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Old 02-28-2020, 09:33 AM   #1
jpwhite
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Washer Dyer Combo Installation Details

A month ago, I posted a request for information from anyone who had installed the Splendide WD2100CX Washer Dryer Combo unit in my model (2019 3120RL) Montana. I since purchased and installed the washer / dryer in my RV, so thought I would share my information. Other layouts may be different requiring changes in installation.

First, the 3120RL has a closet on the right side of the bedroom that is plumbed for a washer. The closet is 27 inches font to back, 24.75 inches side to side at the floor, and 43.25 inches from the floor to the closet shelf. The Splendide combo washer dryer fits comfortably in this space.

I staged the washer into the RV directly from the tailgate of my pickup. I accomplished this because the delivery driver was flexible, and my daughter had the day off to help. I backed the truck up to the delivery truck and the driver and I “walked” the washer from the delivery truck into the back of the pickup. It fit nicely between the 5th wheel hitch and the closed tailgate. I drove to the RV and backed the truck alongside the RV so that the lowered tailgate was close to the door. I put a board across to bridge from the tailgate through the threshold of the door. My daughter and I were able to walk the washer across a board into the RV.

The washer (all packaging removed) fits in the entry hallway of the RV when all closed up. I could store it there while prepping for the install.

I planned to cut the 4-inch dryer vent hole centered 22 inches off the closet floor. I got several stud finder readings in that area. The readings may have been false, but there were no readings a few inches above and below that spot. As the installation instructions indicate the duct should slope down and away from the dryer, I decided to cut lower and centered the hole about 18 inches off the floor.

I removed the cabinetry covering the plumbing on the right side of the closet to ensure clearance for cut This was not strictly necessary allowed me to assess how I wanted to install a drain line for the drain away pan and but afforded the opportunity to add some insulation around the plumbing and make other minor improvements.

The hole is centered 7.5 inches from the back of the closet cabinetry containing the water supply and drain. If I had cut .5 inches closer to the front of the RV, there would have been a clearance problem outside with the vent cover and the raised joint between the side panel and fiberglass front cap of the Montana. I recommend moving it forward 1 or possibly 2 inches further away from the front of the RV (8.5 to 9.5 inches from the back of the closet).

I used silicone caulk to cover predrilled pilot holes and generously in two beads around the vent flange to provide a good seal. It screwed in easily. I painted the vent cover before installing it.

I decided not to use the drain away pan. The effort to run the drain line did not seem worth it. The pan would not address the most likely flood condition consisting of an overflow spewing out of the grey box drain. It only covers the floor directly under the washer. The one-inch drain connector would be overwhelmed the other likely leak scenarios.

I leveled the coach and completed prepping the closet and opened the slides.
My daughter and I used forearm forklift straps to move the Washer Dryer Combo into the bedroom. It fit up the stairs with the handrail in place and around the bedroom dresser without a problem. I lifted the bed to provide a little extra room. The forearm Forklift straps made lifting and maneuvering the 150-pound unit much easier.

Once in the bedroom, we had to remove the shipping bolts and plugs from the washer. It was a real pain getting them out.

The flexible dryer duct provided with the Splendide vent kit was only about 3 feet long and too short to accommodate installation. I purchased a 5-foot flexible aluminum dryer vent duct from the local ACE hardware. That worked fine.

While the closet width easily accommodates the installed washer, the closet door must be removed to provide clearance to get it in there. After removing it, we maneuvered the washer in front of the closet. We tilted the washer forward and lifted the back legs into the closet and held it there. I plugged the power cord into the outlet, secured the flexible duct to the dryer vent outlet, inserted the drain hose into the drain stand pipe, and attached the water hoses. We then lifted the front of the washer / dryer, rocking onto the back legs, and slid it into place. While doable, the tight space made it a little challenging at times.

With the unit in the closet, there is enough clearance for me to reach in with my head and upper torso between the top of the washer and the closet shelf to access the water valves and remove or install the water hoses. This will make winterizing and de-winterizing much easier. The extra room proved very handy an after installation leveling exercise.

One of the last steps is to secure the unit in place using brackets (SPLNDIDE SF BRACKET 31461). The brackets are screwed down over the front leveling feet to prevent front to back and side to side movement. There was not enough clearance between the bottom of the washer and the floor for the bracket to fit.

