Ghost in my Splendide exorcist wanted!

[thekennys]

Ok here we go
we have the Splendide 7100xc washer/dryer in one unit and we boondock. the washer has a mind of it,s own sometimes... we plug it in lights flash and it starts wherever it wants, other times it won't do eneything. sometimes it even works. We spent yesterday pulling the washer out and driving it around the greater Yuma area. First to the pro from dover who hooked it up to his power and it worked fine. Hoked it up to my honda 3000is and it turned on but would only sort of go , no tub action.. conclusion call the factory rep. I did and his thoughts were, not many boondock and use washer but i must have a power suply problem. ok off to honda dealer for a diagonostic $40 allis well. On the phone again and reps thoughts were 1. hz ocelating 58~62 throwing off board 2. something on my 110 circut causing harmonics throwing off the board 3.rewire so washer runs off inverter only and run generator tocharge batteries to power inverter 4. try running other equipment to put load on generator to even out hz.
Please any ghostbusters with experience, thoughts, information
Mikey

[southern thunder]

It's hard to believe a dang washing machine is that picky about its power source. I would believe a computer or TV, but a washing machine? Wow.

[8.1al]

Even though Honda's are supposed to put out good, clean power there is always the chance that the electronics in the washer just don't like it, may also be the same with your inverter. Years ago we had a Jayco and a Coleman generator and Jayco's converter did not like the power coming from that generator. I made numerous calls to the comverter manufacturer and to Coleman, paid to have generator checked out. We finally bought a different generator and all was fine

[bncinwv]

The Splendide is actually just like a computer in the sense that it is has a controller that is a circuit board. There are UPS's (Uninterruptable Power Supply) that have filtering circuits built in to stabilize the line power that may be worth looking into. Probably cheaper than going the inverter route (don't know since I have never bought an inverter). An internet search will show some alternatives. A true electrical guru (of which I am not) may be of more assistance, but I can't help thinking that a solution along this line may work since it would possibly help to steady the power source. And it is a lot cheaper than switching generator's as well.
Bingo

[Buffpilot]

We had the same issue when using a honda 2000. Had to trip the CB to use gen power

[DQDick]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

The Splendide is actually just like a computer in the sense that it is has a controller that is a circuit board. There are UPS's (Uninterruptable Power Supply) that have filtering circuits built in to stabilize the line power that may be worth looking into. Probably cheaper than going the inverter route (don't know since I have never bought an inverter). An internet search will show some alternatives. A true electrical guru (of which I am not) may be of more assistance, but I can't help thinking that a solution along this line may work since it would possibly help to steady the power source. And it is a lot cheaper than switching generator's as well.
Bingo

X2 with Bingo, we've had a similar problem with the high tech furnace in our stick home and generators during power loss.

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

I don't know if you want to hear this, but Westland Sales (Splendide Dealer/service facility in Clackamas, Oregon) told us not to run our washer using the generator because the power supply might not be steady. I promise you, putting in a new circuit board is expensive (don't ask). Fluctuations in power at the campground where we are damaged our Splendide not once, but twice. So, it's not just generators that may cause problems; unreliable power of any kind just isn't good for what's essentially a computer-run machine.

Carolyn

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Agree with Carolyn, if there is ANY doubt about the power, I don't do laundry. This rule stands even in full hookup campgrounds, if in doubt, NO laundry.

I would not be doing while boondocking. We each do things differently. We carry enough clothes that we can go 2 to 3 weeks without doing laundry.

At the end of 2 weeks, CountyGuy better be finding me a 50 AMP full hookup site for a few days! LOL

Course, I can go 9 days and use only 40 gallons of water, but, please do NOT ask me about my electrical addiction. Gotta have POWER to charge up the computer and phone batteries! LOL

[thekennys]

well sometimes you get what you ask for so
Bingo wouldn't a un-interruptible power supply have to cover the V 15amp and be a honking big one?
Buff pilot which circuit breakers?
Carolyn i got a warranty and I'll try to get a reasonable solution to last for boon-docking but you're right about checking out shore power
Carol confession time about our styling boon-docking. we have the clothes to last but... a man's job is never to question why... there is 60 gal on board and 2 35 gal freshwater tanks on pickemup so.. as to power hog let's not go there yet solar and ~ 2 hrs on generator/day.
reinstalled unit today running generator and doing wash now goinig ok so far crossed fingers
mikey

[bncinwv]

Mike,
I don't mean to use the UPS as the source of power, rather as the filter for the power provided by the generator. The UPS would have to have that capability built into it's circuitry and not all of them do. I know the ones that we have at work do that because I specced them, but they also support a lot more than one device, so the ones we have cost about half of what your washer/dryer does. All you would need is 15 or 20A capability which I think could be had for less than $200. As I stated, I am far from an electrical guru, so if it was me, I would be asking specifics of the manufacturer and the applicability in that situation before I would shell out any money. Just a thought, albeit it may be a strange one?
Bingo

[lasater]

I have the Splendide 2100 and I also do a lot of boondock camping. If I plan to use a small generator (instead of my installed Onan 5.5KW) then I unplug the washer and plug it into a line from my 3KW inverter. I can use a small generator (the Onan sucks up a lot of gas) to keep the batteries up and the inverter gives me good clean power.

