Installation Washer/Dryer
- Thread starter Westwind
- Start date
57chevyconvt
Well-known member
I am the one that created, along with John's professional help, the W/D installation guide that John make refer to and to answer your question as to how to anchor the unit is probably not what you want to hear. I end up not being able to use the anchor kit that is designed for this W/D unit. The W/D fits very snug from side to side in the ploy drain pan. For the front and back, I used a piece of 3/4" thick hard wood as a space front and back to wedge the unit in poly pan. I cut grooves in the front and back spacers to allow for water to drain under the spacer boards. I elected to use the ploy pan with no anchors rather than have have no pan to catch any leaks. I will confess, routing the drain line was not an easy chore. Certainly one that you would not like to have the advice of the better half while thing are in a state of disarray.
I have made several trips since the installation of the W/D and have not observed any movement of the unit without any kind of anchors outside of the poly pan. I will have a much better feel for anchors versus no anchors after next summers trip to Alaska. I understand that some of the roads in Canada can be pretty bumpy.
BTW - If anyone has comments that will improve on the W/D installation procedure, please pass them along so that this information can become an "every green" document. As we all know, green is in style now-a-days.
I have made several trips since the installation of the W/D and have not observed any movement of the unit without any kind of anchors outside of the poly pan. I will have a much better feel for anchors versus no anchors after next summers trip to Alaska. I understand that some of the roads in Canada can be pretty bumpy.
BTW - If anyone has comments that will improve on the W/D installation procedure, please pass them along so that this information can become an "every green" document. As we all know, green is in style now-a-days.
ntoport
Member
Had the stack w/d intstalled at my dealer with the drip pan. They told me would cost $X amount complete. A month later I was checking things out and noticed they did not intstall the drain hose for the drip pan. I checked with them and they stated they do not intall the hose because its too hard to do after the fact for what they charge. Only the factory does this. Has anyone heard of anyother dealers doing this? It just seems like most of the work I think they should take care of their not and I in up doing it. This is not a small operation dealer here in St. Charles county, Mo. In my opinion without the drain hose the drip pan is useless.
I have to agree - no need for the drain pan if you can't move any water away from it. I also question the effectiveness of any pan installation in an RV altogether. I say this after looking at the factory installation of the pan and the drain line in a couple of installations.
In one installation in one of my coaches, the drain line was bent in a 90 degree fashion as it was routed out from the connector in side of the drain pan. It pretty much pinched the vinyl line, rendering it pretty ineffective.
In my current installation, the removable side of the 4 sided drain pan was mounted to the rear. In my mind, this is a miss. It is removable so the washer can be slid into place. Then butyl tape or some other sealing material is applied before the removable section is screwed into place. In my mind, this should be in the FRONT. Mine being in the back and me being unaware, I moved my washer around just a little bit to gain access to one side and in doing so, I breached the removable side without knowing it. Sort of out of sight, out of mind I guess.
This all said, I do believe a proper installation can be effective, just that those I have seen to date may only be somewhat effective.
ntoport, my ideal installation would be this:
1. Install a fitting in the floor of the pan, connect a drain line to it and drill a corresponding hole in the closet floor to move the line through
2. Make sure the removable side is on the front
3. Screw the pan top the floor and use butyl tape where the screws penetrate the floor - maybe even RTV on the screw threads and over the head
4. Route the line out either the gooseneck area near the back of the pinbox or straight down through the overhang material with some sort of screened end
Jim
57chevyconvt
Well-known member
Duane,
The problem with a fiberglass (FRP) pan is that a concencrated load such as on the bottom W/D will crack the FRP and water, if present, will wick its way throught the pan. The polyethylene is much more forgiving under concencrated stress loads. Actually this works in our favor, i.e., the pan will conform to the bottom of the W/D and to help hold it in place without having the external anchors. I just returned from a trip where I encountered some very bumpy roads and the W/D remained in its initial location in the poly pan. For the drain line, I used a combination the reinforced (thick wall) plastic tubing and PEX pipe in order to elimiate any kniks. I did put water in the pan before install the W/D to make sure that the pan drained as installed. The removal drip pan lip definately should be install to the front of the W/D to facilitate installtion and removal without distorying the ploy pan in the process. I fastened the poly pan to the 3/4" plywood with five stainless steel screws and then applied Parabond sealer over the screw heads. A little advanced planning on routing the drain line will normally lead to the best solution. I did consider drilling a hole to the rear of the pan and routing the drain through the floor and underside soffit but decided not to do this without knowing what kind of wiring might be located in this area.
Jim H.
The problem with a fiberglass (FRP) pan is that a concencrated load such as on the bottom W/D will crack the FRP and water, if present, will wick its way throught the pan. The polyethylene is much more forgiving under concencrated stress loads. Actually this works in our favor, i.e., the pan will conform to the bottom of the W/D and to help hold it in place without having the external anchors. I just returned from a trip where I encountered some very bumpy roads and the W/D remained in its initial location in the poly pan. For the drain line, I used a combination the reinforced (thick wall) plastic tubing and PEX pipe in order to elimiate any kniks. I did put water in the pan before install the W/D to make sure that the pan drained as installed. The removal drip pan lip definately should be install to the front of the W/D to facilitate installtion and removal without distorying the ploy pan in the process. I fastened the poly pan to the 3/4" plywood with five stainless steel screws and then applied Parabond sealer over the screw heads. A little advanced planning on routing the drain line will normally lead to the best solution. I did consider drilling a hole to the rear of the pan and routing the drain through the floor and underside soffit but decided not to do this without knowing what kind of wiring might be located in this area.
Jim H.
Westwind
Well-known member
I have a pan on my W/D thats not connected to a drain hose ( LOL) now after reading all of the postings I know why. It would be a nice touch if the hose was run, along with the drain pipe and water hoses with an extra 2 1/2 ft coiled and left to be connected by the factory, if we wanted to. Do I think it's necessary, well this poor thing bounces all down the road when we are traveling, it's just extra protect against water pouring down the stairs by the time we know we have a leak.