The washer had to be raised between an eighth to a quarter of an inch to accommodate the height of the bracket. Raising the front, of course required me to also raise the back. Rather than uninstall the whole thing, we were able to tip the WD forward, and with my wife holding it in place, I could reach back and turned the rear leveling feet. I raise the front, counting the number of turns until we had sufficient clearance to install the brackets. We then tilted the unit forward and I raise the back by turning the feet in back the same number of turns. It took a couple of iterations get the right height and be level front to back and side to side.

I suggest checking the height and level prior to installation, especially if you are installing it into a less generous spot.

I found one last little "gotcha" after we reinstalled the closet door. The inside closet doorknob was just ever so slightly touching the front of the unit when the door was closed. I figured that would be a problem with all the movement while towing. I unscrewed the brackets, moved the washer back about ¾ of an inch and reattached the brackets. This provided plenty of clearance between the washer and the inside closet doorknob while maintaining plenty of clearance for the dryer vent and other hook ups in back.

Jim
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Old 02-28-2020, 10:02 AM   #2
Camp CA
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jpwhite,

Nice write-up and job!! Love the pics!!. You will like the convenience and quite operation. I have these installed in our Montana 3780RL
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Old 02-28-2020, 02:40 PM   #3
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excellent write up and very nice installation. i think it is the same unit we had in our motorhome. I dont have the information at hand but if you google it it may be of importance to you and maybe not about a locked door of the washer/dryer and not being able to open the door. we once had our grandsons baseball uniform in it to dry and needed to get it out but could not open the door. whether you change it or not to have the door able to open at will is your business but i think you may find it interesting, if you do not find the info and want it i should be able to obtain. just a fyi
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Old 02-28-2020, 03:30 PM   #4
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Thanks for the positive feedback.

We have been using it for the past 3 weeks and love it. It is a total game changer when staying with full hook-ups.

There must have been a recent product change. On my unit, pushing the on-off button allows you to unlock and open tne door to add or remove an item.
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Old 02-28-2020, 05:18 PM   #5
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You are someone using their head. A real do it yourselfer. It sounds like you didn’t need anybody to help.
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Old 02-29-2020, 05:41 PM   #6
jpwhite
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Thanks. Believe me, I love all the input I can get!

I hope someone can use my experience to save time or some of the major stress related to cutting that 4 inch hole in the side of the RV!
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Old 06-07-2020, 08:22 AM   #7
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Great write-up...thank you so much for the advance information (heads up) and pictures. Just about ready to install our Splendide 7100 and we can use all the help we can get.
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Old 06-07-2020, 10:00 AM   #8
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That installation you did looks awesome! I see you did the combo unit. DH and I are looking at 2 separate units. Thanks for all your tips!! Love the matching paint on the outside! We have a paint& body shop, so will definitely match up the paint!!
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Old 06-07-2020, 10:02 AM   #9
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My question is what washer and dryer units did everyone use??Am definitely interested in 2 separate units. DH and I have the 2019 Montana 3701LK. We plan on living full time while building our house .
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Old 06-07-2020, 03:42 PM   #10
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Good. We love ours. A real game changer when traveling.
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Old 06-07-2020, 03:57 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mollymsrn View Post
That installation you did looks awesome! I see you did the combo unit. DH and I are looking at 2 separate units. Thanks for all your tips!! Love the matching paint on the outside! We have a paint& body shop, so will definitely match up the paint!!
A professional paint job would be awesome. I used a can of paint I picked up at the hardware store on sale.

My wife and I vacation in our rig for weeks at a time and found the combo unit works great for our needs. We do one or two loads every other day. We hang about a third of what we wash. I think the newer units have better drying times. Most of the time 40 minutes or 60 minute for a completely dry load. I was expecting hours, based I some of the information I read. A key is not overloading it.

