Your Opinion -- Washer/Dryer?

[dcmac214]

Soliciting opinions about whether or not it's worth having a combo clothes washer/dryer in an RV.

Or is it more valuable to you to have that little bit more storage space?

[Acampingwewillg]

Would not be without it...so the wife tells me! She Loves the Vented Combo when we have hook ups and that's most of the time since the Residential Fridge among other 120 volt things I've put in the RV(Norcold upright small freezer, bar Fridge, ice maker...you get the picture) need sufficient power. While I don't like doing it, I tend to leave the Grey tank valve open nowadays when we are using the washer, it does consume lots of water.

[wkamper]

jplante4 wrote:
If it's a combo unit, make sure it's vented to the outside.

X2

[rk911]

jplante4 wrote:
...
We discovered that the seedy underside of campground living was the laundry. It seems to me that the seasonals consider it to be theirs and the transients are merely allowed to use the facilities at the discretion of the seasonals. If you're not there EXACTLY when the washer or dryer stops, your stuff gets dumped (sometimes on the floor) and they commandeer the machine...

we're transients and I do pretty much the same. it's bad form to leave your unattended laundry in a washer or dryer. I'll wait 5-min or so and then it gets pulled out and onto the counter or in a basket. I've never seen anyone just dump it on the ground. this past winter one couple came into the laundry (big laundry...12 washers and 8-huge dryers) with what had to be 6-mos worth of dirty clothes. they proceeded to use 8 of the 12 machines (the other 4 were in use). also bad form.

[HadEnough]

One place I don't compromise.

It costs about $5 more than paying for laundromats and detergent to just drop everything off at a wash and fold.

As to combo in the RV, save the space and just drop it off to be washed. The cost of the combo unit can pay for an awful lot of the price differential between a laundromat and the wash and fold.

[Two_Jayhawks]

old guy wrote:
the main problem with a comb washer/dryer is it takes twice as long to do a load of laundry. the dryer portion is 120v and it takes a long time to dry a load of clothes, but on the other hand you need 50 amp service in your rig to operate a stack washer dryer since the dryer is 240v like in your house. if your rig is 30 amp you are then stuck with the comb washer dryer

We have a stacked Whirlpool set and I believe the dryer is 120 volt. The dryer does take a little longer than at home but it's no issue for us.

[3_dog_nights]

We had a fifth wheel that I put a washer in. It was made for apartments and fit perfectly. Had a very high spin cycle so the clothes came out damp. We'd put a load in at night while we watched TV, then hang them in the shower. Dry in the morning. Worked very well for us. Traded the 5'ver for a Winne with washer and dryer. Haven't had a chance to try them yet other than testing to make sure they worked. The one we let go with the 5'ver was a Danby, bought at Walmart, paid $400. Was working fine after 6 years when we traded.

[Jayco-noslide]

Wouldn't be worth it to us. Our son had it in a large MH and it just doesn't wash enough with each load. Also, we are seldom hooked to sewer.

[old_guy]

the main problem with a comb washer/dryer is it takes twice as long to do a load of laundry. the dryer portion is 120v and it takes a long time to dry a load of clothes, but on the other hand you need 50 amp service in your rig to operate a stack washer dryer since the dryer is 240v like in your house. if your rig is 30 amp you are then stuck with the comb washer dryer

[Big_Katuna]

A Splendide uses 7.5 gal per load.

[2chiefsRus]

Two Jayhawks wrote:

Trigger Happy wrote:
Can the washer dryer units be used while going down the road?

Yes but I don't believe it is recommended. Assuming you have adequate fresh water, adequate room in the grey tank, and running genny. The hitch is, I've heard, is the high spin. The high spin might take it's toll on the unit with a moving coach bouncing around.

exactly - the spin is the issue. I've never done it but the only cycle I would consider while going down the road would be the dry cycle, not the wash, rinse or spin.

[Two_Jayhawks]

Trigger Happy wrote:
Can the washer dryer units be used while going down the road?

Yes but I don't believe it is recommended. Assuming you have adequate fresh water, adequate room in the grey tank, and running genny. The hitch is, I've heard, is the high spin. The high spin might take it's toll on the unit with a moving coach bouncing around.

[donn0128]

Trigger Happy wrote:
Can the washer dryer units be used while going down the road?

They need plenty of water and 120VAC to power it. If you have those two things I guess it is possible.
Its been said before, but I will say it again.
Yes, the Splendid combos do a small load, they also use a small amount of soap, and are a true load, start and forget until dry clothes come out. There is no need to sit around some sleezy laundrymat waiting for your stuff. We camp hosted for 7 years, mever went to a laundrymat. Start a load in the morning and go to work. Come in at lunch time, take out clean dry clothes, start another load, eat lunch and go back out to work. If we had a lot of clothes, or bath towels, maybe run another load in the evening. Personally I have more to do with my time than sit and watch clothes dry.

[jplante4]

Trigger Happy wrote:
Can the washer dryer units be used while going down the road?

Some are plumbed to the gray tank, some have their own tank and some are plumbed directly to the sewer pipe. I wouldn't run it on the road if it dumped directly to the pipe.

[mike_brez]

We have never used ours.

[Trigger_Happy]

Can the washer dryer units be used while going down the road?