Would like to hear more about the pros and cons of having a washer and dryer installed in your RV for full timing?
I can't imagine not wanting to have the convenience of having them in your RV to use whenever you want.
RVDude said
08:28 PM Aug 31, 2006
Certainly one issue is the amount of energy/water required to use any w/d especially if you are trying to stay unplugged.
The other issue is about cycle time/load-size. The all-in-one units (washer and dryer in one) have exceptionally small capacities and as combo units do not do either the washing or the drying (especially at 110v) as well as stand alone units. I suspect many would agree, that at typically $1500 for the combo unit option there is a definite cost/non-benefit tradeoff to the combined solution.
If you gotta have, a suggestion, though seldom available, is to get the stacked separate washer and dryer option. These tend to be larger more sticks/bricks sized, can be 220v on the dryer and do far better justice to both the acts of washing and particularly of drying. However, these stackers take up more valuable storage area, add a whole lot more weight, and can consume even more water/elec.
Remember, space and weight or should I say weight and space, are the two devils of RVing!
It's all a matter of what trade-offs you have to make to have what you want. I am sure Howard (wink wink) is ready to pitch the Fold-Cat in order to have an onboard w/d! Right Howard? (wink wink).
-- Edited by RVDude at 22:33, 2006-08-31
Luvglass said
07:10 AM Sep 1, 2006
Hi, We have the stackable Sears W/D and love them for the convenience and large size, but the dryer is 110 volt and therefore quite a bit slower than the 220 volt home model. I believe all RV dryers are 110, I've never seen 220 volts at any CG we've been at. Still a great convenience, in our opinion. Fred
Howard said
10:12 AM Sep 1, 2006
Oh boy! I knew this one was going to come up sooner or later. There are some pretty passionate opinions on this topic.
As RVDude said, weight and storage space are the big cons. There are numerous varying opinions about the quality of job the washer/dryers do, but the consensus seems to be that stackables do a better job than the combination units. The trade off being more water and energy use.
Weight and space were the main reasons we decided to see how things went before making a purchase. Actually, here is a link to our Frequently Asked Questions http://www.rv-dreams.com/faq.html#Q11 on the subject.
The rub is your last sentence about having them in your RV to use whenever you want. Unless you always park with full hook-ups (electric, water, sewer) or just stay a couple days in each place, they are not practical to use "whenever you want". So it becomes a matter of your lifestyle and the percentage of time you can use them in relation to the importance of the storage space and weight they take up.
I will throw out a few questions to those that have washers/dryers that may help clarify:
How often do washer/dryer owners park with full hook-ups? What percentage of time?
Do you use the washer/dryer when you don't have full hook-ups?
If you do use them without full hook-ups, how does that affect how fast your gray tank fills? How does that affect how long you stay in one spot?
How often do washer/dryer owners use other laundry facilities?
How much of a factor is your washer/dryer use when selecting campgrounds/RV parks?
For us, we have determined that the type of campgrounds we like best are ones that very often don't have sewer hook-ups. Since we wouldn't want to fill our gray tank too quickly (we stay several days in each location), we would only use the washer/dryer at full hook-up sites where we can empty the tank at will. That means the convenience of having a washer/dryer would only be relevant for us a fraction of the time. So, in our situation, we would have trouble justifying the extra weight, space, and cost for the limited amount of use - especially if it meant giving up our boats.
Hopefully, we can get some washer/dryer owners to chime in on the questions above and we can all learn something about lifestyle differences when making the decision.
Luvglass said
08:19 PM Sep 1, 2006
Great post Howard.
You're right, it really gets down to your lifestyle. I'll try to give my answer according to your direct questions.
1. Most of the time we park with full hookups. We love to be in trees and a nice "country" setting, but our time out is mostly spent traveling around a large area, seeing the sights and historical interests. We tend to decide, specifically, when we should choose a state park over our normal inclination to stay at commercial campgrounds. And yes, we seek out full hookups at the commercial campgrounds.
2 & 3. We never use the washer when we do not have a sewer hookup. A full size wash will usually fill our 55 gal grey tank since there is already some water in the tank from dishwashing, etc. A small size wash will not fill it, but we then have to be careful what else we do.
4. Yes, we've used commercial facilities when we've been without hookups, or if we need to wash our down comforter. But most commercial laundries that we have been to have not been as clean as we'd like, and sometimes the clientel has been off putting. Also, you're stuck there for the duration, often on less than ideal seating. We'd just rather not.
5. It's not the W/D that dictates our choice of campground, it's having full hook-ups, for all the other reasons. We don't mind taking a military shower or two, but Jo goes berserk if she can't do dishes whenever she wants and cook without worrying about how many pots she is using.
That notwithstanding, we would still advocate the inclusion of a W/D for the following reasons.
* We've added 3265# personal goods to our trailer and still have 695# before hitting the GVWR. This of course includes the W/D in the base weight, so for us at least, the weight isn't an issue.
* Having a W/D doesn't preclude spending as much time as you choose boondocking. If we want to boondock, or stay in a state park without hookups, we will do so, and not be bound by our W/D. We don't have to use our W/D all the time; we just like to.
* It's so nice putting a towel in the dryer and having a warm towel when you come out of the shower
Sewer hookup at a campground is desirable for more that the W/D, it's basically so we can use water the way we did in our stick house, ie - washing dishes, long showers, etc. Boondocking requires a conservation mindset, paper plates, military showers, restricted electricity use. etc. and although we sometimes enjoy that, we most often opt for the comfortable lifestyle.
The key message to people who haven't purchased their rig yet, is to be very mindful of the difference between the vehicles delivered weight and the GVWR. The best floor plan and the most beautiful finishes can wear thin if you can't get all the stuff you want in it.
Fred
Takadare said
12:19 AM Sep 2, 2006
Being a wannabe, I know my opinion of the W/D issue does not carry as much weight...however that being said, we have a W/D all-in one that came with our MH. We have used it to dry wet towels twice. Using the washer has never entered our minds. The dryer was nice but not necessary.
We are going to upgrade to a 5ver for our next rig and have no intention of getting a W/D. We will however, have the connections added just in case.
Jack Mayer said
10:49 AM Sep 2, 2006
At the risk of stating the obvious - unless you absolutely KNOW what you want, and have the experience to back it up, I would suggest getting washer prep and then waiting until you are fulltime for awhile before deciding.
