Splendid Washer, Dryer install

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 6/27/2006 1:23 AM

Oi Vey!  This was the toughest challenge yet on the Ark!

First, yes this is a HUGE luxury for a "camper", but we live in the Ark full time, and going to laundry matts is a drag...a SERIOUS drag! 

Second, I found this thing DARN cheap, 500 bucks new, just used once in a trial rig...It washes AND dries, and its ventless...meaning it has a condensor inside that converts the dryer heat and moisture back to water that goes down the drain...neat, eh?

Third, its a Splendide...not common in the states like Whirlpool, but a very old and reputable Italian company that has been around for years and years...all steel and stainless steel components, no plastic except the trim, etc.

The first challenge was where to put it!!!

I WAS going to put it in the bedroom, adjuct to where I decided to put it, by getting rid of 2 drawers and part of my closet...and then a visit from Tom (Slantsixness) turned me on to the idea of putting it where my old furnace was...under the fridge!  The old furnace is a non-fanned non-ducted Duo-Therm (soon to be for sale on E-bay...lol) that ate a whole tank of propane in three days.  So...I removed the old furnace carefully to sell it, and then started to make a place for it under the fridge...it seemed simple..............

The second challenge was the plumbing...

As luck would have it, there is a drain pipe, and hot and cold water lines running right behind where the old furnace was.  I had to be creative though...I am good with flare fittings, but can't solder for shoote.  I put in flare T fittings, but to get the washer hose set-up, I had to use a mix of flare, compression, and telfon-tape coated pipe fittings...Finally got everything to not leak, and then proceeded to the next sub-challenge.  The drain I had to use a 4" T, with a reducer that had a 1"ish ID, which happened to be the size of the OD of the drain hose.  I had to Dremel it a bit, and I used duct tape to keep the drain hose from jumping loose.  Finally the plumbing was done.

The third challenge, electrical input (Only 120 volts!) I'll address later...at the time, I thought I could use the regular-looking outlet used for my stove/oven...more on that later.

The fourth and greatest challenge was making it fit in the cabinet under the fridge!

This took forever!  2 whole days of working non-stop!  Make it three, with store-runs!  The washer/dryer measures 23.75"X33.25"...by 18"deep.

My cabinet width was 23" at the side studs, and only 32.75 inches high.  Depth wasn't an issue. 

The solution?  A very sharp 1" woodchisel and hammer, and (thanks Tom for spoiling me!!!) an electric planer!  The planer has a max depth of 1/8th inch, and I ran it 4 times, for a total of a 1/2 inch material!!!  The plywood shelf that holds the fridge is 1", and I didn't dare take more than that!  I only ran it back 16", which is about half the depth of the shelf, but still...the sides weren't an issue (one pass on each side), although I had to use a chisel around nails and screws.

This sounds all simple, but even an electric planer only gets to within 2 inches of the corners...there was a LOT of old-school wood-chiseling!  To give you an idea, between the sawdust and the great big chips taken with a chisel, the debris FILLED a bathroom sized garbage can, pressed down!

So, the width was right...but the hight was STILL too short!  I had 2 choices:  Remove the fridge and raise the shelf...or alter the washer/dryer.  I chose the later.  I removed the top, and with some finagalling, planed the plastic TOP of the new washer dryer on the inside, and it fit!  Barely!  I'm talking I walked this thing into place an eighth of an inch at a time!

Getting back to the third challenge, I discovered that the regular-looking house outlet behind the cabinets for the oven lights was only 12 volts!  I'll wire in a box and outlet back there tomorrow for 120.

Advice for this project?  Do NOT push on the front of the washer/dryer!!!  At least, not hard!!!  Although it weighs almost 200 pounds and has all stainless hardware and no plastic parts, the front dented in on me!  I'm still working on getting the dent out.

Only push on the top and bottom corners...the front panel is tack-welded on, and you can NOT access the inside of the lower front panel, period.

Plusses?  This thing is quiet!  You can barely hear the wash cycle, and the dry cycle is a gossamer.  The spin cycle, like a centrifuge, is over 1200 rpms and sounds like a jet turbine...lol.

Good luck!  I'd only suggest this for full-timers!

Kev

[brians1969]

Sent: 6/27/2006 12:06 PM

I have been looking at the washer/dryer combos for a while and was hoping you let me know how well it works, as I am a full-timer also.
How much can you really put in there?
How much water does it use?
How long does it take to dry a pair of jeans?
etc.

thanks,
Brian

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 6/29/2006 12:25 PM

Hey Brian!

The washer/dryer combo works great!  At least, it worked great on the one load I ran through it to test it...lol.  In theory, you can load two pairs of jeans, two shirts, two pairs of socks and underwear and tee-shirts, and the whole cycle is less than 3 hours...it switches from wash to dry automatically..and with the non-vented style that we bought, it has a condensor inside that eliminates the need for a vent or even a lint trap...it has a macerating pump that pumps out the lint with the drain water.

It is a front loader, so yeah, it does have a pretty impressive capacity, since there isn't an agitator sticking up out of the middle of it taking up all the space...compare it to a single-loader front loading washer at the laundry mat...same capacity.

After we wash our first real load, I'll let you know how long it really takes to dry.

There is an RV dealer in Jonesboro, GA, that has a BUNCH of brand new scratch and dent combos for sale for 800 bucks...scratches and dents are where you can't see them, with brand new warrantees.  Its called Southern RV...you can find them on the net.

I'll also recommend that you only buy Splendide...they are the most common washer/dryer in Europe, for RVs AND apartments and houses...and have an outstanding reputation...you can also find them on the web.

Oh yeah, it doesn't use a much water for a wash load either...about 3 gallons!

Kev

[AllanCZ]

6/29/2006 5:31 PM

Does it drain into your holding tank or are you "direct-ejecting"?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 7/1/2006 11:12 PM

Right now I have it plumbed to the holding tank.  I have only one holding tank right now, for grey AND black water...so it fills up fast.  Very soon I'm going to add a very large grey water tank, and I think I may even plumb in a T of sorts with a valve (maybe with a garden hose threading) under the rig to divert the washing machine water if I choose to.

Kev

[AllanCZ]

Sent: 7/4/2006 4:14 AM

Sounds cool!

Since you had so much fun with that, you can now install a dishwasher and have all the comforts of home... hehe...

:-)

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=27778&src=SRQB

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 7/4/2006 6:24 PM

Funny you should mention that, Allan!..lol...

And since this IS our home, any comforts of home are a plus...lol.

In looking at RV dishwashers, I noticed that they are a drawer type unit...My bottom drawer in the kitchen, which happens to be right next to the new washer/dryer, is also right near all the essential plumbing.

We really ARE thinking of adding a dishwasher, right there!  There is more than enough room, and we would only lose one VERY precious drawer in the kitchen.  Now I just have to find one that won't cost me an arm and a leg! 

It would be great to add a dishwasher to the rig, even if it costs us one precious drawer...Patti spoils me rotten and cooks like heaven...so its only right that I spoil HER with a dishwasher, eh?

Kev