Followup: Splendide Comb-o-matic washer/dryer
Melvin D. Calvert
(then) new Splendide Comb-o-matic Model 2000 washer dryer. My unit was
installed by my dealer in a new 1999 Winnebago Adventurer diesel pusher.
I didn't use the unit until about three months after I took delivery of the new
unit and it wouldn't dry clothes -- no matter how long I let it try. I went
through a lot of frustration and eventually, when another posting made
reference to the Splendide "laundry centers," I weighed in and added my views.
After that, I received an email from the owner of Westland Sales, Klackamas,
Oregon, the company that imports and distributes all of the Splendide line from
Italy. The email was positive and offered to do whatever was needed to solve
the problem. The message, and all of the subsequent contacts I have had with
Westland Sales, stressed that these same units (or identically functioning
units) are in used in other parts of the world as the ONLY washer dryer
available. They also stress that they get very few complaints and they wanted
to work with me to find out why my unit was not working and then get it fixed.
As a result of unrelated events, I had to drop the issue for about six months.
In Late July, I recontacted Westland Sales and started the process to get my
unit either repaired or exchanged.
I am happy to report, although a little embarrassed to admit, that the unit
works just fine -- if you know how to operate it and what to expect.
The major problem I had was in my expectation of how the unit should function
-- especially how long it should take to dry a load of clothes. My selling
dealer's salesman helped create my eventual discontent when he was explaining
how the unit worked. He advised me that "...It takes longer to dry than a
regular dryer because it is only 110 volts, not 220." That statement, taken by
itself is correct. However, like my high school English teacher said,
"Messages are in words, but meanings are in people." My entire perspective on
the comparison of this washer/dryer to the washer and dryer I had always used
was skewed from the start. My dryers have always been gas dryers and they are
the most effective dryers -- hands down.
That skewed basis for evaluation of the drying performance of the Splendide was
the problem. Well, almost all of the problem.
My selling dealer installed the unit before I picked it up. Apparently, the
air gap in the drain line was not open enough and the initial attempts to use
the machine were failures because the dryer couldn't move the hot moist air out
through the drain line. As a result, the dryer couldn't dry the clothes. In
another embarassing aspect of the scenario, after my dealer claimed to have
fixed the problem in December, I tried to wash a couple of small loads and I
still wasn't happy with the lack of rapidly dried clothes.
After that, I didn't try any more and became more and more convinced that I had
spent a lot of money (my dealer charged $1,000 for the installed unit) for no
benfit.
When I recently made contact with Wesrtland Sales, the owner again took the
time to talk with me on a couple of calls and he was able to help me understand
that the dryer is much more like a 220v dryer than a gas dryer. That
realization, coupled with my knowledge that my parents' electric dryer (220v)
always took a long lime to dry clothes.
I have since washed several "test" loads of clothes and sheets and towels, and
if I do my part, the washer dryer works very well. I just have to remember
that the load limit of the unit is smaller than a home applince and the dryer
will wrinkle clothes if I let it run until they are "bone dry" and then forget
to remove them immediately -- just like any dryer.
In short, I can vouch that the Splendide Comb-o-matic 2000 is a very good
appliance and it works well -- but it can't be correctly compared to a home
appliance set of regular washer and dryer -- especially not to a gas dryer.
For a RV owner, it actually is just about perfect. Accepting the load limit, I
am happ with the unit and recommend that anyone interested in buying one check
them out at Campers World or contact Westland Sales at 1-800-356-0766 to find a
dealer near you.
M D Calvert
Oak Ridge, TN
MrRagtime
dryer uses about 6500 watts (voltage is not meterial - it is wattage that
heats) and exhausts the hot humid air to the outside. You are continually
heating fresh air.
Spendide only uses 1600 watts and recirculates the air. The hot humid air is
directed against a 'cold' plate which condenses the moisture in the air and
pumps the water out your drain hose. The air is then returned to the clothes
chamber to absorb more moisture. The Spendide takes about 25 gallons of water
per cycle. Only 7 or 8 gallons is used for wash and rinse. The rest is used
to keep the 'cold' plate cold.
An average load takes about 1-1/2 hrs to dry. But you can cut this way down by
taking the clothes out before completely dry. They will dry quickly at air
temperature and you will have a lot less wrinkling.
Another satisfied user.
MrRagtime
>(my dealer charged $1,000 for the installed unit)
Pretty steep cost. With discounts, we paid Campers World about $700 including
installation
JRCutler
do they even use the condensing type? Doesn't seem like a big issue to put a
vent into the side of the RV.
Please remove "nospam" in replies.
MrRagtime
>do they even use the condensing type? Doesn't seem like a big issue to p
Remember - your typical home dryer takes about 6500 watts @ 240 volts. You
don't have that available to an RV - even with 50 amp service in a campground,
you would fall short.
The Spendide has about 1600 watts or 1/4 the wattage of your home unit. Hence,
4 times the drying time if only heat was used. 1600 watts or about 15 amps is
about all your RV can handle when considering micriowaves, coffee makers, air
conditioners, etc
JRCutler
RV type of which there are both condensing and non condensing, vented. What
advantage is there to a condensing type if any vs vented. Cost is the same
except the vented needs a vent outlet placed in the wall of the RV. I would
think a vented would dry faster since the air starts out dryer versus a
recirculating dryer with condenser.