You can get propane dryers, and if we were doing it I would seriously consider that. We would only get an apt size stackable. After all, if you are paying the penalty for carrying the W/D you at least want the most functional you can get. JMO.
On the subject of public laundromats being less than desireable: we have used public facilities only a handful of times in 6 years. Campgrounds almost always have laundrys. If you stay in state parks all the time then you might have to use public facilities, but not in commercial campgrounds.
Old Snipe said
08:18 PM Sep 2, 2006
A washer/dryer is a must have for our soon to be purchased fulltime rig. We don't have one now and really want one for the times we are in one place for a couple of days with FHUs. The Splendide 2100 vented unit is the one we want.
Back in our younger days when we traveled by motorcycle, we were at a campground that had an inoperable laundry. The nice folks in the office directed us to a laundromat in a nearby town. Lets jsut say that we stood out in that part of town and were getting really angry stares by the patrons. The dryers couldn't work fast enough that night!
Have done laundry at campgrounds and have had a couple of issues, once the previous user washed a blue pen and guess what got on my clothes. Another time, at a KOA, I put my clothes in the drier, set my alarm wrist watch and when I returned, before the dryer finished, the campground locked the laundry room for the night (9PM). In all fairness, they did post the laundry room hours on a 3"x5" card, (which I found the next morning tacked to a bulletin board with a few dozen flyers) when I went to get my nicely wrinkled clothes. And the best one, the KOA that had eight washers and eight dryers, but only two driers worked. Got to know alot of RVing moms that day as we all waited to use the two dryers. Am I the only guy that does the laundry on the road?
I know the onboard w/d only can do small loads, but what's the hurry? A little here, a little there, it adds up.
Best Regards!
-- Edited by Old Snipe at 22:20, 2006-09-02
ahoweth said
09:20 PM Sep 2, 2006
A washer/dryer is a must have for us. Some times we will wash a load of clothes while driving. We have to have the on board genset running and be certain that the grey tank is empty first but it works quite well. We start it when we leave and the wash is done when we arrive. Yes we do utilize parks that have full hook ups most of the time so we open the grey tank when we hook up and the wash water empties. We can wash 2 loads on an empty grey tank before having to emty it but that doesn't leave much room for anything else. My wife absolutely will not have another coach without a washer/dryer. Just our opinion. Every one has to decide for themselves.
ehde said
10:59 AM Sep 3, 2006
Howard wrote:
Oh boy! I knew this one was going to come up sooner or later. There are some pretty passionate opinions on this topic.
As RVDude said, weight and storage space are the big cons. There are numerous varying opinions about the quality of job the washer/dryers do, but the consensus seems to be that stackables do a better job than the combination units. The trade off being more water and energy use.
Weight and space were the main reasons we decided to see how things went before making a purchase. Actually, here is a link to our Frequently Asked Questions http://www.rv-dreams.com/faq.html#Q11 on the subject.
The rub is your last sentence about having them in your RV to use whenever you want. Unless you always park with full hook-ups (electric, water, sewer) or just stay a couple days in each place, they are not practical to use "whenever you want". So it becomes a matter of your lifestyle and the percentage of time you can use them in relation to the importance of the storage space and weight they take up.
I will throw out a few questions to those that have washers/dryers that may help clarify:
How often do washer/dryer owners park with full hook-ups? What percentage of time?
Do you use the washer/dryer when you don't have full hook-ups?
If you do use them without full hook-ups, how does that affect how fast your gray tank fills? How does that affect how long you stay in one spot?
How often do washer/dryer owners use other laundry facilities?
How much of a factor is your washer/dryer use when selecting campgrounds/RV parks?
For us, we have determined that the type of campgrounds we like best are ones that very often don't have sewer hook-ups. Since we wouldn't want to fill our gray tank too quickly (we stay several days in each location), we would only use the washer/dryer at full hook-up sites where we can empty the tank at will. That means the convenience of having a washer/dryer would only be relevant for us a fraction of the time. So, in our situation, we would have trouble justifying the extra weight, space, and cost for the limited amount of use - especially if it meant giving up our boats.
Hopefully, we can get some washer/dryer owners to chime in on the questions above and we can all learn something about lifestyle differences when making the decision.
First, I'll note that we were avid family campers when our kids were growing up 25 years ago, although we never got more involved than a 21' travel trailer (for six of us). We did a wonderful five week cross country trip in '77 with lot's of fond memories that our kids continue to recall. But, as the kids got older, and camping trips were no longer "their thing", we got out of it and did tours, cruises, and car trips and living out of suitcases until two years ago. One of the not-so-fond memories was the laundry. So when we decided to jump back into "camping", a priority was being able to do our laundry on board the coach.
To answer Howard's questions:
Full hookups are desireable but not absolutely necessary to use the washer/dryer. But the 10-15 gallons of water use has to be accomodated. We have used it without full hookups on occasion. Fuel for the Generator at today's prices makes doing wash without at least an electric hookup prohibitively expensive so we did that only once. Full hookups is our first choice when we're touring (staying 2-3 days in one spot) and we have only compromised when there were no other alternatives (5-10%). As a side note: on average, full hookup campsites in the States cost up to twice as much as in Canada where we recently spent much of our five week vacation. I agree that many of the nicer campgrounds do not have campsite sewer connections. In the two years we're back into camping we have never used a laundromat.
A practical note about our experience using a washer/dryer combo unit: nothing comes out of it "wash and wear", even if it says so on the label - it's all very wrinkled. Apparently there's just not enough tumbling room in the dry cycle. We do our outer clothing wash (without the dry cycle) in the AM before leaving for our sight seeing and use a quick setup wash line inside the coach with the A/C on. When we come back in the evening the wash is mostly dry. Underwear, socks, sheets, pillow cases and towels are no problem.
dreamjosie said
06:43 PM Sep 4, 2006
Ehde: I don't know what kind of washer/dryer you have, or how much you are putting into it, but we don't have the wrinkling problem you are describing. We have a stackable set. You're right, it has everything to do with the amount of tumbling space. Early on, I learned that if I pack the dryer too full, I will have wrinkling problems. So if I do an especially large wash load, I'll dry it in 2 loads. But I can dry 6-8 T-shirts plus socks and underwear with no problem. I'd rather do smaller loads more often, then saving it up and stuffing the appliances. But then, that's the beauty of having the w/d in your rig.