For us, the storage space was more valuable than the efficiency or extra capacity of drying and washing at the same time. For someone that has more laundry (or more storage space) or a busy schedule, whatever, I can see the value in having the stackable units. Unfortunately, I do not have experience to share. Good luck.
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Old 06-08-2020, 05:50 AM   #12
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We have the Splendide 7100 ventless combo. The vented units take too much of that hard-earned air conditioned air out of the 5er during the drying cycle (approx 10,000cfm). The ventless are closed systems...take a little longer to dry, and use about 4-5 gallons of cold water during the drying cycle....and like jpwhite, the storage space is really valuable to us also.
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Old 11-13-2020, 10:12 AM   #13
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Thank you so much for the detailed description and photos of your installation. They are a big help to me for my planning for the installation. I have a 2021 Montana 3120RL and I believe the closet in the bedroom that is preped for the washer dryer is identical to yours. But i think we want to go with the Spendide stackable washer and dryer so my dryer vent exit can be higher than yours. From your photo from the outside, it looks like if the vent was higher it could be farther forward towards the front cap. Just guessing from the photo it looks like the spot where it could go farthest towards the cap is approx. 18" higher. Does that sound about right to you? So if you vent is 18" off of the closet floor if I made mine about 36" off the closet floor, I could be a little farther forward than yours. Actually due to the way the lower portion of the closet in the back is boxed in arounf the water valves and drin line there is a shelf like area at 35" above the closet floor. I would like to lay the vent hose on/along that shelf which would put the center of the vent hose at about 38" where it goes through the wall. That would keep the vent hose above the water valves and drain line box. According to the dimension sheet I have for the stackable washer/dryer the dryer vent on the back of the dryer will be 39-1/4" off of the closet floor and if it goes through the wall at 38" that would have the vent hose sloping downhill approx. 1-1/4" between dryer and wall. So if you don't mind I would like your opinion of my plan and if your unit is easily accessible could you get a few measurements for me? Could you measure up from the center of your vent on the outside to the height that would allow the vent to be moved furthest forward towards the cap? The tell me how much farter forward you think I could go and not be too close to cap edge. Also could you measure up 20" from the center of your vent and tell me how much I could move the vent forward towards the cap from where yours is without getting to close to the cap edge at that height. Thanks
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Old 11-14-2020, 07:50 AM   #14
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One thing to consider is the vent location is determined, in part, by wall studs. They must be avoided at all costs.

This photo shows how our combo is mounted. This platform has a raised perimeter and a hole for the drain line. The inside dimensions of the raised portion is the outside dimensions of the combo's feet, thus captivating the unit and prevents movement. The platform is waterproofed just in case of leaks. Just an idea since the optional drain pan seems inefficient to me.
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Old 11-14-2020, 01:12 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jpwhite View Post
A month ago, I posted a request for information from anyone who had installed the Splendide WD2100CX Washer Dryer Combo unit in my model (2019 3120RL) Montana. I since purchased and installed the washer / dryer in my RV, so thought I would share my information. Other layouts may be different requiring changes in installation.

First, the 3120RL has a closet on the right side of the bedroom that is plumbed for a washer. The closet is 27 inches font to back, 24.75 inches side to side at the floor, and 43.25 inches from the floor to the closet shelf. The Splendide combo washer dryer fits comfortably in this space.

I staged the washer into the RV directly from the tailgate of my pickup. I accomplished this because the delivery driver was flexible, and my daughter had the day off to help. I backed the truck up to the delivery truck and the driver and I “walked” the washer from the delivery truck into the back of the pickup. It fit nicely between the 5th wheel hitch and the closed tailgate. I drove to the RV and backed the truck alongside the RV so that the lowered tailgate was close to the door. I put a board across to bridge from the tailgate through the threshold of the door. My daughter and I were able to walk the washer across a board into the RV.

The washer (all packaging removed) fits in the entry hallway of the RV when all closed up. I could store it there while prepping for the install.

I planned to cut the 4-inch dryer vent hole centered 22 inches off the closet floor. I got several stud finder readings in that area. The readings may have been false, but there were no readings a few inches above and below that spot. As the installation instructions indicate the duct should slope down and away from the dryer, I decided to cut lower and centered the hole about 18 inches off the floor.

I removed the cabinetry covering the plumbing on the right side of the closet to ensure clearance for cut This was not strictly necessary allowed me to assess how I wanted to install a drain line for the drain away pan and but afforded the opportunity to add some insulation around the plumbing and make other minor improvements.

The hole is centered 7.5 inches from the back of the closet cabinetry containing the water supply and drain. If I had cut .5 inches closer to the front of the RV, there would have been a clearance problem outside with the vent cover and the raised joint between the side panel and fiberglass front cap of the Montana. I recommend moving it forward 1 or possibly 2 inches further away from the front of the RV (8.5 to 9.5 inches from the back of the closet).

I used silicone caulk to cover predrilled pilot holes and generously in two beads around the vent flange to provide a good seal. It screwed in easily. I painted the vent cover before installing it.

I decided not to use the drain away pan. The effort to run the drain line did not seem worth it. The pan would not address the most likely flood condition consisting of an overflow spewing out of the grey box drain. It only covers the floor directly under the washer. The one-inch drain connector would be overwhelmed the other likely leak scenarios.

