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How get Spendide washer/dryer past the kitchen?

This is a public forum to discuss Eagle related technical issues. If you are having a problem with your Eagle, this is the place to find help.
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JimGnitecki
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 7:54 am
FMCA #: 407798
Bus Model: 1979 Eagle Model 5
Location: Austin, TX

How get Spendide washer/dryer past the kitchen?

Post by JimGnitecki »

As I write this, Camping World currently has the new, high capacity "XC" model of the Spendide washer/dryer on sale, including installation at half price (ONLY the installation is cut by 50% - the unit itself is more like $100 to $200 off). This is attractive, especially since Karen and I had determined a long time ago that a Splendide washer/dryer unit is a MUST for us when we begin fulltiming shortly.

My Eagle has the hot and cold water connections already run to one of the 2 closets (the one on the driver side). In a separate posting, I am exploring the idea of using the existing, unused 4" screened opening right below the proposed washer/dryer location as the vent for the dryer. The shower is located immediately foreward of that closet, so getting the washer drain line to the shower drain should be possible. The closet is large enough, and the opening is wide enough (must be at least 23.4 inches clear as that is the width of the Splendide - and also its SMALLEST outside dimension), once I remove one piece of tacked on door trim.

I am a cautious man by nature, though, and decided to measure the entire proposed path for bringing the Spendide INTO the bus and to the closet. That's where I hit the "oops".

The front door is fine. The clear width in the bus doorway,between the door seals, is almost 30 inches. Even the bathroom hall is fine - more than the required 23 1/2 inches.

The problem is the refrigerator.

It looks to me like when the bus was originally converted, there WAS at least 23 1/2 inches minimum clearance EVERYWHERE between the front door and the closet. But, somewhere along the way, a DEEPER refrigerator was installed. I can clearly see where the original draming for the refirgerator opening was "deepened" about 2" by tacking on new, additional wood pieces, and then tacking the original wood trim pieces onto them.

Now, the opening between the refrigerator door and the counter on the other side of the aisleway is only as little as 22 inches - about 1 1/2 inches too narrow.

On this particular model of Dometic fridge, removing the refrigerator door does not get you ANY added clearance at all. It looks like the entire fridge would have to be removed, set aside in an area between the kitchen and sofa where there is sufficient space for it outside the aisleway, and the washer/dryer unit moved past it.

Is there an easier way I am not seeing?

For example, is it easier or harder, cheaper or more costly, to remove the passenegr side rear bedroom window? As it turns out, that window needs to be removed ANYWAY to get a cracked piece of glass in it replaced, and I measured the window pane height as more than 2 feet. However, there is no assurance that Camping World could do that repair, or for a price as reasonable as my local auto glass place.

Or, should I be resigned to placing the Splendide in the basement, where I do already hyave a 120 volt receptacle? There, the attendant problems become needing brand new hot and cold water piping added, designing and installing a drain system that is starting from a height BELOW the top of the gray tank,and therefore vulnerable to backflooding if the gray tank becomes full somehow, and needing yet another hole in the side of the bus for dryer venting.

Or, is there a different brand of combined (one unit - NOT stackable) washer/dryer that is 22 inches in width or narrower?

Or, can the Splendide be disassembled to any sensible extent to get through a 22 inch squeeze point?

Ideas and comments?
Jim Gnitecki
("Jim G")
JimGnitecki@gmail.com
1979 Eagle Model 05 reborn around 1997
User avatar
JimGnitecki
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 105
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 7:54 am
FMCA #: 407798
Bus Model: 1979 Eagle Model 5
Location: Austin, TX

Re: How get Spendide washer/dryer past the kitchen?

Post by JimGnitecki »

Turns out there IS a solution for the Splendide unit.

The specificaitons published at Camping Word and everywhere else whow the dimensions as 23.4" wide x 33.4" high x 22.6" deep. NONE of these are the 22" or smaller I need to get past the fridge.

But, I downloaded the actual installation data sheet for the Splendide, and it turns out that the 22.6" depth includes 2 projections: the door handle and the vent adaptor.

With these removed, the unit is only 21 1/2" deep. In fact, although the data sheet does not show how much the door handle and the vent adaptor each individually contribute to the projection total of 1.1", it is possible that even just removing ONE of them might be enough. Once we are by the chokepoint, the 1 or 2 pieces removed can be reinstalled.

I like this solution a lot better than the others I had been mulling around.

By the way, in the meantime, I reseacrhed OTHER brands of washer dryer combos. They are all the same width, and about the same height, and the smallest depth is 21 7/10". The specs do not make clear whether that is with or without projections, but I am guessing with the projections removed.

So, it sort of sounds like they might all be using the same basic chassis - or have all agreed upon a "standard size" for an apartment or RV combo washer and dryer (these units are apaprently also used in European apartments).
Jim Gnitecki
("Jim G")
JimGnitecki@gmail.com
1979 Eagle Model 05 reborn around 1997
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