Darrell and Judy said
05:26 AM Sep 5, 2006
Has anyone had experience with both stackable units and the vented combo. We are trying to decide which purchase. The combo is appealing because of space and weight considerations, but the question is - will we be happy with its performance?
Here4Now said
03:54 PM Sep 5, 2006
When we were planning on what motor home we were going to buy for full-timing, I didn't want the wash/dryer and my husband did....and boy am I glad we ordered it.
Let me preface my comments by saying that weight is a real issue for us. Paul has been very conscientious about the weight we carry and how it is distributed. In spite of that, FOR US the washer/dryer combo is a valued addition to our home.
First off, we use them every day to dry our bath towels which really keeps the musty smell at bay...and after a shower on a cold day, there's nothing like a warm towel to take the chill away.
To answer Howard's questions:
We have been full-timing since July 10, 2006. We have parked with full hook-ups 27 out of 59 days or 46% of the time. We use the combination washer/dryer whenever we can make it work. Washing a small load daily works really well for us and helps us keep on top of the laundry and keeps the wrinkles to a minimum because it is a small load. We have used the laundromat twice since going full-timing with mixed reviews. Actually, one load of towels never even came close to drying after $1.50 and on high heat. We took the towels back to the motor home to dry them.
We do not base our campground choice on whether or not there are full hook-ups so we can do laundry. We prefer state parks or Corps of Engineers parks but until Paul's SS kicks in in September, cost drives our choices since we're on a really tight budget .
An example of how we can make it work is where we are currently staying...a state park for 8 days with 30 amp only. Paul drains out the grey water into a Blue Boy and dumps it in a waste water receptable, many of which are scattered around the campground. In this case, we have water very close to our site, so he is able to fill up the water tank at will.
We're not opposed to laundromats and will use them if we are far behind on laundry or are boondocking. However, we enjoy the convenience and time saver of doing laundry at "home" while we're doing other things.
blijil said
07:44 AM Sep 6, 2006
We must be different than most. We would rather spend an hour and a half at a laundromat every week or so than spend 20 hours washing clothes in the little washer. We do dry camp a lot but I don't think that hookups is our issue.
Larry
Luvglass said
12:32 PM Sep 6, 2006
Hi Larry, I think you're misinterpreting how much a stackable washer can hold. We have a Sears apartment size and it holds almost as much as the one we had at home. The dryer is slower, being only 110 volt and not 220, but that just means more time. I suggest you go to Sears or Camping World and look at them, I think you might change your mind. Fred
Here4Now said
02:39 PM Sep 6, 2006
I don't really pay attention to how much time it takes to do laundry in the motor home because we're busy doing other things. Twenty hours sounds a bit high since I do a load every day OR SO and it's about 2 hours/load all told. I like being able to enjoy a camp fire, quilt, cook, cycle or even get the cleaning out of the way while the washer/dryer is doing its thing. It's all a matter of preference. :)
bjoyce said
05:18 PM Sep 6, 2006
We have a Spendide 2100 combination unit and are quite happy with it. Others have to have separates, others are happy to go to a laundromat. We need to run about 7 to 8 loads a week and on full hookups we normally run about two loads a day and none some days. When we need to get a bunch done in a short period of time we can do 4 loads a day. When we dry camp we use a laundromat.
mcw50 said
09:32 PM Sep 6, 2006
We currently have the Splendide combo....the main reason we have it is that we hated finding an acceptable laundromat....found very few in our first three years of fulltiming that were clean, in a nice neighborhood and had enough available machines when we got there...even in campgrounds! The time sitting and waiting wasn't a problem as we always had something to read or one of us could go run errands while the other tended the clothes. With our combo unit, we just start a load most days after our morning shower and go about our day....and check tank levels again in the afternoon, especially if we decide to run a second load. We try to always "keep up", then when we decide to boondock or have a site without hookups for a week or so, we're fine. On the other hand, learning load size took some doing, but once you get used to it, it works. We attended a laundry seminar at a rally and the presenter swears that you can get good dry clothes with no wrinkles by rolling them up and doing 4 -6 pairs of jeans, or four sheets at a time. I haven't really tried it!!!
travelinmama said
06:13 AM Sep 10, 2006
As an apartment dweller, soon to be ftrver, we have lived a year without a washer/dryer at one apartment. The washers or dryers either worked or didn't. We had to hang our wet clothes out on the lines on our deck (looked real tacky). Finding a laudry mat in the town, there were two, always full and never completely dried the stuff. We sometimes went for a drive 1/2 hour out of our way to wash and have a clean facility.
When we moved to the big city, our main concern was the washer/dryer set up. We pay extra but we have one in our new apt. I would not want to go without one again.
My husband and I have talked at great length about it, knowing the weight load and more, but since we have had to be without one and the cost, we agreed that when we purchase our RV, we will have a w/d in it.
After spending a year and $10-14 a week on laundry, that adds up!
JMHO,
travelinmama
JandS
Exseedman said
06:35 AM Sep 12, 2006
We started out in a motorhome with a one piece Splendide. We were unhappy with the speed and performance and removed it to gain more storage. We spent two years searching for various laundromats finding some more harsh on our clothes than others. We found rust stains among other things during our travels. When we went to the fifth wheel, we got Kenmore Separates. A good decision . We can wash AND dry clothes at the same time. We can also do other chores or just read a book while our clothes are being cleaned. It is also much easier to use TLC when drying certain items as we can let them finish air drying on a hanger. On the subject of hookups, if laundry is piling up, we will look for a campground with full hookups. There is still the occasional use of the laundromat. We have washed clothes while boondocking. It required the use of our generator and we let the clothes dry on a clothes line. In some areas of the country, it is permissible to let your gray water flow onto the ground, which is what we did. In our current trailer, we have a Whirlpool front load washer and GE 120 volt dryer.
