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Washer/dryer or separate washing machine and dryer


BPot

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As my last post on dishwasher had some interesting replies. I am know going to ask what you all think of washing machine dryer combination or two separate machines.

It will be necessary to have a washing machine on board as we intend to live on the boat full time.

 

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A washing machine can be fairly easily planned into your electrical system, but, a Tumble dryer is much more 'power hungry' and needs planning in and installing at the build stage (bigger cables, bigger inverter, bigger battery bank, bigger method of recharging batteries etc).

 

Running anything electrical to simply produce heat (immersion heater,electric toaster, tumble drier is very much an economic 'no-no'.

 

A year or two ago a forumite calculated that what costs you ~20p per KwH as supplied by a mains 'hook-up', will cost you upwards of £3 per KwH to produce on your boat. Electricity is one of the most expensive forms of power and, rememeber, that you need to replace 130% of your usage - use 100Ah per day and you need to put 130Ah back into the batteries.

 

Running a 3kw tumble drier for 1 hour will require you to replace approximately 300Ah into your batteries (ie, running an engine with a 70Ah alternator for - probably - 12-15 hours to replace it.

I'm sure your husband will explain to you why replacing 300Ah is not just (300/70) = 4.3 hours of engine running.

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

Does my twin tub count as a washer dryer? 

 

 

 

Ours does - (we have one on each boat) uses very little of the two most precious commodities on a boat :

Electricity and water !

And, gets clothes dryer than an automatic.

 

Portable Twin Tub Washing Machine Spin Dryer Camping Caravan Motorhome Student

 

 

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

A wasshing machine can be fairly easily planned into your lecetrocal system, but, a Tumble dryer is much more 'power hungry' and needs planning in and installing at the build stage (bigger cables, bigger inverter, bigger battery bank, bigger method of recharging batteries etc).

 

Running anything electrical to simply produce heat (immersion heater,electric toaster, tumble drier is very much an economic 'no-no'.

 

A year or two ago a forumite calculated that what costs you ~20p per KwH will cost you upwards of £3 per KwH to produce on your boat. Electricity is one of the most expensive forms of power and, rememeber, that you need to replace 130% of your usage - use 100Ah per day and you need to put 130Ah back into the batteries.

 

Running a 3kw tumble drier for 1 hour will require you to replace approximately 300Ah into your batteries (ie, running an engine with a 70Ah alternator for - probably - 12-15 hours to replace it.

I'm sure your husband will explain to you why replacing 300Ah is not just (300/70) = 4.3 hours of engine running.

 

It's worse than that. 3kw will draw 300 Ah, but the inverter inefficiency means it will draw up to 400 Ah from the battery. That in turn will require up to 520 Ah to be put back into lead acid batteries.

 

This is the stage that you start to look very seriously lithium batteries.

 

Also look at the options for mounting rotary clotheslines on narrowboats.

 

By and large, twin tubes tend to spin the content dryer than a front loader.

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Regardĺess of seperates or combined be sure your 230v source will support them. My cocooned diesel generator would never support my Hoover combined. A Kipor 2600 suitcase struggled as well (not output but wave form) Presently have  Candy compact washer which performs whatever the source. 

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Many  washer dryers use a condenser which is cooled by water.  You need to check how the one you are considering  works as otherwise you will not only use a lot of electricity but a lorra lorra lot of water too.

 

Much the best thing to do is to have a big traditional engine and a proper engine room.  That will dry your dhoby, no probs.  If has lots of other benefits too!

 

N

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Ok I realize that a dryer does take a lot of power. This is why we are looking at all the options electrical equipment so when planning the layout design of boat interior all 

necessary fittings connections will be put in place.

 

I was really just wandering if people have an opinion as to which type would be best to fit. There will be a washing machine but for the winter months when it will be more difficult to get washing dry I hat to run out of undies and socks.

Even though Hubby could make one pair of  4 days§§🤯

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7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

It's worse than that. 3kw will draw 300 Ah, but the inverter inefficiency means it will draw up to 400 Ah from the battery. That in turn will require up to 520 Ah to be put back into lead acid batteries.

 

This is the stage that you start to look very seriously lithium batteries.

 

Also look at the options for mounting rotary clotheslines on narrowboats.

