Possible to install W/D? Full timers. First RV.

[acemyers]

This is mine and my wife's first RV purchase. We haven't got one yet, but we have an eye on one right now. It's a 2011 Copper Canyon 314FWRLS 5th Wheel in case anyone needs to know. It doesn't have a washer dryer already nor does it have hookups installed. It has 3 slides. There isn't really a closet big enough for the w/d unit. We don't care if it's in the living room as long as we have one. However, we were told that it has to be fairly close to the toilet in order to install one. Is that a must? Or can it be in the bedroom or living room? We aren't set n stone about this purchase because of that reason. From reading all the reviews, it's a very good thing to have one. I'm in the military and we are saving a ton of money living out of an RV for the time that I'm in and it's just my wife and I; no kids. We are looking at 5 wheel only because of the great price for a much larger RV. Weight of the w/d doesn't matter. After 3-5 years of living RV style, I'm sure the laundromat isn't going to be pleasant. I'm open to any suggestions anyone may have. Even telling me that the RV of choice is crappy if you think so. Also, we were looking at years 2010-2012. We wanted a fairly new one, but not brand new as they depreciate as much as cars do. Would it hurt any to get a 2007-2009 for a bigger/better unit at around the same price as the 2011 we are looking at? Or stick with a newer one? Can't really get much bigger than 3 slides and still be at our price though, but I mean with 2-3 slides and a w/d unit. I do know how much the w/d units cost, so buying one is completely fine. Thanks in advance to everyone!

[DianneOK]

Our dryers were 120v....Not gas.....takes a bit longer to dry, but did a good job....

[acemyers]

Rlaubert wrote:
We have a toy hauler and installed the W/D in the back room. You will need three things done if the unit is not preppred for one. 1. Electricity for both the washer and drier. 2. Water for the washer and possibly the drier. 3 Drainage for the washer. You will have to use a gas drier as almost all electric driers are 220 volts and that will not be available at the campgrounds. With a gas drier you will also need to convert it to propane ($35 kit and some time). The water, electric and drain lines will have to be run by someone that knows what they are doing (you or a professional). Our unit had the electric, water and drain lines in the toy room, we had to have the gas line run.
You can also get a RV washer/drier. Much smaller but still needs the water and electric lines. In my opinion takes for ever to wash and dry a very very small load (7 lb max).

Thanks for the response. Actually we just hang our clothes throughout the RV when they are done washing. We bought a portable washer that's 1.5 cu. feet. Washes enough for just the wife and I. The hoses hook up to the kitchen sink and plugs into a regular outlet. Best thing ever.

[Rlaubert]

We have a toy hauler and installed the W/D in the back room. You will need three things done if the unit is not preppred for one. 1. Electricity for both the washer and drier. 2. Water for the washer and possibly the drier. 3 Drainage for the washer. You will have to use a gas drier as almost all electric driers are 220 volts and that will not be available at the campgrounds. With a gas drier you will also need to convert it to propane ($35 kit and some time). The water, electric and drain lines will have to be run by someone that knows what they are doing (you or a professional). Our unit had the electric, water and drain lines in the toy room, we had to have the gas line run.
You can also get a RV washer/drier. Much smaller but still needs the water and electric lines. In my opinion takes for ever to wash and dry a very very small load (7 lb max).

[acemyers]

wannavolunteerFT wrote:
I don't know what you decided on trailer, but I have been looking at bunkhouse floorplans with outdoor kitchen on outside and wondering if I could modify cabinet and use the connections for outdoor connection. wouldn't require plumbing or wiring re-work, just some cabinetry work, which I feel like I could find someone to do much easier.

I've seen people post on here that that's exactly what we did. We decided on a 5th wheel. We got everything we wanted and went with the portable washer that's 1.5 CU FT and fits great in the bathroom for washing clothes in there w/o using the kitchen sink. We can easily switch sinks if we need to take a shower or something, no biggie. Plus, we don't have to go outside, not that that matters THAT much, and put clothes in the washer/get them out; if there's a storm or something. PLUS, no plumbing or "re-wiring" involved since we have a portable washer that hooks up to a regular outlet and uses the sinks water.

[wannavolunteerF]

I don't know what you decided on trailer, but I have been looking at bunkhouse floorplans with outdoor kitchen on outside and wondering if I could modify cabinet and use the connections for outdoor connection. wouldn't require plumbing or wiring re-work, just some cabinetry work, which I feel like I could find someone to do much easier.