Steve
Happytrails said
05:25 AM Sep 13, 2006
We had a combo waser/dryer in our motorhome and I found it very helpful. We hosted for about 4 months last year and of course we had full hookups. If we camped where there was no sewer I would opt,of course, to not use the washer/dryer. I would not let my wash build up so I needed to do several loads because it cannot hold the amount my washer holds at my house. I never had any wrinkling of my clothes. I have heard the stackable washer/dryer such as the Kenmore mentioned is even better than the combo. When we finally decide upon our fulltime 5er we will definately purchase the washer/dryer. We plan to host from time to time and I think it would be helpful and save trips to the laundry. As with anything, use good judgement when deciding to use it or not. There may be times, because of where you are parked, that you might have to go to the laundry but a few trips a year is better than having to go everytime. I would rather put my clothes in the combo and then sit outside by the fire, take a walk in the campground or take a short hike, read under the awning etc. than sit in a laundrymat. Each person has to decide what is best for their situation. Everything is not a "fits all size" that is why it is an option!!
This has been a great thread - lots of good thoughts on the pro and con.
PAL said
10:02 AM Sep 19, 2006
Wow, 25 years ago when we decided on the Splendide in our motorhome, we didn't really do a lot of research. I just thought it would make life easier for "herself." She thought it would be better to have the storage space. I suggested we get it and we could store stuff in it if required and then yank it if it didn't work out. I won ONE!
Well, we are now on the 2nd motorhome with a 2nd Splendide and she would not trade it for anything. Forget the weight, the water use, the electricty, it is just easier to wash at home than in a laundramat.
That said, we are situated now without sewer so we must find an alternative. When that happens, we just like our own W/D more for the convenience it offers 90% of the time.
PAL '94 Contiental w/ Splendide '04 Colorado Crew Cab:smile Ontario, CA
Darrell and Judy said
10:17 AM Sep 19, 2006
I appreciate all of the input. We went to a Newmar dealer so we could see the Slendide 2100 vented unit. We think we can live with the size and just do a load every other morning while we're enjoying our coffee. We'll just do smaller loads more often.
Darrell
Thom said
03:31 PM Mar 27, 2007
It appears that I seem to feel the need to resurrect old threads, might be because I am new here.I have a tendency to research the ell out of everything I seem to do and the washer dryer thing has probably taken many times the time taken on other things. Our intent is to boondock most if not all the time we can. After looking at probably hundreds of brands and types we decided on a stackable set from Asco. They are of European origin which caused some minor hitches (both the washer and dryer are 240. I used them in the house for a good whjile before putting them in the fifth wheel when it arrived. some of the benefits we are looking at is that there is a 7 gallon cycle (full wash rinse cycle) and a 9 gallon cycle that do a better job than any other washer I have ever used (by the way I do the laundry by choice) they are a bit expensive and we are set up to haul clean water in and dirty out efficiently so that we do not need to move the rig to empty or dump tanks. Oh and this is the only set I have ever seen where the dryer will keep up with the washer most of the time
as before if you want more info on the hows and whys contact me and I will be happy to inform you of the good bad and ugly of this setup. and again I do NOT sell any of this stuff, you will need to find it yourself
Thom
bago40 said
07:59 PM Mar 27, 2007
Wow, thanks everyone. This thread answered all of my questions about splendide and the stackable units and how often to do laundry, that there will not always be a good place to do laundry ect. As I get more into fulltimming this info will come in handy! Oh, and especially thanks for the no wrinkle in the small w/ds. I'm glad you all are here!
Tom N Gina said
12:53 AM Mar 28, 2007
We were not going to go with the washer and dryer until we got to where we are staying for now. We had to drive twenty miles (one way) to find a usable laundry so with the twenty bucks plus fuel per week we bit the bullet. Put in a stackable Maytag front loading and have to say sure is nice to be able to run a load and get the rest of the the days chores done at the same time.
Our Montana drains directly into the sewer outlet pipe so the gray water tanks are not effected. As far as the dryer goes since we are mostly using 50 amp service we have ours wired for 220 volt. Please not give any lectures in this area after researching and having an electrician do the install it works just fine. No heat problem in any of the wiring anywhere from the main to the plug at the dryer checking it after hours of continued useage. If we have only 30 amp service then so be it we will not have the option of using the dryer. After having our Maytag set up for three months I can honestly say it is an option that I feel is worth the money and weight. Not to mention the convenience.
dreamjosie said
09:09 AM Mar 28, 2007
Thom wrote: and we are set up to haul clean water in and dirty out efficiently so that we do not need to move the rig to empty or dump tanks.
I'm intrigued with this statement. Exactly what is this setup? My biggest problem with boondocking or staying in state and national parks without a sewer hookup. I would love to find a solution to that problem.
Judy said
08:06 AM Mar 29, 2007
Again I opted for a little Avanti freezer for that space. If you are near an Escapees pk (and are members of Escapees) we called ahead and ask if we could use the laundry and they said "yes" even though we were staying at a state pk that did not have laundry. I would rather do my laundry and be able to use 3 or more washers and dryers at the same time and get it all done in a very short time, besides I am finding that is how you will make friends in a pk while chatting. Usually our site is near laundry anyway while there. southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
Thom said
12:20 PM Mar 29, 2007
dreamjosie To avoid having to pack everything up , slides in and hooking up every week or two We decided to go with a couple larger tanks. One for dirty water ((both black and gray) the other for clean only. I decided to keep the out going tank at least 15gallons larger than the black tank to allow for flushing out the hose with gray water. We will use a macerater to pump from the trailer tanks to the dirty water tank in the truck. So far I have only used gravity flow to dump with but have the ability to hook up the macerater to pump ouut if I feel I need to. We trashed our old tanks and are going to get a couple new ones when we hit the road in September. The idea is to dump the black before it is full then top the dirty tank with gray, go dump, fill the fresh tank return to trailer, dump the fresh int the trailer tank, refill dirty tank with the remainder of the gray, go dump, refill fresh and repeat the process as often as needed. If the available water in the area is not that great we can always fill it with better water when we are sight seeing if it is available
If you boondock much in any of the BLM LTVA areas you will see a huge number of variations on this theme modified to suit the user
Thom
dreamjosie said
12:56 PM Mar 29, 2007
Thanks Thom. That's an interesting set-up. Appreciate the info.
Delaine and Lindy said
07:01 PM Mar 31, 2007
Hi all, we had the Splendide Combo 2100 vented. It did a great job, but Delaine wanted to be able to wash and dry at the same time. DW did a lot of research and had a problem with size width, wise. Went to Lowes and several other places. Then the problem was getting a 110 ac dryer most all were 220 volts. There are Rver's using the 220 volt dryers. But we wanted to stay with the 110 volts, however the 110 does take longer to dry. Then she was on the Splendide site and found that Splendide had just came out with a Stackable unit its, the Splendide Ariston, dryer tub size is much larger than the combo unit. And the weight is the same or less than the combo. It is doing a superb job, Delaine is very happy with this system. We also prefer to always have full hook ups. The only negative was the price, but she is very happy and thats all that matters. Good Luck on your choice...GBY...
