge one night, and had a campfire most evenings. the deer flies were busy, so we ran to the TM a lot. it's amazing with the velcro flaps that so few flies get in the TM--always delights us. also, it rained some, so, again, the TM was a blessing!
we also tried out some new alpine gear--two tents--for our next trip to the High country to fly fish for cutthroat. i thought of some of you when we tried out a new screen house and cooked in it next to the TM. i remembered someone said to just run the elec cord under the wall to the foreman grill and the hot pot.--oh, we LOVE the Paha Que screen house--pure quality, plus it has side walls that let down so the kids/g'kids can sleep in it. be prepared for them to all run in the TM when the coyotes howl!
thanks for asking--the TM attracted the usual attention and questions, and everyone seems to like it when they step inside for a look-see. our only problem was the one mentioned above.
happy summer, all.

[kempert]

Last summer while at Capitol Reef NP, I encountered a stange smell. It smelled like something was burning. I finally narrowed my search down to the back of the frig when I was using propane to keep it cool. I took the outside vent covers off but could find nothing actually burning. It just put off an odor that sort of sounded like what you descibe. I can't remember where I actually pinpointed the source and my TM is over 100 miles away.

yes--6500 lbs. we do this all the time--we live only 8 miles from the canyon. it is never a problem to make the grade-we don't even notice it. the cruiser does have a powerful passing gear, but we don't use it for the grade. it's a piece of cake, so i guess you'd be alright as well.

Did you ever determine the problem????????

Thanks

Originally Posted by 2swans

thank you both for your reply. bill, i will answer yours first, and what wonderful suggestions you have offered us ...

yes, we had put the water in the water heater.
no, we do not have a bypass.

we will follow your suggestions, and let you know what transpires. thank you again for your time and help.

Texas Camper, my husband is a CPA, and every april 15 we are OUTTA HERE!!(Amarillo, that is--or, this year , barely out of amarillo). at least we were out of the house and the office! ha.
we spent our time in Palo Duro Canyon State Park--we find long-distance trips after tax season are---well, "taxing"! i love birding, and the birds are in migration now in the canyon. some of the USA's best birds are there(painted bunting, etc.) we also hiked the many trails, backpacked on a high ridge one night, and had a campfire most evenings. the deer flies were busy, so we ran to the TM a lot. it's amazing with the velcro flaps that so few flies get in the TM--always delights us. also, it rained some, so, again, the TM was a blessing!
we also tried out some new alpine gear--two tents--for our next trip to the High country to fly fish for cutthroat. i thought of some of you when we tried out a new screen house and cooked in it next to the TM. i remembered someone said to just run the elec cord under the wall to the foreman grill and the hot pot.--oh, we LOVE the Paha Que screen house--pure quality, plus it has side walls that let down so the kids/g'kids can sleep in it. be prepared for them to all run in the TM when the coyotes howl!
thanks for asking--the TM attracted the usual attention and questions, and everyone seems to like it when they step inside for a look-see. our only problem was the one mentioned above.
happy summer, all.

My wife and I have a 2004 3023 TM and I did encounter a bit of strange smell like you did on our recent shakedown trip, but it was when we first lit up the hot water heater with propane, it went away after the first lighting and heat up, I was concerned that I may have lit the water heater without any water in it, but it seems to be ok but I did have to flush it several times to get the discoloration out of the water.

Palo Duro Canyon is one of my wife and I's favorite places to camp, my wife is from Hereford Texas, and we go out there often when we visit her mother,
the Musical Texas is great and the stars are so beautiful in the canyon at night. I am a Part time accountant police communications officer and an ordained Minister in the catholic church and we are seriously considering moving to either Canyon or Herford in the near future, My wife's mother is blind and needs a lot of care now and my wife wants to be closer to her than 1000 miles.

My wife is a Banking Executive with a local community bank.

Maybe we will see you in Palo Duro some time.

God Bless

Rev Mr Bill.

Hi there two swans,

is the picture attached the screen room that you have?


Thanks

Rev Mr Bill