Oh,by the way, while boondocking, we air dry. Our usual load, while boondocking, is just socks and undies...no comforters, levis or other long drying items. For them, we drag out the coin jar, cull out some quarters (bunches of them) and head for the nearest laundry.

Our only problem has been a build-up of lint in the exhaust vent. We have to periodically tilt the machine out, disconnect the vent hose, and vacuum lint from the hose and back of the washer.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

thekenneys

I hear ya.

See, I am reluctant to do any laundry on the generator, I had only done like 10 loads of laundry with mine, IF that, tried to dry towels after showers, and it died. Little did we know, but it seems it was a quality power issue (CountryGuy will cringe at that description! LOL)

The repair done, WEEKS later was the mother board, cost, $358.00. Time charged to do the repair, 1.5 hours at $85.00 per hour. We were very happy it was covered under warranty.

Yes, I lost the use of it for weeks, forcing me back to the laundrymat for the only summer trip we made that year.

Color Carol, NOT HAPPY!!!!

Since then, if there is any question about the power, I just wait.

But, I understand, if she says, do the laundry, (smiling)

[Trailer Trash 2]

I have found that if I'm using a tool that requires power I take my Homda and turn off the energy switch, that 1 or 2 sec delay to get the RPM's up is all it takes for a error in power to a appliance causing slow of lack of power.
Just a thought your way.

[thekennys]

well
the load last nite worked
we air dry out here in the desert
i have tried to run with the economy switch off to avoid the surge
its a mystery here
Diane says if the load starts it seems to finish so... it's still ghosts
we are unpluging inbetween
thanks
mikey

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

Mike, I also have a warranty (and the extended warranty) on my brand-new Splendide. But, the 2 times that we had problems with our old Splendide, we were hundreds of miles away from a certified Splendide repairman or Splendide dealer, and we were stuck for months without our washer/dryer. Both times, we ended up driving to Westland, in Clackamas, for service which was a pain even though we were heading to Oregon at the time (but to southern Oregon, not to the Portland area). Now we have a brand-new machine that is leaking water badly, so we can't use it. (And, we're skirted and snowed in for the winter, so we can't move the rig.) The nearest warranty work tech is a 240-mile round trip from us, and we'd have to pay his time and mileage IF the leak were caused by a loose connection in the washer and not a part failure (which we wouldn't know until he took the machine apart). I called Westland and explained where we were and the service problem; a tech said he would work with anyone (via phone) we could get to pull out the machine and trouble-shoot it. But, we have no appliance serviceman here (just a "Oh, I may get around to you some day . . . and I'll see what I can do . . . if I ever get there . . . not doing much work these days . . ." situation). Still, Westland said the warranty would be honored no matter who pulled the machine--any warm body--and worked on it since we're in the boondocks. The problem is that we can't get anyone who's willing to pull that thing out of the cubbyhole it's in, wrestle it into the tiny space between the bed and cabinet, and take it apart. Wayne can't do it because he has severe rheumatoid arthritis and other health problems. So, once again we have a brand-new Splendide (used only 3 or 4 times) that we can't use because we're not near a service facility. When we head for Texas in late May, our trip will include a stop along the way at the first Splendide warranty-work place. (Yep, we have checked every water connection we can reach or see, and they are all secure, no likes or drips.)

Westland is GREAT to work with and will stay on the phone as long as it takes to help you find a problem and/or fix your machine. Our problem is that every time we have had problems, we can't pull the machine ouselves and are hours away from a Splendide warranty work center.

Good luck with finding your problem in the machine. Westland will bend over backwards to get it up and running again for you.

Carolyn

[thekennys]

Carolyn
ho boy!
The people on the phone are there and that's good but the rest is a horror story in slow motion
Our machine is just inside the door so i chanced killing myself moving it to the pickup and getting it to the repair man here in Yuma AZ
he was good but what he had to work with was a Splendede. The top came off with 2 screws in the back and afforded a prity good lock around but wait it's a repairman's job.
elt me know how life progresses
mikey

[Ozz]

If the Inverter is big enough,(and the battery bank) and a pure sine Inverter, for the washer, that should be the answer, but the Honda's should work, as they put out a clean power.
Is the Inverter/Battery bank adequate?

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

Mike, I'll let you know how the story ends, probably in May when we're taking our Monty to Missoula to add a few things before we leave for Texas. The RV place there sells and installs Splendides, so I'm hoping they do repairs, too. Since the machine is brand new, we're hoping that the problem is no more than something not connected right in a place we can't see because the unit is such a tight fit in the bedroom cabinet.

Frustrating!

Carolyn

[thekennys]

? should we have run your washer before we left the store and installed?
Mikey

[Wayne and Carolyn Mathews]

We did run it before we left Westland. (Westland has a parking area for RVs and a 50-amp hookup with a water hose.) Everything worked fine then and for the next 2 or 3 times we used it on our way home from Oregon. Then, splat! Within minutes of turning the washer on when we got back, the bedroom carpet was soaked. We double-checked every connection we could see and/or reach; all was ok. We let the carpet dry thoroughly and ran the machine again for a moment--same thing, water everywhere. It's a mystery to us why it worked fine 3 or 4 times and then started leaking.

I don't like mysteries like this one!

Carolyn

PS: We had nearly 11 inches of snow last night, so we're not pulling out any time soon.