Speedhitch said
09:15 PM Mar 31, 2007
What about the best location for this set up. I noticed that there are many models with the washer and dryer located up front over the hitch. I would think this would be a weight problem for sure. Some have room for the stackable in this area. Some just enough for the combo. I would think the mid location in the bath area would be the best for the weight.
retread said
01:50 PM Feb 10, 2009
I realize this is an old thread, but I know that we read and re-read it several times as we were deciding features for our fifth wheel. The Cardinal we purchase was equipped with w/d prep in a closet near the entry in the mid-section. We measured and measured before purchasing a Kenmore stackable unit (110 V dryer - be careful if you purchase this. There is a nearly identical model that is 220V and would not work with the wiring set up. We had to ask the sales person at Sears to change the model number on the order b/c she had not noticed the difference!)
Now that it's in and operating, we're glad to have it. It was a tight squeeze width-wise, but after removing the closet doors, it worked in that direction. It did NOT exactly fit depth-wise. Our mistake with all the measuring was that we had not considered the depth of the various water and drain hoses. The connections are all within the closet and we had to leave the unit sticking out of the closet a couple of inches. My talented dh was able to construct a new door frame and stained to match before remounting the original closet doors. It looks fine and does not block the entry as the closet was recessed a few inches.
We wash several times a week with our boys (we love them - but they are messy!) Jeans, bed linens and bath towels wait for a nice laundromat. Lighter weight shirts, underwear, p.j's, hand towels and shorts are laundered as we go. We have found that we must leave the grey water valve open when we wash. Drying does take a while with the 110 V, but I love the convenience of washing without trekking over the laundromat enough to make the wait worthwhile.
So - bottom line from our experience....once you've decided to go with a w/d unit - look over the intended installation space VERY carefully! My dh worked for 5 days total to install and build a new doorframe.
HTH those deliberating!
Judy said
06:20 PM Feb 10, 2009
We have a stackable Kenmore also in our Elite Suites and I would never be without them!! I can wash and dry at the same time. We had our dealer put ours in and, Yes, the door and frame had to be removed and all worked out fine. Also we had a micro, convection, and stove top but no oven we also had the dealer add it. southwestjudy
Donna162 said
08:58 PM Feb 14, 2009
Wow, I just realized that I started this thread when I was first starting to think about this life style and thought I should probably comment on what we actually ended up with. We have a stackable Kenmore washer and dryer that I absolutely love and can't imagine living without. We bought a used 2006 Holiday Rambler fifth wheel that already had them installed. Don't know if they were in the unit when it was bought new or installed after; whichever, they fit perfectly and I love them!!!! I wash everything in them, just small loads. I wash my sheets and jeans all the time. Our shower and washer are on the same tank and we keep it open all the time also. Of course, if you plan to do laundry, you need full hook-ups so we just plan accordingly....however, I prefer full hook-ups all the time.....just the way we do it.
pierreandcolleen said
11:35 AM Feb 16, 2009
I thought I'd put in my two cents, even though this thread has been around for awhile.
I thought it would be a real inconvenience to not have a washer and dryer, but now that we've been fulltiming for 8 months I'm content not having a washer and dryer. I find it saves a lot of time by just doing laundry once a week - most RV parks have places to do laundry.
When I was in the sticks and bricks, it seems like I did laundry almost everyday. I like setting aside only two hours a week for laundry.
In busier parks you might need to get there early before all the washers are taken.
Colleen
Judy said
02:06 PM Feb 16, 2009
While at one of the parks recently, a guy came into the office while I was there, and asked for more quarters, well it seems no one had went to the bank yet and the dollar bill machines were down, " he said you mean I have to wait to get my clothes done", and the office lady said "yes and I am sorry sir"....he was mad and I don't blame him. Make sure you have lots of quarters! southwestjudy
igotjam said
06:55 PM Feb 16, 2009
I agree with Judy's response from March 07. Do 5 loads at once in a laundromat as opposed to some everyday in your rig. Also good way to meet folks. Don't have a washer/dryer in my unit and don't want one. I do see that Judy has since changed her mind. Maybe I will someday. That's the nice thing about this fulltime deal...there is no one right answer.
LeslieW said
09:22 PM Feb 16, 2009
My DH comments that he likes to eat every day but laundry can wait until the end of a week or two. Hence we have a freezer in the closet that is wired for a washer/dryer. (Filled with Alaskan Fish!)
I actually prefer to go to the laundry (either campground or a commercial place in town) because I can spend 1 -2 hrs once every 2 weeks and be done with the task. We still have stix & brix(although we only visit it for a few months/year) but with only one washer and dryer there, I spend far more time accomplishing this task. Previously we had a stackable in a condo and it wouldn't wash a set of queen sized sheets; I had to wash the top sheet separate from the bottom one. It drove me crazy!
Judy said
08:18 AM Feb 17, 2009
Our Kenmore stackable units do take a runner throw rug and our king size sheets. Rugs I would only put one in at a time even in our stick n brick...however it will do a kings set with not being crowded and with no problems and yesterday I washed throw rugs. Sometimes the trouble with parks is they dont want you washing doggie things in theyre washers and some parks will have a washer set aside for just that; however most dont. I like to know what is going into my washer, maybe I AM just to fussy! southwestjudy
Speedhitch said
03:25 PM Feb 17, 2009
Judy...Sherri was the same way and she really does not like to use Laundry mats...but will if she has to. She decided way back when that she would have a washer and dryer if she was going to fulltime and she got what she wanted. She loves hers and when they wear out she will get another set I am sure.
Joe
TXRVr said
10:35 AM Feb 18, 2009
Old thread that it may be, it was interesting to read the different opinions. We've had rigs with and without the W/D. They come in "handy" but I don't think they're worth the money, weight, or space requirement. If one paid to wash once a week at a laundermat or campground, they could do so for about three years for the cost of having one in the RV.