 

By and large, twin tubes tend to spin the content dryer than a front loader.

Definitely looking at lithium batteries as would be starting blank canvas so to speak hope to be able to put top spec in

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17 minutes ago, Slim said:

Regardĺess of seperates or combined be sure your 230v source will support them. My cocooned diesel generator would never support my Hoover combined. A Kipor 2600 suitcase struggled as well (not output but wave form) Presently have  Candy compact washer which performs whatever the source. 

Based on actual experience (between 2pm and 3.40 pm today) I did a wash in my Candy, heated a tank 55L ? of water and charged a 520ah bank of AGM batteries from an indicated 70% charge to 90% charge via  Mastervolt 2000/100 combi in 105 minutes. If the generator manufacturers are to be believed I used  1.2 L of diesel.

Sorry, to answer your original question, seperate appliances with  the tumble dryer vented outside

 

Edited by Slim
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28 minutes ago, BPot said:

 

I was really just wandering if people have an opinion as to which type would be best to fit. There will be a washing machine but for the winter months when it will be more difficult to get washing dry I hat to run out of undies and socks.

Even though Hubby could make one pair of  4 days§§🤯

Drying clothes was much less of  a problem than anticipated when we moved aboard.  I had thought the boat would be dripping in condensation - but it didn't.  We had a combined washer/dryer but only used the latter a couple of times a year.

 

In our case, we had the towel rail in the bathroom running from the engine - and the option of utilizing the engine heat to warm the radiators throughout.  When cruising (and that is probably the key) heat the space where the washing is hanging and provide some ventilation.  No problems in drying clothes.  If you are tied-up, erect a washing line.   Some boaters suffer from washing-line-envy; a sight of a nice line in a garden can bring on an attack. 

 

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9 minutes ago, Tacet said:

Drying clothes was much less of  a problem than anticipated when we moved aboard.  I had thought the boat would be dripping in condensation - but it didn't.  We had a combined washer/dryer but only used the latter a couple of times a year.

 

In our case, we had the towel rail in the bathroom running from the engine - and the option of utilizing the engine heat to warm the radiators throughout.  When cruising (and that is probably the key) heat the space where the washing is hanging and provide some ventilation.  No problems in drying clothes.  If you are tied-up, erect a washing line.   Some boaters suffer from washing-line-envy; a sight of a nice line in a garden can bring on an attack. 

 

Thank you I wasn't sure if there were any problems or restrictions to hanging washing out on a boat.  I love a washing line and in all the houses I have lived in never had one but always checked if I could get a nice long line out in the garden for my washing. 

It makes sense what you said about heating and drying whilst cruising.

 

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Some marinas will not allow you to use a washing line but no problems when you are moored out on the cut. A lot of boaters get the brollymate attachment that enables a rotary washing line to be used against the swans neck.

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How's about having an "airing cupboard" ?

I fitted one with a large twin coil vertical Cauliflower and shelves above.

The rising heat draws cool air from bolow the floor (thus ventillating it), continues on past the clothes and exits through the roof.

Even though we're cruising boaters It works for us - smalls / shirts / jeans even very wet weather gear gets dried in reasonable time.

I arranged a multistrand washing line on hooks (thus only in place on wash days) over the bath for light items if the airer is full!

And of course the radiators are all large flat panel jobbies under the gunnel and a brass rail above each one from which to hang the washing

 

Sometimes it pays to think sideways when planning and using a boat. All too often noewcomers to boating just slap in domestic equipment - where a bit of jiggling around with resources that require little extra energy will do the same job without any use of resources.

 

I adapted the old slogan - Ibesiac  - when designing the boat...

 

Edited by OldGoat
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If you think you can run a tumble dryer, microwave, dishwasher, immersion heater, fan heater etc.  and an essential washing machine on a boat, move to a flat.  Generating power on a boat is the hardest thing you have to do. Accept that you are not a self contained power station and modify your consumption accordingly.

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18 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

How's about having an "airing cupboard" ?

I fitted one with a large twin coil vertical Cauliflower and shelves above.

The rising heat draws cool air from bolow the floor (thus ventillating it), continues on past the clothes and exits through the roof.

Even though we're cruising boaters It works for us - smalls / shirts / jeans even very wet weather gear gets dried in reasonable time.