Any experience here on drying times with the vented.
Pete Dumbleton
> Remember - your typical home dryer takes about 6500 watts @ 240 volts. You
> don't have that available to an RV - even with 50 amp service in a campground,
> you would fall short.
>
Umm, 6500/240=27Amps (@ 240V), which is less than 50Amps (@ 240V). I've
run an arc-welder off the 50Amp service at a CG.
MrRagtime
>run an arc-welder off the 50Amp service at a CG.
Where have you ever found 50 amps 240 volts in an RV park. You get effectively
50 amps @ 120 volts. 50x120=6000 watts and that doesn't leave room for your
other appliances.
You can buy an arc welder to run on 15 amps, 120 volts - small but they work on
up to about 1/16" rod
Ralph Lindberg & Ellen Winnie
jrcu...@aol.comnospam (JRCutler) wrote:
> I recognize the difference in home and RV type. My question is purely for the
> RV type of which there are both condensing and non condensing, vented. What
> advantage is there to a condensing type if any vs vented. Cost is the same
> except the vented needs a vent outlet placed in the wall of the RV. I would
> think a vented would dry faster since the air starts out dryer versus a
> recirculating dryer with condenser.
From the reading I've done the non-vented has at least a 2x dry time
over a vented. It also consumes a lot more water (which is why some
parks don't like them). Of course some parks don't like vented types as
they draw power (that the park pays for)
--
Ralph Lindberg personal email n7...@amsat.org
RV and Camping FAQ http://kendaco.telebyte.com/rlindber/rv
If Windows is the answer I would really like to know what the question is
Pete Dumbleton
park is 50 Amp/240 Volts; says so right on it (and the 30 Amp says
120Volt) and if you're skeptical about the written word, just put a meter
to it. The wiring in your RV takes the 50A/240V and splits it off as two
120V circuits. Many people aren't aware of that, but don't anyone take my
word for it -- Look at your meter.
Good park power pedestals have 15/20 and 30Amp receptacles at 120V and a
50Amp receptacle at 240V for each site.
What I have *never* found is 50Amp 120Volts in an RV park. Not even sure
that breakers, plugs and outlets exist for something like that. The
biggest 12OV circuit I've ever seen is 30A, altho bigger might exist. The
smallest 240V circuit I've ever seen is 20A; the plug/outlet look just
like 20A/120V at first glance, but they are more like a mirror image of
each other.
The welder was a 240V Lincoln "Tombstone" that I used to run from the
dryer connection in the house in a former life when I had a house. I even
sold the welder.
On 18 Aug 2000, MrRagtime wrote:
> >Umm, 6500/240=27Amps (@ 240V), which is less than 50Amps (@ 240V). I've
> >run an arc-welder off the 50Amp service at a CG.
>
George Mansur
"50 amp" service delivers almost 3 times the power of "30 amp" service.
gm
"Pete Dumbleton" <afn2...@afn.org> wrote in message
news:Pine.LNX.4.10.100081...@freenet1.afn.org...
> Right on the pedestal; every 50Amp connection I've ever examined at an RV
> park is 50 Amp/240 Volts; says so right on it (and the 30 Amp says
> 120Volt) and if you're skeptical about the written word, just put a meter
> to it. The wiring in your RV takes the 50A/240V and splits it off as two
> 120V circuits. Many people aren't aware of that, but don't anyone take my
> word for it -- Look at your meter.
>
> Good park power pedestals have 15/20 and 30Amp receptacles at 120V and a
> 50Amp receptacle at 240V for each site.
>
> What I have *never* found is 50Amp 120Volts in an RV park. Not even sure
> that breakers, plugs and outlets exist for something like that. The
> biggest 12OV circuit I've ever seen is 30A, altho bigger might exist. The
> smallest 240V circuit I've ever seen is 20A; the plug/outlet look just
> like 20A/120V at first glance, but they are more like a mirror image of
> each other.
>
> The welder was a 240V Lincoln "Tombstone" that I used to run from the
> dryer connection in the house in a former life when I had a house. I even
> sold the welder.
>
>
> On 18 Aug 2000, MrRagtime wrote:
>
> > >Umm, 6500/240=27Amps (@ 240V), which is less than 50Amps (@ 240V).
I've
> > >run an arc-welder off the 50Amp service at a CG.
> >
GS
>
> I recognize the difference in home and RV type. My question is purely for the
> RV type of which there are both condensing and non condensing, vented. What
> advantage is there to a condensing type if any vs vented.
I can think of two advantages for the condensing type...
(1) Faster and simpler installation for the manufacturer. Less labor
cost.
(2) One less hole in the side of the rig to leak. This is also a
benefit for the manufacturer, as it's one less potential
warranty claim to have to pay.
Other than those items that benefit primarily the manufacturer, I
can't think of any reason to OWN the condensing type unit, compared
to the vented type. In fact, our dealer recommended against the
factory installed condensing type, claiming he had a pile of 'em he
replaced with vented units.
--
Gary Sanders
Bait for spammers:
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Rverdlm
you 220V, 50A or 120V, 100A. It is true that it is a common breaker and
exceeding 50A on either leg will trip it. If you look at the wiring of the box
you will see it has 4 wires, 2 hots, a nuetral, and a ground.