I just buy more clothes so we don't wash so often.
coal said
07:10 PM Apr 8, 2009
We have a washer dryer set in our rig, stackable with a 110 dryer. Wife likes doing a load of laundry everyday instead of building up for a week and then off to the laundrymat and 30 bucks later. She did not want to use this laundry set for the first six months we have had this trailer due to our last trailer burning down from a washer that we installed. The control panel on the front of the washer short circuited and took the trailer with it, washer was off at the time--mid morning, and my grandkids had just spent the night, yes, someone upstairs was looking after us.
We also dry camped most of this winter, even with trucking in the water and running the Honda genset, we would still rather do our own laundry. The Honda Eu 3000 was able to run the washer and dryer at the same time, I was surprised. Fuel consumption was way up, but still cheaper and easier than going out to do the chore.
I have been meaning to check on just how much water a load of wash takes. We use the quick wash setting on the washer and best I figure about ten gallons per wash on this setting.
At our seasonal site, the owner does not like anyone having a onboard washer as the campground is on well water he is concerned about water consumption although, you can pay to use the campground machines.
With the exception of loosing a fiver to our last washer, it has been a great addition to rv living and expect we will always have a laundry set onboard.
Paul and Jo said
09:29 PM Aug 1, 2010
It was interesting to read all the different opinions regarding having a washer and dryer.
Have they improved the "all in one" units to do a better a job then when this thread started? The fifth wheel we are looking at does not have room for a stackable.
Thank you Jo
Country Dancer said
03:56 PM Aug 26, 2010
Is anyone using the new Splendide Washer/Dryer (Combo) 2100XC? It's been awhile since anyone posted about this, and a new model has started to be included in some units, such as the DRV Mobile Suites.
NorCal Dan said
04:13 PM Aug 26, 2010
We bought and installed a 2100XC in 2009. I don't know if they have made any changes to the unit since then. The one issue I have had with it is the design of the exhaust. For some reason Splendide put a rubber tube between the drum and back panel for the exhaust. I understand the need to use rubber to dampen vibrations when the drum spins. But they put a 90 degree bend in this tube and it collects lint. About every 6 months I have to remove this tube and clean it out. I also had a connector fry that caused the unit to stop functioning. Splendide sent me an upper and lower circuit board before I found the fried connector. I hard wired the connector so it won't happen again.
Other than that the 2100XC has performed very well. We use it almost daily doing at least one load. It is easy to work on if you can get it out of where it's mounted.
Would like to hear more about the pros and cons of having a washer and dryer installed in your RV for full timing?
I can't imagine not wanting to have the convenience of having them in your RV to use whenever you want.
Certainly one issue is the amount of energy/water required to use any w/d especially if you are trying to stay unplugged.
The other issue is about cycle time/load-size. The all-in-one units (washer and dryer in one) have exceptionally small capacities and as combo units do not do either the washing or the drying (especially at 110v) as well as stand alone units. I suspect many would agree, that at typically $1500 for the combo unit option there is a definite cost/non-benefit tradeoff to the combined solution.
If you gotta have, a suggestion, though seldom available, is to get the stacked separate washer and dryer option. These tend to be larger more sticks/bricks sized, can be 220v on the dryer and do far better justice to both the acts of washing and particularly of drying. However, these stackers take up more valuable storage area, add a whole lot more weight, and can consume even more water/elec.
Remember, space and weight or should I say weight and space, are the two devils of RVing!
It's all a matter of what trade-offs you have to make to have what you want. I am sure Howard (wink wink) is ready to pitch the Fold-Cat in order to have an onboard w/d! Right Howard? (wink wink).
-- Edited by RVDude at 22:33, 2006-08-31
We have the stackable Sears W/D and love them for the convenience and large size, but the dryer is 110 volt and therefore quite a bit slower than the 220 volt home model. I believe all RV dryers are 110, I've never seen 220 volts at any CG we've been at.
Still a great convenience, in our opinion.
Fred
Oh boy! I knew this one was going to come up sooner or later. There are some pretty passionate opinions on this topic.
As RVDude said, weight and storage space are the big cons. There are numerous varying opinions about the quality of job the washer/dryers do, but the consensus seems to be that stackables do a better job than the combination units. The trade off being more water and energy use.
Weight and space were the main reasons we decided to see how things went before making a purchase. Actually, here is a link to our Frequently Asked Questions http://www.rv-dreams.com/faq.html#Q11 on the subject.
The rub is your last sentence about having them in your RV to use whenever you want. Unless you always park with full hook-ups (electric, water, sewer) or just stay a couple days in each place, they are not practical to use "whenever you want". So it becomes a matter of your lifestyle and the percentage of time you can use them in relation to the importance of the storage space and weight they take up.
I will throw out a few questions to those that have washers/dryers that may help clarify:
For us, we have determined that the type of campgrounds we like best are ones that very often don't have sewer hook-ups. Since we wouldn't want to fill our gray tank too quickly (we stay several days in each location), we would only use the washer/dryer at full hook-up sites where we can empty the tank at will. That means the convenience of having a washer/dryer would only be relevant for us a fraction of the time. So, in our situation, we would have trouble justifying the extra weight, space, and cost for the limited amount of use - especially if it meant giving up our boats.
Hopefully, we can get some washer/dryer owners to chime in on the questions above and we can all learn something about lifestyle differences when making the decision.
You're right, it really gets down to your lifestyle. I'll try to give my answer according to your direct questions.
1. Most of the time we park with full hookups. We love to be in trees and a nice "country" setting, but our time out is mostly spent traveling around a large area, seeing the sights and historical interests. We tend to decide, specifically, when we should choose a state park over our normal inclination to stay at commercial campgrounds. And yes, we seek out full hookups at the commercial campgrounds.
2 & 3. We never use the washer when we do not have a sewer hookup. A full size wash will usually fill our 55 gal grey tank since there is already some water in the tank from dishwashing, etc. A small size wash will not fill it, but we then have to be careful what else we do.
4. Yes, we've used commercial facilities when we've been without hookups, or if we need to wash our down comforter. But most commercial laundries that we have been to have not been as clean as we'd like, and sometimes the clientel has been off putting. Also, you're stuck there for the duration, often on less than ideal seating. We'd just rather not.
5. It's not the W/D that dictates our choice of campground, it's having full hook-ups, for all the other reasons. We don't mind taking a military shower or two, but Jo goes berserk if she can't do dishes whenever she wants and cook without worrying about how many pots she is using.