I leveled the coach and completed prepping the closet and opened the slides.
My daughter and I used forearm forklift straps to move the Washer Dryer Combo into the bedroom. It fit up the stairs with the handrail in place and around the bedroom dresser without a problem. I lifted the bed to provide a little extra room. The forearm Forklift straps made lifting and maneuvering the 150-pound unit much easier.

Once in the bedroom, we had to remove the shipping bolts and plugs from the washer. It was a real pain getting them out.

The flexible dryer duct provided with the Splendide vent kit was only about 3 feet long and too short to accommodate installation. I purchased a 5-foot flexible aluminum dryer vent duct from the local ACE hardware. That worked fine.

While the closet width easily accommodates the installed washer, the closet door must be removed to provide clearance to get it in there. After removing it, we maneuvered the washer in front of the closet. We tilted the washer forward and lifted the back legs into the closet and held it there. I plugged the power cord into the outlet, secured the flexible duct to the dryer vent outlet, inserted the drain hose into the drain stand pipe, and attached the water hoses. We then lifted the front of the washer / dryer, rocking onto the back legs, and slid it into place. While doable, the tight space made it a little challenging at times.

With the unit in the closet, there is enough clearance for me to reach in with my head and upper torso between the top of the washer and the closet shelf to access the water valves and remove or install the water hoses. This will make winterizing and de-winterizing much easier. The extra room proved very handy an after installation leveling exercise.

One of the last steps is to secure the unit in place using brackets (SPLNDIDE SF BRACKET 31461). The brackets are screwed down over the front leveling feet to prevent front to back and side to side movement. There was not enough clearance between the bottom of the washer and the floor for the bracket to fit.

The washer had to be raised between an eighth to a quarter of an inch to accommodate the height of the bracket. Raising the front, of course required me to also raise the back. Rather than uninstall the whole thing, we were able to tip the WD forward, and with my wife holding it in place, I could reach back and turned the rear leveling feet. I raise the front, counting the number of turns until we had sufficient clearance to install the brackets. We then tilted the unit forward and I raise the back by turning the feet in back the same number of turns. It took a couple of iterations get the right height and be level front to back and side to side.

I suggest checking the height and level prior to installation, especially if you are installing it into a less generous spot.

I found one last little "gotcha" after we reinstalled the closet door. The inside closet doorknob was just ever so slightly touching the front of the unit when the door was closed. I figured that would be a problem with all the movement while towing. I unscrewed the brackets, moved the washer back about ¾ of an inch and reattached the brackets. This provided plenty of clearance between the washer and the inside closet doorknob while maintaining plenty of clearance for the dryer vent and other hook ups in back.

Jim
Had our stacked set installed by Lazydays in Tampa before we picked it up. Had the same issue. Wore a spot on the front of the washer. I ended up removing the inside knob.



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Old 06-15-2022, 04:53 PM   #16
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washer dryer combo

I just found this post, as we are trying to figure out what washer dryer unit we should purchase for our 2016 Montana with wheel camper. I will have to get the numbers off the camper. Can you tell me what unit you bought? Where your bought it from? we looked at one inCamper World, but a friend said not to buy that unit, it wasnt that good. This person told us to contact Montana campers to find out what they recomend.So any help you could give me would be great. Just need the make model number and another info I would need to look this unit up. We camp four months out of state, and it was to costly to pay to wash and dry cloths. I hope this unit is a good one and you have been using it, so you would know how you like it. thank you for any info you could provide.
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Old 06-15-2022, 05:40 PM   #17
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I bought splendide washer and vented dryer (separate units) from Camping World, including all the pieces and parts for the install. I could not find any “deals” at the time. Frankly, if there are various models with different features - I did not do any research on that. Just bought the units and had them delivered to the house. I thought about doing the install myself but I ended up paying a nearby RV service garage to do it. We are happy with the Splendide models.
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Old 06-15-2022, 06:03 PM   #18
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Did the same as Mikendebbie, Dealer supplied and installed the unit.............very quite and reliable.
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Old 06-15-2022, 06:19 PM   #19
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We ordered the Splendide units with our unit. Been using them every few days for the past 6 plus years.
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Old 06-16-2022, 06:35 AM   #20
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We have the Splendide WD2100XC Vented Washer Dryer Combo. We are in the RV 3 to 4 months / year and love having this unit. We went with the combo unit because we wanted to keep the upper half of the closet open for storage. We have no problem keeping up with the laundry, even though we have to wait until the dry cycle competes to start another load.
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