Vinegar Smell

[alaimie]

Hi all,

Hope you can give me some insight to a problem I'm having. I've had my Class B MB Sprinter for 3 months now and only recently have I had a problem with a smell similar to vinegar. I cleaned the floors, opened the cabinets, checked the shower and nothing. I have water in my fresh water tank and the grey tank is empty.

I park my Sprinter in a parking space outside of my home and air it out regularly.

Any thoughts or anybody experienced this before? What did you do to correct it?

Thanks,

E

[Acadianmom]

Can you tell where the smell is coming from? If you aren't using your motorhome regularly be sure there is water in the drain traps to keep odors from coming from the tanks.

Martha

[avalen]

Is it brand new? Perhaps some of the glues used during
manufacture? Years ago there was an issue with formaldahyde
and new stuff had to be aired out.
If its a used unit, perhaps it was previously sanitized with
vinegar and its still in the system. I'd drain it completely, including
the hot water tank and refill with fresh water. Just tossing out
some ideas.

[alaimie]

Thanks for the suggestions. I posted this on 2 other boards (SprinterSource & Sportsmobile) and received similar responses in addition to a dead mouse (shivers). I checked the house batteries and everything was fine, no smell or water issues. Its a 2007 Sportsmobile so it shouldn't be any sealant issue.

One surprising suggestion was rug runners & doormat which I DID add (from Walmart) about the same timeframe. The responder added that he left the runners out in the sun and it took months to rid it of any odor. Not sure what I will use as a replacement until then.

[Redetotry]

Thanks for the suggestions. I posted this on 2 other boards (SprinterSource & Sportsmobile) and received similar responses in addition to a dead mouse (shivers). I checked the house batteries and everything was fine, no smell or water issues. Its a 2007 Sportsmobile so it shouldn't be any sealant issue.

One surprising suggestion was rug runners & doormat which I DID add (from Walmart) about the same timeframe. The responder added that he left the runners out in the sun and it took months to rid it of any odor. Not sure what I will use as a replacement until then.

Rubber backing on most rugs smells really strong from the toxins in the rubber. If you need to leave something out to air that long you probably shouldn't use it inside. One of my cars came with rubber floor mats and I had to get all of them out before I could drive it. The fewer chemicals we have around us the better. Too bad you aren't closer, I have a bionic nose from being chemically poisoned where I worked and can usually pick up on smelly problems.

[retiredhappy]

Altho propane smells more like rotten eggs, I would have a tech check and make sure you don't have a propane leak. They should use soapy water to check your connections. If you have a leak, the water will bubble.

[gingerK]

Are you sure it's a vinegar smell or could it be an ammonia smell? If the coolant has leaked out of your refrigerator cooling system, it'll smell like ammonia.

[Bethers]

Are you sure it's a vinegar smell or could it be an ammonia smell? If the coolant has leaked out of your refrigerator cooling system, it'll smell like ammonia.

This was my first thought also.

[gingerK]

And to add to my post, if you open up the outside cover for your refrigerator and there is yellowish dust, it's your coolant.

[alaimie]

UPDATE: it wasn't the rug runners after all. I checked the refrigerator and nothing. I am stumped. I'll be camping with other Sprinters at the NorCal Sprinters Campout at Lake Concow in Oroville CA in a few days and hopefully we will be able to pinpoint and fix the problem.

E

[Bethers]

UPDATE: it wasn't the rug runners after all. I checked the refrigerator and nothing. I am stumped. I'll be camping with other Sprinters at the NorCal Sprinters Campout at Lake Concow in Oroville CA in a few days and hopefully we will be able to pinpoint and fix the problem.

E

Please keep us updated. Thanks.

[MandysMom]

E I posted you a PM re Sprinters.
Velda

[alaimie]

E I posted you a PM re Sprinters.
Velda

Sent you a PM. Hope you can make it. It's about 1.5 hrs north of you.

E

[alaimie]

[/quote]
Please keep us updated. Thanks.[/quote]

I drove up to Harp's RV Service today for maintenance for my water heater and a few other items. I asked Rachel about the "vinegar smell" problem I was having. She took a sniff and said it was petroleum smell from all the building materials and also due to being closed up for long periods of time. She recommended keeping cabinet doors open. I keep my Sprinter either parked in a space at a Public Storage or in the parking space in front of my house. This can be up to a week or 2 with it being driven once or twice to keep the battery going.

Thanks for all your help!

Etta