That notwithstanding, we would still advocate the inclusion of a W/D for the following reasons.
* We've added 3265# personal goods to our trailer and still have 695# before hitting the GVWR. This of course includes the W/D in the base weight, so for us at least, the weight isn't an issue.
* Having a W/D doesn't preclude spending as much time as you choose boondocking. If we want to boondock, or stay in a state park without hookups, we will do so, and not be bound by our W/D. We don't have to use our W/D all the time; we just like to.
* It's so nice putting a towel in the dryer and having a warm towel when you come out of the shower
Sewer hookup at a campground is desirable for more that the W/D, it's basically so we can use water the way we did in our stick house, ie - washing dishes, long showers, etc. Boondocking requires a conservation mindset, paper plates, military showers, restricted electricity use. etc. and although we sometimes enjoy that, we most often opt for the comfortable lifestyle.
The key message to people who haven't purchased their rig yet, is to be very mindful of the difference between the vehicles delivered weight and the GVWR. The best floor plan and the most beautiful finishes can wear thin if you can't get all the stuff you want in it.
Fred
Being a wannabe, I know my opinion of the W/D issue does not carry as much weight...however that being said, we have a W/D all-in one that came with our MH. We have used it to dry wet towels twice. Using the washer has never entered our minds. The dryer was nice but not necessary.
We are going to upgrade to a 5ver for our next rig and have no intention of getting a W/D. We will however, have the connections added just in case.
You can get propane dryers, and if we were doing it I would seriously consider that. We would only get an apt size stackable. After all, if you are paying the penalty for carrying the W/D you at least want the most functional you can get. JMO.
On the subject of public laundromats being less than desireable: we have used public facilities only a handful of times in 6 years. Campgrounds almost always have laundrys. If you stay in state parks all the time then you might have to use public facilities, but not in commercial campgrounds.
A washer/dryer is a must have for our soon to be purchased fulltime rig. We don't have one now and really want one for the times we are in one place for a couple of days with FHUs. The Splendide 2100 vented unit is the one we want.
Back in our younger days when we traveled by motorcycle, we were at a campground that had an inoperable laundry. The nice folks in the office directed us to a laundromat in a nearby town. Lets jsut say that we stood out in that part of town and were getting really angry stares by the patrons. The dryers couldn't work fast enough that night!
Have done laundry at campgrounds and have had a couple of issues, once the previous user washed a blue pen and guess what got on my clothes. Another time, at a KOA, I put my clothes in the drier, set my alarm wrist watch and when I returned, before the dryer finished, the campground locked the laundry room for the night (9PM). In all fairness, they did post the laundry room hours on a 3"x5" card, (which I found the next morning tacked to a bulletin board with a few dozen flyers) when I went to get my nicely wrinkled clothes. And the best one, the KOA that had eight washers and eight dryers, but only two driers worked. Got to know alot of RVing moms that day as we all waited to use the two dryers. Am I the only guy that does the laundry on the road?
I know the onboard w/d only can do small loads, but what's the hurry? A little here, a little there, it adds up.
Best Regards!
-- Edited by Old Snipe at 22:20, 2006-09-02
First, I'll note that we were avid family campers when our kids were growing up 25 years ago, although we never got more involved than a 21' travel trailer (for six of us). We did a wonderful five week cross country trip in '77 with lot's of fond memories that our kids continue to recall. But, as the kids got older, and camping trips were no longer "their thing", we got out of it and did tours, cruises, and car trips and living out of suitcases until two years ago. One of the not-so-fond memories was the laundry. So when we decided to jump back into "camping", a priority was being able to do our laundry on board the coach.
To answer Howard's questions:
Full hookups are desireable but not absolutely necessary to use the washer/dryer. But the 10-15 gallons of water use has to be accomodated. We have used it without full hookups on occasion. Fuel for the Generator at today's prices makes doing wash without at least an electric hookup prohibitively expensive so we did that only once. Full hookups is our first choice when we're touring (staying 2-3 days in one spot) and we have only compromised when there were no other alternatives (5-10%). As a side note: on average, full hookup campsites in the States cost up to twice as much as in Canada where we recently spent much of our five week vacation. I agree that many of the nicer campgrounds do not have campsite sewer connections. In the two years we're back into camping we have never used a laundromat.
A practical note about our experience using a washer/dryer combo unit: nothing comes out of it "wash and wear", even if it says so on the label - it's all very wrinkled. Apparently there's just not enough tumbling room in the dry cycle. We do our outer clothing wash (without the dry cycle) in the AM before leaving for our sight seeing and use a quick setup wash line inside the coach with the A/C on. When we come back in the evening the wash is mostly dry. Underwear, socks, sheets, pillow cases and towels are no problem.
Let me preface my comments by saying that weight is a real issue for us. Paul has been very conscientious about the weight we carry and how it is distributed. In spite of that, FOR US the washer/dryer combo is a valued addition to our home.
First off, we use them every day to dry our bath towels which really keeps the musty smell at bay...and after a shower on a cold day, there's nothing like a warm towel to take the chill away.
To answer Howard's questions:
We have been full-timing since July 10, 2006. We have parked with full hook-ups 27 out of 59 days or 46% of the time. We use the combination washer/dryer whenever we can make it work. Washing a small load daily works really well for us and helps us keep on top of the laundry and keeps the wrinkles to a minimum because it is a small load. We have used the laundromat twice since going full-timing with mixed reviews. Actually, one load of towels never even came close to drying after $1.50 and on high heat. We took the towels back to the motor home to dry them.
We do not base our campground choice on whether or not there are full hook-ups so we can do laundry. We prefer state parks or Corps of Engineers parks but until Paul's SS kicks in in September, cost drives our choices since we're on a really tight budget .
An example of how we can make it work is where we are currently staying...a state park for 8 days with 30 amp only. Paul drains out the grey water into a Blue Boy and dumps it in a waste water receptable, many of which are scattered around the campground. In this case, we have water very close to our site, so he is able to fill up the water tank at will.
We're not opposed to laundromats and will use them if we are far behind on laundry or are boondocking. However, we enjoy the convenience and time saver of doing laundry at "home" while we're doing other things.
We must be different than most. We would rather spend an hour and a half at a laundromat every week or so than spend 20 hours washing clothes in the little washer. We do dry camp a lot but I don't think that hookups is our issue.
