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Smelly water and tankless heaters

3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  sassyalice 
#1 ·
I have a customer that has really bad well water. Very high levels of magnesium is causing a terrible smell. To remedy the problem I had the water lab tested to verify source conditions. Based on the test results I installed a Iron filter, water softener and a chemical injector system. The test results dictated an increase in chlorine and Ph levels to get the magnesium to oxidize in the iron filter.

All of this worked, almost. The cold water side is perfect. The hot side, not so much. The heater is gas and about 3 years old. The previous owners had removed the magnesium anode in the hopes it would solve their problem. It did not.

My tank inspection showed no sediment but did show high levels of scale and mineral buildup. I'm thinking the way to remove the smell in the hot side is to remove the large standing hot water tank. Much like a steeping tea pot. The tea gets stronger the longer it steeps. Maybe the smell issue works the same way.

I could just install another new 40 gallon tank and hope the old tank was the culprit OR go tankless and never have the 'steeping tea pot' issue.

Does this sound like it will work? The customer knows the cost differences so that is not the main concern. Getting hot water that does not stink is.

Am I missing anything obvious?

Oh, I also did some un-scientific tests. I ran the dishwasher, no smell. I took cold water from the sink and heated it on the stove, no smell.
 
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#4 · (Edited)
I have the same nasty water issues as your client, Did the previous owner remove both rods? (If it came with two?) As I had to replace one HWT within 3 years (which didn't hurt as much as under-sizing the Chlorine/iron/carbon/ filter system and having to replacing it all in less then 6 months) This system is 5 years old now and had to be dialed in every now and then, but almost runs itself. Watch out for the chlorine injector where it injects into the line, as we found it causes the iron in the water to become like sludge in the lines, we have had to replace them a few times over the years.

Another thing we did was to shock the well. Just like a hotub, (we were not too scientific about the ratio, so they might not want to wash darks for a day or three, JK) we found that was only a temporary solution, and that is when I discovered about the second anode rod was in the HWT.
Pics below are of my current system, Notice the sludge in the pan of the HWT. This is where we drain the bottom of the holding tanks once a month, That is what clogs the line where the injector meets the line. it becomes like cement and the hole gets thinner and thinner, in my experience anyway.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=260037&id=600252596&l=be6694d790

Good Luck
 
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