[acemyers]

RoadLife wrote:
Lots of folks just use the laundromat. We love our Splendide, but the load capacity is very small. You or your wife might be doing laundry continuously especially with any kids. A Laundromat where you can use multiple machines at one time might make more sense. And military uniforms always went to be washed, starched, and ironed at the cleaners 😉 - less stress on the wife.

Is there a reason you cannot use the famcamp on the base? Or do they have one?

We just bought a nice portable washer yesterday. 1.5 CU FT. and it's only us 2, no kids. It might make more sense now, but I don't think she nor I would want to go to the laundromat to get clean clothes for 3+ years straight and imagine all those quarters! haha. Spending all the time in there as well and making sure nobody steals them. For big loads like every single uniform and bed spreads will be fine just doing once in a while. I think the camps we are looking at are the only ones. One of them isn't on the base, but it's right next to it and it's military only.

[RoadLife]

Lots of folks just use the laundromat. We love our Splendide, but the load capacity is very small. You or your wife might be doing laundry continuously especially with any kids. A Laundromat where you can use multiple machines at one time might make more sense. And military uniforms always went to be washed, starched, and ironed at the cleaners 😉 - less stress on the wife.

Is there a reason you cannot use the famcamp on the base? Or do they have one?

[acemyers]

That doesn't sound so bad now! We have a lot of clothes to last us and not washing for a week wont hurt either lol. Most mine is uniforms, but I have plenty. We were considering the portable w/d. The one that hooks to your sink to wash and a regular house outlet to run. Reviews on them were pretty good. So I think we're going to be fine now knowing we can get that if we need it.

[Cummins12V98]

We have hookups for W/D but we use the space for other things.

We have lived in our RV fulltime for almost 2 years. We do not regret not having a W/D at all! We each have a lot of clothes so once every 3-4 weeks we spend 20-$30 and have a marathon laundry day.

[acemyers]

The Works wrote:
I was wondering if you are in the navy. I retired from DON after 43 years, I worked on all carriers on both coasts, I was very fortunate, it was a great career!!

Sounds like you had a blast then. Good for you!

[The_Works]

acemyers wrote:
That's interesting. Maybe it was just an unlucky bad experience. Either way, we still aren't buying from them anymore. We are actually in Virginia Beach. I do work in Norfolk at the moment, but I could start work in Virginia Beach again at any time. I'm in the military so I'm stationed here at Norfolk. That's what you meant right?

I was wondering if you are in the navy. I retired from DON after 43 years, I worked on all carriers on both coasts, I was very fortunate, it was a great career!!

[acemyers]

That's interesting. Maybe it was just an unlucky bad experience. Either way, we still aren't buying from them anymore. We are actually in Virginia Beach. I do work in Norfolk at the moment, but I could start work in Virginia Beach again at any time. I'm in the military so I'm stationed here at Norfolk. That's what you meant right?

[The_Works]

acemyers wrote:
Yeah! My wife told me that someone told her that that's what they do. They have a clothes washer that goes into the sink. That's not too bad of a deal. I'll just have to look into it more since I didn't even know it existed. Thanks for confirming that! Funny that you say RV Solutions as well. That's where we were going to buy one until we found one in Carrollton, VA. Why not RV Solutions though? Out of all the dealers we went to, they were the nicest and the most helpful it seemed.

We bought a new Heartland 5th wheel from them. I worked in the Norfolk/Newport News shipyards from 2003-2009 and stayed in our camper. When our new camper came in I sold the camper we were living. When we picked up the new camper they said the taxes had changed and now the final costs was $2,300.00 more than what we agreed to but since it was tax related they couldn't do much about. Now I don't have a camper and all our stuff from our sold camper is sitting in a pile back at the campground. We got the camper back to the campground and it stated to rain and 2 of the 3 slides started leaking. We took it back to RV Solutions and the guy says, "O ya, they always leak coming from the factory and a adjustment was needed". Why didn't they adjust it when they received it since they knew it was going to leak?? We ended up taking it back about 3 times for factory related issues, they actually charged me for repair parts one time that were factory defects. I have other comments but I've hit upon the one that really ticked me off. I called them one time, left a message and they never did return my call. This not a vendor I would recommend. What are you doing in Norfolk?

[acemyers]

Yeah! My wife told me that someone told her that that's what they do. They have a clothes washer that goes into the sink. That's not too bad of a deal. I'll just have to look into it more since I didn't even know it existed. Thanks for confirming that! Funny that you say RV Solutions as well. That's where we were going to buy one until we found one in Carrollton, VA. Why not RV Solutions though? Out of all the dealers we went to, they were the nicest and the most helpful it seemed.