Oh, What Fun...

We have been having an interesting series of days.  The washing machine mentioned in a previous post, has been removed from the rig and stored under the nose behind the skirting. (Ken would like to look at it and see if it can be repaired).

In the removal of said machine we discovered part of the issues causing malfunction.  We enter dealership matters rather highly at this point....

Most significantly, the dryer vent was installed too low, so when the machine spins out, the water easily spills out of the dryer hose as well as the normal drain hose. Because of this, the lint, which would normally drain with the water, clots in large soggy mats around the dryer hose port, preventing proper venting.  This would be why it took 3 cycles to dry anything...

The lesson is to ensure that you have your vent higher than the port on your washing dryer.  That way, any water that attempts to leave via the dryer hose will back wash into the drum, and out the proper drain.  A normal dryer doesn't have this issue since the bulk of the water is removed before the air tumble begins.

The dealership, who expressed grudging willingness to split the repair cost in half, is balking heavily because we are choosing to replace the machine.  They figure that if we reconnect the machine now that we removed the soggy lint clots, it should run just fine.  My response was that it wouldn't solve the grinding that the drum does when it struggles to reverse the tumble direction.  Also, with all the effort it took my husband and I to pull the machine out of the compartment (rather like delivery of a baby ... breach), I didn't appreciate them implying that the matter was resolved.  Are we supposed to pull it out every couple months???

... We will hear tomorrow if they will spring for half the cost of the new machine. 

I called the manufacturer today and confirmed that the vent hole was cut after it was shipped to the seller.  This confirms that yet again incompetence of the dealership facilitated the problem.

We will pick up the new machine tomorrow, and hope for a partial refund of the cost by the dealership.  Either way, we are getting the machine.  When we install it, we will be adding a bit of length to the dryer hose to ensure a high point so we won't re-encounter the drainage issue.  I know that ideally, one should use as short a length as possible to reduce the catching points of the lint that does enter the hose as it is highly flammable.  In the spring we will have the vent raised and then patch the lower hole, or (the manufacturer suggested) perhaps put in a spot light to utilize the hole and cover the error in a less expensive format.  Once the vent is at a higher point, we can shorten the hose to a better length.

As for the weather, it has been overcast and dips below 0 C nightly, but it does edge above 0 in the daytime, and my neighbour and I have gone for the last 4 days on a 4 mile walk that takes about 1-1/2 hours to walk.  The roads have been rather mushy, slushy, and icy, but we do get through and feel quite refreshed for the effort.  Usually we go in the morning, but tomorrow I hope we will go in the afternoon on account of our need to get the machine in the morning.

Because of the dips at night, the thaw is taking a bit longer, but we remain hopeful that we will be able to see the unslicked asphalt very soon and hope that it remains exposed for what's left of the season.

I will let you know how the dealership leans on taking their share of the cost on the replacement of the washing dryer.

It has been a long, but productive day, and I bid you...

Adieu