Cutting dryer vent hole question.

[GK2018]

Nice job. What was the brand name of the washer? I see it’s a GE but do you have a model number?


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Thanks! I know after washing about 5 loads so far I absolutely love it, it is really quite almost can't tell it's even running, but the spin cycle does shake the camper pretty good, nothing too bad but you can feel it. It's a GE washer 24" model number
GFW148SSMWW it's the only 24" washer that GE makes. The matching dryer is unfortunately a 240V which won't work with the 120V plugins and is why we opted to keep our Panda dryer which really has been a great dryer for the past two years anyways so no need to replace it other than to have had a matching set.

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[GK2018]

No drain pan?

Not yet, it's definitely on my list but the reason it isn't done yet is because I'm going to build one from scratch, put a drain in the pan leading to the exterior, as well as an electronic water shutoff that senses leaks within the drain pan and will electronically close the water valves and send out an audible alert. I'm waiting until warmer weather to start that project and I figure until then I should be ok (fingers crossed).

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[Dmetcalf]

Not yet, it's definitely on my list but the reason it isn't done yet is because I'm going to build one from scratch, put a drain in the pan leading to the exterior, as well as an electronic water shutoff that senses leaks within the drain pan and will electronically close the water valves and send out an audible alert. I'm waiting until warmer weather to start that project and I figure until then I should be ok (fingers crossed).

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We bought a heavy plastic drain pan designed for this application on amazon for cheap ( can’t remember how much right now..?) but it has a male hose outlet on one of the corners that allows you to connect a host to it to run outside somewhere. Just for information to save you some time & work.

 

[TXgearhead]

Home Depot sells Magic Chef compact washer and dryers on line. We just got the washer, but the dryer was not available and we ordered it from Amazon for $75 more. Of course Home Depot had it in back in stock a week later. Home Depot has a 5 year warranty for $75.
Camco has a drain pan for about $20. Amazon.
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Chef-2-0-cu-ft-Compact-Top-Load-Washing-Machine-in-White-Portable-with-Stainless-Steel-Tub-MCSTCW20W4/304707146
[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Chef-Compact-3-5-cu-ft-Electric-Dryer-in-White-MCSDRY35W/301135032[/FONT][SUB][SUP]
[/SUP][/SUB][/FONT]

 

[Oregon_Camper]

We bought a heavy plastic drain pan designed for this application on amazon for cheap ( can’t remember how much right now..?) but it has a male hose outlet on one of the corners that allows you to connect a host to it to run outside somewhere. Just for information to save you some time & work.

We have the same one (type??) that we used when installing out units last summer. $46 on Amazon. We used a garden hose to route to outside, as I didn't see the need to use hard PVC as it (hopefully) will never be used...plus it was super easy to route house vs hard PVC to outside.

Drip Pan - https://amzn.to/39EMJ8S

Install Video (if interested) - https://youtu.be/g1wLohuKu-M

 

[carl.swoyer]

Greg - sorry this happened to you but so glad you were going slow and was able to recover.

Please know that this has been flagged up to the factory and tomorrow, all plants will be audited for this very item. Thank you for letting us know this is happening. We thought we had it corrected in the past.

Hello Jim,
Just a thought?
If the factory has plumbing and electrical prep for a washer dryer why not include the dryer vent. Seems to me this should work.
Kind of like having generator prep and no transfer switch.

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[Dmetcalf]

Hello Jim,
Just a thought?
If the factory has plumbing and electrical prep for a washer dryer why not include the dryer vent. Seems to me this should work.
Kind of like having generator prep and no transfer switch.

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I agree even though some might say they never intend on installing a washer/dryer it surely doesn't hurt anything having the dryer vent already installed …. from the factory in the correct place ..! Just sayin, I agree with your idea.

 

[carl.swoyer]

I agree even though some might say they never intend on installing a washer/dryer it surely doesn't hurt anything having the dryer vent already installed …. from the factory in the correct place ..! Just sayin, I agree with your idea.

Seems really easy?
Right

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[Dmetcalf]

Seems really easy?
Right

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I actually had the dealer install my dryer vent before I took possession and $0. cost to me. Part of the deal.... I made with them.

 

[carl.swoyer]

I actually had the dealer install my dryer vent before I took possession and $0. cost to me. Part of the deal.... I made with them.

Sounds good but did they cut through the metal too

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[Dmetcalf]

Sounds good but did they cut through the metal too

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I guess I'll never know but my hope is that they double checked with a metal stud finder to make sure before they started sawing ..!

 

[greatheron]

GK2018, your install looks great. We went through this same scenario last spring as we headed out on a 2 month spring trip. Long and short of it was, we ordered through Camping World (y'all can hold your comments) and eventually stopped on the way home and with some pity story had them install. I was very wary since I pointed out that our "place/drill vent here" sticker was literally an inch and a half away from the corner?!?!