I arranged a multistrand washing line on hooks (thus only in place on wash days) over the bath for light items if the airer is full!

And of course the radiators are all large flat panel jobbies under the gunnel and a brass rail above each one from which to hang the washing

 

Sometimes it pays to think sideways when planning and using a boat. All too often noewcomers to boating just slap in domestic equipment - where a bit of jiggling around with resources that require little extra energy will do the same job without any use of resources.

 

I adapted the old slogan - Ibesiac  - when designing the boat...

 

 

That is what I fitted, except no roof vent.

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Assuming you want a one-box solution, a washer-drier using a heat pump for the drier uses a lot less energy for drying and needs no water for it, and no damp air since the condensed water goes out of the same drain as the washer. Still uses maybe 3x the energy to dry that it does to wash though. Also pretty damn expensive...

 

https://www.aeg.co.uk/laundry/laundry/washer-dryers/free-standing-washer-dryer/l9wec169r3/

 

Need big batteries/inverter to power this (and a means of recharging them), same as any other power-hungry electricals.

Edited by IanD
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20 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

How's about having an "airing cupboard" ?

I fitted one with a large twin coil vertical Cauliflower and shelves above.

The rising heat draws cool air from bolow the floor (thus ventillating it), continues on past the clothes and exits through the roof.

Even though we're cruising boaters It works for us - smalls / shirts / jeans even very wet weather gear gets dried in reasonable time.

I arranged a multistrand washing line on hooks (thus only in place on wash days) over the bath for light items if the airer is full!

And of course the radiators are all large flat panel jobbies under the gunnel and a brass rail above each one from which to hang the washing

 

Sometimes it pays to think sideways when planning and using a boat. All too often noewcomers to boating just slap in domestic equipment - where a bit of jiggling around with resources that require little extra energy will do the same job without any use of resources.

 

I adapted the old slogan - Ibesiac  - when designing the boat...

 

Thank you Old Goat that is a very useful tip will certainly look at idea of putting in an airing cupboard. I like thinking sideways and out of the box if and where possible. When hubby and I were first married we had a mobile home on a piece of land no electric except for  a generator which we used as little as possible. In the bathroom we had a bath which I used to wash things by hand then and used a mangle mounted over the bath to wring out the water. It was very effective but I was a lot younger then. Also had Gas lights, cooker and a gas iron they were good days fun and adventurous.

 

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4 minutes ago, IanD said:

Assuming you want a one-box solution, a washer-drier using a heat pump for the drier uses a lot less energy for drying and needs no water for it. Still uses maybe 3x the energy to dry that it does to wash though. Also pretty damn expensive...

 

https://www.aeg.co.uk/laundry/laundry/washer-dryers/free-standing-washer-dryer/l9wec169r3/

mmm just had a look nice but expensive

 

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If allowed at your mooring, then install an eco-friendly drying machine run from free solar and wind power.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/whirlygig-washing-line/s?k=whirlygig+washing+line

 

+1 for hot fill twin tubs, as per reply two. As has been mentioned on numerous threads, the spin drier gets clothes much dryer than the spin cycle of the typical front loading auto machine. From there, they dry in no time from washing lines near the bathroom ceiling. I built an airing cupboard above a vertical calorifier, but have never got round to putting in the shelves for airing laundry!

Jen

 

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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On 01/09/2021 at 19:11, Jen-in-Wellies said:

If allowed at your mooring, then install an eco-friendly drying machine run from free solar and wind power.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/whirlygig-washing-line/s?k=whirlygig+washing+line

 

+1 for hot fill twin tubs, as per reply two. As has been mentioned on numerous threads, the spin drier gets clothes much dryer than the spin cycle of the typical front loading auto machine. From there, they dry in no time from washing lines near the bathroom ceiling. I built an airing cupboard above a vertical calorifier, but have never got round to putting in the shelves for airing laundry!

Jen

 

 

+2. They also clean the clothes in a fraction of the time an automatic washing takes. You do however have to personally provide the "automatic" bit by filling and emptying one drum and moving the clothes to the other drum for spinning.

 

According to Mrs Hound the clothes come out cleaner than those washed in the automatic washing machine at home.

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