washer dryer use in our new to us dp

[huntnski]

DW wants to hear from those that have the washer/dryers in their MH. We hear it takes a long time to do a load and woundered if most of you utilize these unit some, none, or a lot. Oh yea we should pick up or new to us Discovery 40X next week I'm walking on clouds,  she's thinking of doing laundry. One of I'm sure to be many questions.

 

[bucks2]

We use our washer and dryer whenever we have full hookups to use them. The loads are necessarily smaller than a home sized unit and the dryer takes a little longer to dry than the home unit but the convenience is unbeatable. The wife estimates the washer as the same as at home, 25-30 minutes and drying at 1hr and 20 minutes.

Clothes come off and immediately go into the washer. When a load is ready the soap pillow is thrown in and the washer gets started. When it's done they go up into the dryer and it really isn't an issue if it takes a little longer to dry. Things that need hung up immediately get done when the bell rings.

Another thing you'll notice is that you might feel the washer spinning. Our home units are on concrete so we never feel them, but the MH units set up a vibration which you can feel. Talking to others, it's pretty common.

Congrats on the new unit.

Ken

 

[ruthandken CDN]

I had a washer/dryer combo in my previous unit and had one installed in this new one.  They do a really good job.  Using the dryer is a bit tricky, but you'll learn.  There is an article in this forum about getting good results from the dryer. 
I wouldn't be without mine.  Hint, do not use the wash/dry cycle.  Wash first, take out the clothes, shake them, and DO NOT overload the dryer or you will have so many wrinkles in your clothes that you will have to wash them again to get them out.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The loads are smaller than you are accustomed to and (obviously) you can't do another load of wash until the dryer finishes. The strategy, therefore, is to do loads frequently rather than letting dirty laundry accumulate. The good news is you can pop in a load and go about your business - it goes from wash to dry without requiring your presence/action.

 

[Jim Dick]

We use ours all the time. If we have been on the road for an extended period and haven't been able to wash frequently, my wife will do a couple of loads of wash, then dry separately. It might take longer than going to a laundermat but it is much more convenient, and in many cases, much cleaner.

 

[jsetti]

I love having our stack w/d units. The loads are a little smaller than what I can do at home but they still hold several bath towels or the full set of queen size sheets.  I called the manufacturer and they told me it takes 15 gallons of water for a full cycle wash on my model.  We carry a tote with us so even if we don't have full hook ups, I can still wash whenever we need to and can get a load done between campgrounds.  I don't really notice how long it takes, although it doesn't seem any longer than at home and the best part is I don't have to spend hours and $$$ at the laundry every week or so.

Enjoy your clouds and tell your wife laundry is a breeze!  Good luck with your new unit.

 

[Wizard46]

We use ours mostly for every day linens and such. Larger loads such as blankets must go to laundry mats.

 

[RonPatt]

We wouldn't want to be without out washer/dryer.  As other posters suggested, it is a matter of keeping
the laundry caught it. 

On ours, I do not set it for dryer to start automatically after washing.  This gives me the opportunity
to "fluff" clothes after washing.  This cuts down on the wrinkles. 

Hope that you enjoy the new unit and washer/dryer.

 

[Becks]

We have the stack w/d units and would not be without them.

 

[inflt]

we gave up a hall wardrobe and installed house type w & d. As full timers it was important to wife. She loves it, and a happy wife = a happy life.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I wanted the bigger motorhome partly for a W/D, I hate those laundromats. They wash well and dry fine, this is the original washer to the 1992 American Eagle.  My one issue when it goes onto the spin, and its twice in the cycle it shakes the motorhome like crazy till it gets started.  Tom says its because the load is on one side of the washer and he's likely correct.  I'm wondering if I'm not putting enough in or to much or maybe something is loose.  I swear they can probably hear it 3 sites down and probably wonder what we are doing in there. :-[

I can go over to the washer and hold it and its better so I'm thinking something has come loose over the years.  But its built in.  Tom hasn't had time to look at it.  It looks like to me I could pry the corian piece on top off and take a look.  I was thinking perhaps the unit needs blocked or something.  Any suggestions without having to take it in to a shop?  Perhaps a newer unit would not do this I don't know.

I know my frontloader at home shakes but doesn't effect anything even though its on a wood floor.

 

[ArdraF]

Your wife will love having the convenience of her new washer-dryer, not to mention knowing what's been in it previously.  I use ours all the time. We put dirty clothes in there as we take them off (built-in hamper) and when there's enough for a load, start it.  You didn't say whether it's the all-in-one Splendide or a stackable unit.  If it's a Splendide use the search button above and search on Splendide because we've had many previous discussions on them.  Your wife will get lots of good hints in some of those topics.

I do such things as towels straight through, meaning they wash and dry in the same cycle.  With things like shirts that you don't want to wrinkle, take them out and shake them before the dry cycle.  Also, I've learned they wrinkle significantly less if I take them out while they're still damp and hang them up to finish drying.

