I'm still waiting for an answer to my question, so I am going to re-post it and hope someone see's it this time! 'm thinking about installing a washer and dryer in our Dutch Star A class. It would be nice to pack less clothing and just re-wear stuff after it is washed. If you have one installed can you tell me your experience with it? Is there a specific RV appropriate washer and dryer set up that I would have to look into? I saw an lg washer and dryer at that HH Gregg website but I don't know if there is a specific hook up I need to get. Thanks for the help. I just don't want to purchase the set just to realize that it isn't going to work! Thanks.
The last time I see three people did answer some of the information. If you buy one from outside RV use see if the unit is wired for 120 VAC and not 240 VAC. RV washers use 120 and dryers used 120 as well. In home machines this will not be the case. The Splendide units works off a 120 outlet and runs the washer and dryer on the same plug. Some of the large 45 foot buses have 24 VDC Inv. that put out 240 VAC plus they use 240 to power the range as well.
We installed a Splendide vented in our 5th wheel about 8 months into our full time life style. My wife will never be without a unit in an rv, as it worked out to be about a 16 month payback. We were spending at least $10 to $12 per week in the local laundromat and hated having to drive to some pretty seedy areas to do our wash. I made a box about 16 inch tall so the unit would sit up off the floor making it easier for wife to get stuff in and out without bending so far down. I made a drawer with glides so she could keep all the detergents and things in there out of sight. Still had room for the hanging bar above to hang clothes she wanted to hang up before they were totally dry to prevent wrinkles.
My motorhome has a Splendide unit. We rarely use it. The major reason is that it won't wash much of a load and it takes way too long to do it. We can use a campground facility in half the time it takes to do the same amount of laundry with that unit. For the cost of one, you can pay to do laundry for a couple of years. It is not user friendly, adds a great deal of weight to the rig, and if you aren't at a CG with sewer connections you will fill up your holding tank in a hurry. Since all of the piping is hidden from view, we only use it when we are in the rig. We do not want to be away and have the thing spring a big leak. The noise of drying clothes flopping around and the spin cycle are annoying. Someone else may have comments on a better brand that wouldn't have these issues. Good luck.
WOW, we like the Splindide so much when it wore out, we bought another one. You can run a load while doing anything around the rig, it beeps when done, washed and dried. The dryer spins slow, so there isn't much noise at all when drying. We only use it when we have a full hook up, and the cost to run is a LOT less than going to the laundry, beside using only a spoon of detergent. So it takes over 1 hour to wash and dry, we are not sitting in some scuzzy laundry along with who knows who that washed who knows what in the washer. This is where we say, do what makes you happy. We are very happy with the unit we have.
Do you have a closet setup for a stackable washer and dryer? Do you have the hot and cold water, drain line, electric, and dryer vent all ready for an install? If not this might be tough to do without someone who really knows what they are doing for the install. It's hard to plumb and do electrical on an RV once its left the factory. We bought a 2006 Newmar Kountry Aire and all hookups were set in a closet in the bathroom area. We researched extensively, and while in Albuquerque, NM we went to a large appliance store and bought the stackable Maytag washer and and dryer, apartment size, that are meant for RV's as well. We have had them for over a year and a half and love them! The dryer runs on 110V, yet dries wonderfully. We waited on the units because when we went full time we needed the closet space, but since we thinned out the things we didn't need, we then had the room and added them. So much better than using disgusting RV park facilities that you don't know what has been washed in them. After I saw an article about test of fecal residue in commercial laundrys, that was it! We bought our own. We'll never be without them again! Hope that helps!!
