Black water from kitchen sink

Brickwallbob · 01-03-2019, 03:11 PM

We just purchase the rig and it has been sitting for less than a year. Not sure what is happening, I get black water out of the kitchen sink on the cold side only. Nothing from shower hot or cold, bathroom sink hot or cold, toilet, or kitchen filtered water. It doesn't smell and after the faucet runs for awhile it goes away. It doesn't seem to matter if the water pump is on or outside water hooked up. Slide in or out doesn't make a difference. Added bleach to holding tank and drained and flushed three times, didn't help. Some one said it was the flex lines(cold only) on the slide out and may be deteriorating. If it is the water lines, can I change them. Help is needed

buford · 01-03-2019, 03:43 PM

If there is a filter on the fresh water maybe the media is compromised and dissolving into the water steam....sounds like you have more issues...anything frozen?

powercat_ras · 01-03-2019, 04:27 PM

It is always a good idea to tell us what year make and model of RV your question is about.

It sounds like you have a cold water taste/odor filter cartridge in line with your kitchen sink faucet, it may also feed an ice maker in the refrigerator if your RV has one.

New filter cartridge has to be flushed to clear the black powder in the filter cartridge out, its a side effect of how the cartridges are made. Once you flush it about 5 times or so you should stop getting the black water each time you start the flow.

Brickwallbob · 01-04-2019, 05:02 PM

2004 Journey 39W

vetman90 · 01-07-2019, 03:10 PM

It's what powercat says it is I'm sure. I went through this same problem with my freshwater filter under my kitchen sink inside the sink cabinet.

BobC · 01-07-2019, 06:30 PM

I assume you mean "black colored water" and not "black water" from your holding tank, which would be impossible since the faucet isn't in any way connected to either of your holding tanks. I also vote for a cold water filter cartridge that's been installed in addition to the "filtered water" cartridge.

millsrv · 01-09-2019, 04:13 PM

As previously mentioned it is the water filter, I had the same issue.

jerichorick · 01-11-2019, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brickwallbob

We just purchase the rig and it has been sitting for less than a year. Not sure what is happening, I get black water out of the kitchen sink on the cold side only. Nothing from shower hot or cold, bathroom sink hot or cold, toilet, or kitchen filtered water. It doesn't smell and after the faucet runs for awhile it goes away. It doesn't seem to matter if the water pump is on or outside water hooked up. Slide in or out doesn't make a difference. Added bleach to holding tank and drained and flushed three times, didn't help. Some one said it was the flex lines(cold only) on the slide out and may be deteriorating. If it is the water lines, can I change them. Help is needed

Without reading all of the other comments, my first thought is to remove all of the filters (if residential refrigerator, that one too) and run fresh water through everything for 15 min at least. Then sanitize the system and put new filters in.

imnprsd · 01-14-2019, 12:55 AM

If you winterized and got RV anti-freeze in the hot water tank that will create a black water looking corrosion problem and you will see black streaming water for a while. It will go away soon.

This can also happen when one of your hot water tank "check valves" stick and your hot water tank "back-fills". This happened to me this last summer and I too was concerned about black water coming out of the hot water side of the faucet.

Question: Are you finding the black film only coming out of the hot water side?

In my case, I removed both my hot water tank check-valves and "drilled them out." Then I reinstalled them, because finding replacement pipe fittings on the road was a problem. The interesting thing is that you don't need the spring loaded check-valves that fail often. You just have to be sure your winterization procedure allow you to "By-pass" the hot water tank.

Then again, RV anti-freeze in not that harmful to your aluminum hot water tank and it does dissolve the hard water deposits inside.

So be sure to clean out your hot water tank properly too! Sounds like it's overdue.

Brickwallbob · 01-14-2019, 08:23 AM

I'm only getting the black water from the cold side, only from the kitchen faucet. After about 3 - 5 minutes of running cold water the black color will go away. Nothing from bathroom sink, shower, toilet, or drinking water filtered water. One of the ideas was to check for a fresh water filter under the kitchen sink, work in progress there. Also some said it could be the slide out flex water lines deteriorating. Thanks for your help.

imnprsd · 01-15-2019, 01:32 AM

CLARIFICATION/CORRECTION: I think when I got black water out of my faucet it was actually the shower valve that I noticed it most. And I can't remember if was coming out of the cold or the hot side since the shower has a mixing valve.

And now that I think of it, when I checked the plumbing schematic, I think the shower with was first faucet after the hot water tank... and the shower might let more water volume out vs. the bathroom sink. I also remember some from the kitchen faucet, but I can't remember if it was from the cold or hot side.

What I can say conclusively, in my case, my hot water check valves (either one of them or both of them... I can't say for sure) were stuck closed or partially stuck closed. I drilled them both out for extra measure...but...

I presume it was the lower check valve (cold water inlet side) since that makes sense to me; and I think the water pressure was "back feeding" into the hot water tank from the top.

In my case, the hot water tank worked fine; AND THE HOT WATER TANK WAS VERY HOT. (Release your tank pressure relieve valve and confirm or capture some of that water in a cup and use a digital cooking thermometer.)

...And when I tried to get hot water out of the shower/ faucet it stayed cold 90% of the time with 10 second intervals of hot water coming every 1 minute or so and then cold again.

* Do you have full 145+F hot water in your tank?