For those with vibration issues, a Splendide rep told me at a seminar that vibrations are caused when it's not level.  They do have adjustment "legs" on the bottom but they're usually a bear to get to because the RV companies build such tight cabinets.  Our previous Splendide did not vibrate, but the replacement we got when the first one died, definitely vibrates.  It was such a bear to get in and out of the cabinet that we're living with it.  On the heavy duty high spin, I can lean against it and that dampens the vibrations, but I don't usually want to stand there holding the washer!  :  The Splendides are remarkable in their ability to adjust the loads (they alternate directions, unlike the residential models which only go one way) so they're not out of balance because of the load.

ArdraF

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

I bet that's what it is.  And it has the cabinetry built across the front bottom so no way to get your hand in there to adjust the leg.  I can do the same, lean against it and its fine, just have to catch that point in the cycle!

But I LOVE having the W/D, can't even remember the name of this one, original to the coach. It does the wash one way and then the other like the Splende.  What I can't believe is it 20 years old and works fine.

What got me was the lint slotted hole on the outside was made not to come out.  Mine had a slat broken so we took it off as a little bird built a nest in there.  After I took the nest out I looked and it was packed with lint in there.  I know I pulled out a packed handfull, there had been no way to get it out.  We bought a white, yes, it needs painted piece and and put it in the hole.  Before that I stuck the vacuum cleaner hose down in there and cleaned out all the lint.  How they ever dried anything in it or what kept it from being ruined is beyond me.  But now I can just pull the vent cover out and clean it out if need be.

And I agree you will love a washer dryer. 

 

[Ramzfan]

My wife has even used the W/D while we were traveling...it's really the way to go, except for the fact that the gennie is burning about a gallon of fuel by the time she does a load.  It's kind of nice though, cause I don't feel any vibration while I'm driving and when I'm done, the wife's done also.

 

[mnmnutswer]

My wife stays on top of our laundry by doing a load or two every day. We are in the motorhome fulltime and she loves having the washer so she can do it all at home. Big or very heavy stuff we do have to visit the laundry mat however this is not to offten...

 

[cuts_up]

First let me say I have an OCD about laundry sorting.  My wash loads can be pathetically small, even in our home washer and dryer. 

On some of our trips we drive tag team non-stop for a couple of days, stopping only for fuel, meals, and to let the new driver wake up and have some coffee.  So there will be some dirty laundry when we finally get to full hookups.  If we overnight and have water/sewer, I like to do several loads, removing each load after the wash cycle, and putting them into plastic shopping bags.  I fill each bag with the largest size load I want to dry at one time, with like items that I dry together.  I dry everything on the coolest temp possible so I can usually combine some of the washed loads in the dryer.  I do the towels last and I let them go right through the dry cycle.  So there may be towels drying when we hit the road again.

We do our longer road trips in the summer so our gen is already running.  Then when we do our first stop I fold the towels and put another wet load in to dry.  I start drying another load each time we stop.  Some clothes only need a little bit of dry time, and I will let those dry when we stop for meals, then hang/fold before we get back on the road. 

DH wanted a washer/dryer when we had a smaller RV but there was no place for it.  When we got one with the w/d cabinet and hookups I loved the extra storage and didn't want to give it up.  But the more he talked about the Splendide, the better it sounded.  Now that we have it I love it!  Not only can we pack fewer of DH's clothes, we don't have to make room to store 2 week's worth of dirty clothes and smelly wet towels or waste precious vaca time waiting at coin-op laundries.  I do 1 or 2 small loads each day when we are parked for several days. 

Did I already say I love having the washer/dryer?  Then I'll say it again... I love it!

 

[Rich D.]

I didn't see any posts about using the washer/dryer while on the road. We often do wash on the way to another destination. Just start with empty gray water and full fresh and you can arrive at the next destination with a load or two done.

This coach has a stacked pair and the last one had a combination unit. Both wash well. The stacked pair is quicker but the combo can be loaded and forgotten about until the clothes are dry. Keep in mind that a combo non-vent uses water in the dry cycle too. The drum is cooled with water to condense moisture out of the clothes. So plan on a few extra gallons to dry the clothes. Go figure    .

 

[huntnski]

Thanks for all the replys, doing laundry going down the road is reason enough to do all the driving.

 

[PatrioticStabilist]

My old one died the other day so I got a wonderful new Splendide and I am a happy woman.  The other was no comparison to this. I LOVE it and like others said I hated the wet dirty clothes setting all over, yuck.  This one is just so much better.  I'm happy!

 

[lb0456]

It's probably to late to give my opinion but I would not be without our W/D.  When we bought our motorhome, that was something we would not sacrifice.  And I have read and heard horror stories on the W/D combo so I wanted a stackable.  I love my washer and dryer but would rather go to a laundramat than has a Combo.  Just MHO.