Washer Dryer DeFever 44

[Grahambda]

Moving on from the depression of our bow damage, one of the many projects we have, to get ready for the Bahamas long term cruising, is to install a washer dryer. From what I have read on the forum the combo washer dryers aren’t really up to the job beyond T-shirts so looking to install a separate washer and dryer in the closet in the master cabin. Currently there is an original cold plate freezer non-operable, so that will have to come out to make room for the washer and dryer. Are there any recommendations for a particular model manufacturer of washer dryer units from the forum members, And any known challenges with the installation?
Thanks

 

[ranger58sb]

We'll be shopping for a replacement combo unit, too, whenever wifey gets around to that.

Reading has suggested the VENTED combo units can be decent.

Our likely replacements could be Splendide (currrent is a Splendide 2000), Miele, Bosch… but I’ve also seen there are several brand options on the market, GE maybe, Samsung and/or LG maybe, Whirlpool maybe, Magic Chef maybe, some others I’ve not heard of (Asko? Daewoo? Etc.)

-Chris

 

[Circumnavigator]

We have just replaced an ancient Splendide on Morning Light with another Splendide. Separate units were not in the cards -- didn't want to give up 12 cubic feet for a marginal improvement in drying time.

It's certainly true that the Splendide's dryer takes a long time.

Consider that your home dryer typically draws 40-50 amps at 240VAC, call it 10,000 watts of which maybe 500 keeps things spinning and 9,500 heats air. The Splendide draws 10.5 amps at 120VAC, 1,260 watts, of which maybe 750 is available to heat the air. It is no wonder it takes longer.

Actually, with a moderate load -- maybe four bath towels or a week's underwear and tees for two -- our Splendide will get the load dry in a couple of hours.

If you seriously consider even a small home dryer, make sure that you check that your generator will run it.

We had good experience with an Asko washer and dryer on Fintry. The Asko washer takes in only cold water and heats it as required. The washer plugs into the dryer, so the pair needs only one four wire 120/240VAC outlet. This may be an advantage if your hot water tank is small.


Jim

 

[READY]

Splendide does seem to be the most prevalent brand. We have an older one, it is vented and yes it is slow to dry. Often with good weather we may use a combination of hanging them out to dry with the dryer and fabric softener sheet to keep them more wearable. From reports I have heard DO NOT go with unvented. If you had room for a stackable I would go that route. We had one of those before and while maybe the loads are limited it is a much faster dry. But as Jim pointed out check the power consumption data.
Ken
Onboard Freedom in San Diego Bay

 

[Circumnavigator]

... From reports I have heard DO NOT go with unvented. ...
Ken
Onboard Freedom in San Diego Bay

I second that. We took an unvented unit around the world on Sweetwater (Swan 57 sloop) and never got it to dry at all satisfactorily.


Jim

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I second that. We took an unvented unit around the world on Sweetwater (Swan 57 sloop) and never got it to dry at all satisfactorily.


Jim

I agree. The one issue I have with the vented is the exhaust vent route. We have a cabinet that is very small. The hose gets bent and will close off. Spledede offers a 90 degree fitting that takes the exhaust out the side of the unit, instead of out the back.

Yes it is slow to dry. 5 Tees take about an hour fifteen minutes to dry. The key is the keep the exhaust hose clean.

 

[Comodave]

We have had 2 Splendide combo vented units. We loved them. The key is learning how to load them and DO NOT overload them. DO NOT get an unvented unit. They take forever to dry and use water while drying to condensate out the moisture in the clothes. We had one in a previous boat and one in an RV. Properly loaded they work fine.

 

[jimdavi]

We have the new splendide vented model. Dries just fine with no overload. Operating-menu/instructions can be tricky, but works just fine.

 

[Flatswing]

We have a vented Splendide also. Cruising East coast US & Bahamas, most of our day to day clothes are synthetic & dry fine albeit more slowly (as other authors have explained due to wattage). We can dry sheets, but towels & blue jeans take 1-2hrs. But realistically with changes of linens aboard, we have always found washers & driers available on shore even though we anchor out most places so we just run a couple of commercial loads of sheets & towels on shore every 10-14 days or so, everything else in the Splendide. There is no lint trap, so I just remove the outside vent grill & vacuum the very short duct every 6 months or so.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have used the Splendide vented washerdryer. They work, they use less power and need less space. The down side is time. My stackable Samsung 24" washer and dryer can handle much bigger loads and in a quarter of the time.