* Is your hot and cold water working normally out of the faucet? I think not.

I also think the black is from the Aluminum corroding and the balk is Aluminium Oxide... and not from the PEX hose deteriorating. But that too is a guess on my part. ...PEX is plastic and would not leach a black compound when it oxidizes.

* Sound like you you should clean your hot water tank too. You might watch a video on using white vinegar to do this. You can also use your winterization plan to pump diluted vinegar into the hot water tank... after you change out or drill out your check valves. That's my bet! Good luck and let us all know what you find.

Here a link you might read on my hot water problem from start to finish:
Water heater bypass valve fix??? - iRV2 Forums

imnprsd · 05-29-2021, 02:15 PM

To revive this thread, for the last week I noticed black water coming out of all faucets and shower head for about 5-10 seconds and then it would disappear.

This occurred after I spiked my fresh water tank with a chlorine dilution that apparently was too high.

In addition, my drains smell more.

I think these are separate issues, but the chlorine dilution is the common thread -- and I only used about 1/2 cup for a full fresh water tank.

I theorize the chlorinated water I drained into the sink then went into the gray water tank (and black water tank) and that's what is producing the odor... the same odor I was trying to get rid of by also using a tank cleaner-degreaser and then driving for 100 miles.

IT DID NOT WORK. ...SO I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS.

I then filled my black and gray water tank twice with fresh water and drove over 1,000 miles, and then flushed the tank. And now I'm getting close to odor going away.

Meanwhile, the chlorine in my fresh water tank seems to have permeated the plastic tank fresh water tank, and it's taken me 3 full flushing or dilutions to remove the chlorine smell from the fresh water out out of the faucet.

Having said all this, I still don't have a definitive solution as to how to clean the grey and black water tanks except to just use fresh water and take a 300+ mile drive and/or let the gray and black water tank sit for days with full fresh water inside, and then flush.

As for using chlorine ever season to sanitize my fresh water tank, I'm going to reduce the amount I chlorine I add to the fresh water tank to just 1/8-1/4 cup and dilute it before I poor it into the fresh water tank.

=== OTHER FACTORS ===

I wonder if it's possible for the chlorine in the fresh water tank to affect the rubber veins in the fresh water 12v pump?

Why do I ask?

...Because one or two times after filling the fresh water tank, if leave the fresh water fill valve turned to fill the tank, and not to "city water" then no water will be fed to the 12V ShurFlow Pump. However, if you open the faucet you will get black stuff (goo) coming out in high concentration.

So maybe this black water stuff is the 12V ShurFlow Pump showing signs of wear? What do you think?

ON THE OTHER HAND... this black stuff sure looks like the insides of a carbon filter breaking down. ...But that carbon filter in my coach has a separate water dispenser and it's only connected to the kitchen sink.

So is it possible possible for that carbon filter to fall apart and then somehow back flow into the water lines?

Wyatt · 05-29-2021, 02:21 PM

That sire look like it could be charcoal from an old filter leaching into your fresh water lines. Have you changed that yet?

imnprsd · 05-30-2021, 12:39 PM

I agree. Looks like charcoal to me too!

Last night I flushed my lines again and refilled the fresh water tank. Only this time I flushed the drinking water filter that has to be 10+ years old, because I never use it, and I the black stuff is gone.

So I don't think the ShurFlow pump was affected just because I added too much chlorine to my fresh water holding tank. ...But Chlorine and charcoal they don't go together.

So how does that black stuff end up in your bathroom sink and shower?

I'm thinking it has to do with being on the road and turning on-and-off your ShurFlow water pump.

Note: I also do not have any check valves installed at my Hot Water Tank, because I drilled them out 3 years ago when they froze shut and I was without hot water for 3 days, but that's a separate story.

Is it possible, with the pump turned off, and with no check valves in place, that water runs back to the fresh water pump... which is the low point in the system?

...And in this case, that black charcoal stuff accumulates at the pump; so the next time you turn on your water pump; and the next time you use your bathroom sink or shower; that black stuff starts coming out?

...And then the process repeats itself 10x or more until you get all that chlorine out of the system or chose to bypass your water filter?

When I get to my camp spot I plan to take that carbon filter out from under my sink and install a soap dispenser in that hole that is left behind; and then I bet I will never see that black stuff again. We shall see.

imnprsd · 06-06-2021, 02:56 PM

I removed the ShurFlo water filter #QL3-WPS (Cartridge #EV925205) and it definitely was the source of all that black carbon stuff.

I suspect the filter was destroyed over time by RV winterization antifreeze and/or chlorine spot treatments.

I was going to remove the filter, because I never use it, but that would have been more work than just putting the filter's "on-off" valve in the "off" position.

Only now I think I just turned off the water line to my refrigerator ice maker? IDK, and I did not test the handle, on any other positions before I tapped the filter valve in the "off" position. ..And now I don't want to undo my work, because I was hoping someone on this forum can answer these questions:

* Does that T-fitting in the picture blow pass water from the filter to my refrigerator ice maker?

* Does that filter head "on-off" valve also allow you to "bypass" the filter?

I.e., if I don't want to remove the cartridge, but I still want water follow "unfiltered." So, can I flip the lever on top of the filter to the far right to "bypass" the filter... and still fill up my water glass with tap water and still get water to my ice maker?