Outside dryer vent cover

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Wagonmaster2

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May 2, 2009
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498
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Northcentral Oklahoma
What is involved with removing that outside cover to the dryer vent hose mounted on the side of the coach (2004 Meridian 36G) so a person can see directly into the dryer vent hose for cleaning out the lint?  Is it difficult to do and is there any problem replacing it so there wouldn't be any water leaks to the interior around it?

I'd like to completely remove the dryer hose and maybe replace it but it looks like the washer/dryer would have to be either completely removed or at least slide forward far enough to reach behind it.
 
A few months back I looked at ours for the exact same reason. Our washer and dryer have hardly ever been used and nothing back there needs replacing, but I couldn't see any way to do it without removing the dryer. Good luck and let me know what you come up with. :)

Kev
 
4 screws.  Remove the screws, and carefully pry the vent away from the body and sealant.  If yours is like mine it will probably be sun baked and falling apart.  You can contact Splendid distributor direct to order a new kit.  You will need some fresh putty tape and a tube of Dicor to reinstall it
 
Just went through this drill...  If your vent cover has the screws on the outside margin of the cover (you can see the screw heads) I have some bad news for you.  That cover is obsolete and no longer in production; now the really fun part of this is the new cover with the hidden screws has a smaller footprint than the larger old cover  ::).

I replaced the old cover with a new cover and wound up repainting an entire section of color (it's a long horrible story.)  While I was at it, I replaced the vent hose as well - it had a lot of lint stuck in its 'corrugated' (or rough) inner walls.  We're on the coach about six months out of the year and the Spendide get a lot of use by DW.
 
No sure about those vents used by Winnebago but the one on our trailer that fell apart due to sun exposure etc, was identical to those used in an S&B and had 4 screws on the outside. I bought and installed a replacement from Home Depot. (If yours is painted to match the MH, then that is another story...)

I was able to carefully remove just the little flappers to gain access for cleaning but then we seldom, if ever, use the dryer part of the Splendide.
On ours, during washer operation the flappers do not open at all except from vibration.
 
Mine is covered with full body paint and would make a mess if I tried to remove it. I clean the vent tube periodically by sticking a wire up the tube from the outside through the vent holes while the dryer is running. I twist the wire around and get big chunks of lint out. Mine does have an inspection panel behind the dryer in the closet beside it, but I have never opened the panel.
 
I stay with a chrome plated dryer vent. It still looks good on the painted sidewall and is sturdy as well.

There is a "Delux Splendide Dryer Vent" available, but it seems to be exactly like the marine deck vents on the boats I have owned over the years.

Marine Cowl Vent

Splendide Vent

They are held on with screws (2-4 of them) and normally sealed with caulk around the upper edges and sides.
 
afchap said:
Mine is covered with full body paint and would make a mess if I tried to remove it. I clean the vent tube periodically by sticking a wire up the tube from the outside through the vent holes while the dryer is running. I twist the wire around and get big chunks of lint out. Mine does have an inspection panel behind the dryer in the closet beside it, but I have never opened the panel.

Paul, sounds like you have the same situation that I do with the painted cover and no screws showing.  I can see 2 small slits along the bottom edge like if they were depressed the bottom might pull out and then slide the whole cover upwards.  But with everything painted I'm not sure I want to try that.  I can reach 3-4 inches into the hose with a small curved brush but that's only the beginning of the lint. 

If the hole was lined up with my outside view it would be a lot easier but with the exit hole and flapper up behind the cover there's just not much room to work.

I've thought about using one of those lint brushes that is used to clean ceiling fan blades and shelfs that are out of reach but I was always afraid I might puncture the covering on the vent hose along the curves some place then I've have lint blowing all over the inside of the coach.
 
I use a lint brush on a long flexible shaft, bought it at Lowe's in the appliance section.  I stick it in when the dryer cycle is on and wiggle it around, gets quite a bit of lint out.  Much better than pulling the whole machine out.

I've puzzled over removing the vent cover, I have the one with the slits on the top and bottom.  I tried pressing them in with a screwdriver, but they didn't move.  Didn't want to force it and break something.  :eek:
 

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