Service manager said he would point it out and confer with the technician who would be installing. True we weren't there in the shop when they drilled and installed, but they installed very satisfactorily and we used it for five months on a summer trip across country. All is good! Like the convenience of our own facilities!

I like Shawn Muir's suggestion that it be predrilled at the factory, at least the interior, and covered with a plug. That way owners would know where to drill, would be inconspicuous in a closet and nothing outside. The sticker is evidently not working!!!

 

[NYSUPstater]

Factory pre-drill a hole or install actual vent? That makes too much sense.

 

[GK2018]

We bought a heavy plastic drain pan designed for this application on amazon for cheap ( can’t remember how much right now..?) but it has a male hose outlet on one of the corners that allows you to connect a host to it to run outside somewhere. Just for information to save you some time & work.

I looked at those but my biggest concern is that if it leaks anywhere it'll be at the hose connections and it'll spray all over the wall and maybe the floor so the design build I had in mind is basically like a putting the washing machine encased in a waterproof box with the drain leading to the exterior and an electronic water shutoff to close the hot and cold water valves if water were to hit the box anywhere. I always leave the water on when we leave the RV so I'm all about auto water shutoffs if it senses any leaks. I'm probably going to build it out of shower wall material and wood, even thought about having one professionally custom built but that's probably more than I want to spend.

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[GK2018]

I actually had the dealer install my dryer vent before I took possession and $0. cost to me. Part of the deal.... I made with them.

I entertained having the place we purchased our RV from install it but after reading so many horror stories I figured I'd do it so if it got messed up I could only blame myself. I'm glad after running into the issue that I went that option just for the concern that someone could've easily cut through the metal bar and might not have ever told me and then I'd been up a creek without a paddle haha.

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[Princess_Kelea]

Greg - sorry this happened to you but so glad you were going slow and was able to recover.

Please know that this has been flagged up to the factory and tomorrow, all plants will be audited for this very item. Thank you for letting us know this is happening. We thought we had it corrected in the past.

So, now I'm super worried. My dear hubby said he thought we'd have to cut a hole in the side if we bought a dryer with a vent. I said NO we won't, it's "prepped" for a washer/dryer, surely there's a connection already there that the vent will attach to.
Apparently I'm going to have to admit I was wrong again. Any recommendations on a ventless dryer that works well or where to take the 5th wheel to have it installed? And how can we know by just a pilot hole if we'll have this same issue. We are picking up our new "used" 2017 in 4 days!!!

 

[Princess_Kelea]

When I had problems and needed parts or part numbers, customer service department would send me the parts ASAP. If they were not in stock, they would give me the suppliers number to get the parts quicker. Heartland is really responsive and perhaps the best company I have dealt with.

Does this also apply if you're the second owner of the unit? Hoping we won't need them but would like to feel they'd be as responsive to us also.

 

[GK2018]

So, now I'm super worried. My dear hubby said he thought we'd have to cut a hole in the side if we bought a dryer with a vent. I said NO we won't, it's "prepped" for a washer/dryer, surely there's a connection already there that the vent will attach to.
Apparently I'm going to have to admit I was wrong again. Any recommendations on a ventless dryer that works well or where to take the 5th wheel to have it installed? And how can we know by just a pilot hole if we'll have this same issue. We are picking up our new "used" 2017 in 4 days!!!

As long as you go slow, start from the inside of the RV when cutting and make sure your "pilot drill bit" (the one that guides your circular cutting bit) doesn't go through the exterior fiberglass wall you will be good and can fix any interior "messups" with ease. The layout of the wall starting from inside to out is contact paper to wood paneling to styrofoam insulation to the exterior fiberglass. Just cut the contact paper/wood out then pry away/cut the styrofoam out then make sure there's no metal brace in that area measure the inside and outside to make sure you aren't too close to the front cap seal and you'll be good to go!

Just as a side note though Heartland didn't send me contact paper to fix the error they wound up sending me a huge 8 foot by 6 ft wall to fix my interior mess up. I definitely laughed when I went to pick it up, was thankful I had a truck and then I laughingly cursed when I had to find a place to store it until I got around to using it seeing as we're full timers and a wall that size doesn't just fit anywhere in the RV

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[Princess_Kelea]

Just as a side note though Heartland didn't send me contact paper to fix the error they wound up sending me a huge 8 foot by 6 ft wall to fix my interior mess up. I definitely laughed when I went to pick it up, was thankful I had a truck and then I laughingly cursed when I had to find a place to store it until I got around to using it seeing as we're full timers and a wall that size doesn't just fit anywhere in the RV

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Oh dear, well, overkill but very kind of them. So, we're home and I haven't address the issue yet but the machine is currently in the cabinet and will have to be removed to do this project so it'll be a while before I tackle that. For now I'm more interested in "moving" in the fun stuff and making it a "home". But thanks for the feedback. Very much appreciated!