Larry
I think you're misinterpreting how much a stackable washer can hold. We have a Sears apartment size and it holds almost as much as the one we had at home. The dryer is slower, being only 110 volt and not 220, but that just means more time.
I suggest you go to Sears or Camping World and look at them, I think you might change your mind.
Fred
As an apartment dweller, soon to be ftrver, we have lived a year without a washer/dryer at one apartment. The washers or dryers either worked or didn't. We had to hang our wet clothes out on the lines on our deck (looked real tacky). Finding a laudry mat in the town, there were two, always full and never completely dried the stuff. We sometimes went for a drive 1/2 hour out of our way to wash and have a clean facility.
When we moved to the big city, our main concern was the washer/dryer set up. We pay extra but we have one in our new apt. I would not want to go without one again.
My husband and I have talked at great length about it, knowing the weight load and more, but since we have had to be without one and the cost, we agreed that when we purchase our RV, we will have a w/d in it.
After spending a year and $10-14 a week on laundry, that adds up!
JMHO,
travelinmama
JandS
On the subject of hookups, if laundry is piling up, we will look for a campground with full hookups. There is still the occasional use of the laundromat. We have washed clothes while boondocking. It required the use of our generator and we let the clothes dry on a clothes line. In some areas of the country, it is permissible to let your gray water flow onto the ground, which is what we did.
In our current trailer, we have a Whirlpool front load washer and GE 120 volt dryer.
Steve
We had a combo waser/dryer in our motorhome and I found it very helpful. We hosted for about 4 months last year and of course we had full hookups. If we camped where there was no sewer I would opt,of course, to not use the washer/dryer. I would not let my wash build up so I needed to do several loads because it cannot hold the amount my washer holds at my house. I never had any wrinkling of my clothes. I have heard the stackable washer/dryer such as the Kenmore mentioned is even better than the combo. When we finally decide upon our fulltime 5er we will definately purchase the washer/dryer. We plan to host from time to time and I think it would be helpful and save trips to the laundry. As with anything, use good judgement when deciding to use it or not. There may be times, because of where you are parked, that you might have to go to the laundry but a few trips a year is better than having to go everytime. I would rather put my clothes in the combo and then sit outside by the fire, take a walk in the campground or take a short hike, read under the awning etc. than sit in a laundrymat. Each person has to decide what is best for their situation. Everything is not a "fits all size" that is why it is an option!!
This has been a great thread - lots of good thoughts on the pro and con.
Well, we are now on the 2nd motorhome with a 2nd Splendide and she would not trade it for anything. Forget the weight, the water use, the electricty, it is just easier to wash at home than in a laundramat.
That said, we are situated now without sewer so we must find an alternative. When that happens, we just like our own W/D more for the convenience it offers 90% of the time.
PAL
'94 Contiental w/ Splendide
'04 Colorado Crew Cab:smile
Ontario, CA
I appreciate all of the input. We went to a Newmar dealer so we could see the Slendide 2100 vented unit. We think we can live with the size and just do a load every other morning while we're enjoying our coffee. We'll just do smaller loads more often.
Darrell
Our Montana drains directly into the sewer outlet pipe so the gray water tanks are not effected. As far as the dryer goes since we are mostly using 50 amp service we have ours wired for 220 volt. Please not give any lectures in this area after researching and having an electrician do the install it works just fine. No heat problem in any of the wiring anywhere from the main to the plug at the dryer checking it after hours of continued useage. If we have only 30 amp service then so be it we will not have the option of using the dryer. After having our Maytag set up for three months I can honestly say it is an option that I feel is worth the money and weight. Not to mention the convenience.
southwestjudy & Bob & 2blackdogs
What about the best location for this set up. I noticed that there are many models with the washer and dryer located up front over the hitch. I would think this would be a weight problem for sure. Some have room for the stackable in this area. Some just enough for the combo. I would think the mid location in the bath area would be the best for the weight.
Now that it's in and operating, we're glad to have it. It was a tight squeeze width-wise, but after removing the closet doors, it worked in that direction. It did NOT exactly fit depth-wise. Our mistake with all the measuring was that we had not considered the depth of the various water and drain hoses. The connections are all within the closet and we had to leave the unit sticking out of the closet a couple of inches. My talented dh was able to construct a new door frame and stained to match before remounting the original closet doors. It looks fine and does not block the entry as the closet was recessed a few inches.
We wash several times a week with our boys (we love them - but they are messy!) Jeans, bed linens and bath towels wait for a nice laundromat. Lighter weight shirts, underwear, p.j's, hand towels and shorts are laundered as we go. We have found that we must leave the grey water valve open when we wash. Drying does take a while with the 110 V, but I love the convenience of washing without trekking over the laundromat enough to make the wait worthwhile.
So - bottom line from our experience....once you've decided to go with a w/d unit - look over the intended installation space VERY carefully! My dh worked for 5 days total to install and build a new doorframe.
HTH those deliberating!
southwestjudy
I thought I'd put in my two cents, even though this thread has been around for awhile.
I thought it would be a real inconvenience to not have a washer and dryer, but now that we've been fulltiming for 8 months I'm content not having a washer and dryer. I find it saves a lot of time by just doing laundry once a week - most RV parks have places to do laundry.
When I was in the sticks and bricks, it seems like I did laundry almost everyday. I like setting aside only two hours a week for laundry.
In busier parks you might need to get there early before all the washers are taken.
Colleen
southwestjudy
southwestjudy
I just buy more clothes so we don't wash so often.
We also dry camped most of this winter, even with trucking in the water and running the Honda genset, we would still rather do our own laundry. The Honda Eu 3000 was able to run the washer and dryer at the same time, I was surprised. Fuel consumption was way up, but still cheaper and easier than going out to do the chore.
I have been meaning to check on just how much water a load of wash takes. We use the quick wash setting on the washer and best I figure about ten gallons per wash on this setting.
At our seasonal site, the owner does not like anyone having a onboard washer as the campground is on well water he is concerned about water consumption although, you can pay to use the campground machines.
With the exception of loosing a fiver to our last washer, it has been a great addition to rv living and expect we will always have a laundry set onboard.
Have they improved the "all in one" units to do a better a job then when this thread started? The fifth wheel we are looking at does not have room for a stackable.
Thank you
Jo