Washer/Dryer

[Pete Masterson]

It also depends on the installation/floor plan in your coach. With
the "diagonal aisle" floor plan (with an aisle passing by the
bathroom (a side-bath type arrangement), my Splende is located on the
centerline of the coach, in a full-height closet (linens go above the
washer). This also puts the outlet for the dryer vent located up
high, above the axle area, just in front of the differential. The
back of the washer is against the bedroom bulkhead. There is no
access from the back side.

A search for the vent-exit from the outside proved fruitless. (The
dryer was almost totally ineffective, and I made the assumption that
the vent was blocked.)

I eventually had to pull the Splende out of its closet.
Unfortunately, the tight installation requires removing one of the
hinged doors to the washer/linen closet. Of course, BB used a piano
hinge with nearly a dozen screws -- at least they only did every
other screw.

Only a relatively small amount of lint was found behind (and under)
the washer. I discovered that years of lint build up at the screen
(to keep vermin out) at the dryer vent exit had formed a thick (1/2
inch) nearly solid seal -- it was not wonder the dryer didn't work!

The hoses looked to be in good condition -- but replacing them with
steel-braid replacements would probably be a good precaution (why
didn't I think of that while I had the washer out...). The water
outlet is, as you said, simply a typical curved 'hook' from the
washer feeding into a standing pipe connected with the plumbing. I
suspect that the tube isn't sealed to allow venting which might
otherwise cause undesirable back pressure. We have not experienced
any unpleasant sewer odors from the washer vent line. Isn't there a
trap to block odors from the holding tank? (I don't recall seeing one
in my installation, but then I don't recall not seeing one either.)

There was no sign (water spots, stains on unpainted wood, etc.) that
the outlet had ever overflowed. I do not have any moisture problems
in the washer/linen closet.

After cleaning the vent tube and outlet thoroughly, I re-installed
the washer as it had previously been -- and now the dryer, while
hardly impressive, does dry clothes. Due to the relatively small size
of the washer and anemic drying performance of the dryer (but it does
work and is consistent with reports from others) we still do the bulk
of our laundry at laundromats, etc.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road near Scranton, PA



On Sep 30, 2008, at 12:00 AM, Kurt Horvath wrote:

> Just tiding up the coach, putting back in the rear wall of the washer
> dryer closet and wondered dang it's still a bit musty. I just finished
> vacuuming behind the Splende 2000 last week and had cleaned up
> everything. I looked behind it once more. How did I miss that. The
> drain from the washer goes into a pipe stand. There is no washer or
> collar around it, it's just the washer drain tube stuck into a 1 ½"
> black pipe. Lots of room to vent back into the closet. I found one
> source of unpleasant odor. But that just lead to another question.
> When
> was the last time anyone changed the water hoses for the washer? Near
> as I can tell in my coach never. That would make them 13 years old.
> Nearly triple the recommended service life. New stainless braided
> hoses
> and a some sort of collar or vapor lock for the drain pipe. Now I need
> to pull the machine out a bit just make sure the vent tube is
> OK,and to
> install the new hoses. It did have some lint and was very dusty in
> there. And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on. On and on.
> Kurt Horvath
> 95 Pt 42
> 10AC
>
>