Its going to be a real struggle to wash king size sheets in a Splendide. Now if you don't have a king size bed than no issue. I do have a king size bed so the Splendide is a no go.

With the Splendide I was doing laundry 5 out of 7 nights. With the Samsung I do laundry one day a week.

The Samsung dryer is 220v at 11 amps. This requires either 220v or a step up transformer. If you are stepping up 110v you will need a 30a breaker to step up to the 220v @ 12 amps. This and room needed are the down side to stackable washer and dryer units.

I do not recommend 24" combo units (like what was previously seen in boats and apartments). They take as much space as stackables, use as much power, have less capacity and take more time to complete a load.

In the end space is what decides. If you have the space for a 30" washer and dryer, that is what you should use. If you only have the power or space for a Splendide, then that is what makes sense.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Being as you have a 42 foot boat it is doubtful that you have a watermaker. Do you carry enough fresh water and have gray water capacity for a washer?

I have never been to the Bahamas but cruising the Great Lakes for twenty five years we have never run out of clothes. We don't pack a ton but we are not adverse to shopping at resale stores to buy jeans or shirts when needed. Kind of fun even. Seems like there are always some around.

pete

 

[Jeff F]

Do you have 240v on board? If not then you're not going to get great dry time.

I had a 120v Samsung ventless 24" dryer that came with a house I bought a few years ago. It used a heat pump. Quite ingenious, and it worked. Took longer, but did the job.

Here's a similar model. https://www.samsung.com/us/home-app...ryer-with-smart-care-dv22n6800hw-a2/#benefits

If I were installing a pair that's what I'd look for in a dryer.

Sent from my moto g play (2021) using Trawler Forum mobile app

 

[Greg QS]

not sure what we have but they are newer. I will check out this weekend . Have a front loader washer with a dryer on top. The dryer is ventless and collects water in a bin that needs to be emptied. Works verry well. Feel its full size. If you want more info size etc. data plates I will take pics.

 

[GoldenDawn]

Another vote for the vented Splendide. It is very quiet and we can put a load of laundry in at bedtime and wake up to clean-dry clothes in the morning.

 

[Scottwb96]

I have a friend that put one of these types of units in. Does a decent and "fast job of washing. The dryer, is a no-heat, just spin "dryer". He can basically be doing 2.5 loads at a time. Washer then spin dryer, then actual dryer. The washer/dryer is VERY light so can be moved around easily and put out on a deck if needed.
He also added a stand-alone dryer to finish off the drying cycle...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09YLKMHLH?ref=em_1p_8_ti&ref_=pe_27541350_680982930

https://www.amazon.com/CTT-Capacity...848045&sprefix=110v+dryer,aps,162&sr=8-8&th=1

 

[timb7734]

Have vented, stackable, Splendide units in two boats and a motorhome, no way going back to combo unit as when we go out it is for weeks and the combo won’t keep up even using a drying line.

 

[Bellakins]

We had a Splendide on our sailboat and it worked very well for washing. Drying was another matter. It was much faster when we were in the Caribbean to just hang laundry on the lines and rigging. The first load would be dry by the time the 2nd load was through the washer. I would imagine the Bahamas would be similar. Don't remember doing laundry there. Our Splendide was original to the boat, so was about 15 years old when we had it in the Caribbean. We had one problem with it, called the company, and they were able to tell us which two parts might be bad. We decided to start with the easy one first. They shipped it, my husband replaced it, and it worked fine from then on. Great customer support.

 

[Greg QS]

we have Meili units work great. the dryer is ventless. cool inovation.

 

[Lepke]

Splendie has (or had) 2 combo washer/dryer models. The early one was a "condensing" dryer built into the washer. It did a poor job and clothes never really got dry. The latest model has a built in electric dryer that works well. So unless you do many loads and need to run washing and drying at the same time, you only need space for one if you buy the Splendie.

 

[gholmesbm]

Another vote for the Splendide combo. WE have had these on our old sail cat and now on our trawler. Does a good job washing loads, and drying is fine - it just takes longer, because the heating power is lower. Mostly we just wash and line dry clothes when possible. If you will use the dryer - only the vented option is feasible - the non-vented dryer is useless.

We would not want to give up the space for separate washer and dryer on our boat. Plenty of higher priorities for that space.

The other thing worth mentioning is that the power use and water use of the Splendides are both good for the more limited resources available onboard.