Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: J. D. on July 10, 2010, 01:15:51 pm

Title: Washer/dryer
Post by: J. D. on July 10, 2010, 01:15:51 pm
My better half just broke the handle off of the washer/dryer and now we can't get the door open to get the clothes out and the machine won't run with the handle broken.  Anyone got any suggestions?
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Rudy on July 10, 2010, 01:43:20 pm
Oh, John,

We did this too in the past.  I used a flat blade screwdriver stuck into the remaining part of the handle to lever the latch open.  Move the screwdriver handle to the right gently and you should see the latch release the door.

Call Splendide on the west coast Monday and they will send you a new handle which is easy to install.

I am surprised the unit will not run with the door closed and latched.

We very much dislike the time delay on unlocking the latch which led to our breaking the handle when we did not wait long enough.  I removed the top of the unit.  I then disconnected the harness and locking mechanism from the latch.  It is a plastic piece that clips on.  Keep the harness attached to the lock mechanism.  This allows the unit to activate the lock mechanism without locking the latch and the brain thinks all is well.  We can now open the door when we wish.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Barry & Cindy on July 11, 2010, 12:00:52 am
Since you asked for suggestions. . .

I suggest that your wife did not break the handle.  The only way to fix that is to find a new ...

Maybe your handle broke for some reason, like wear or defect.  That can be fixed with a new handle and finding a way to get the door open.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: J. D. on July 11, 2010, 01:07:37 am
Oh, John,

We did this too in the past.  I used a flat blade screwdriver stuck into the remaining part of the handle to lever the latch open.  Move the screwdriver handle to the right gently and you should see the latch release the door.

Call Splendide on the west coast Monday and they will send you a new handle which is easy to install.

I am surprised the unit will not run with the door closed and latched.

We very much dislike the time delay on unlocking the latch which led to our breaking the handle when we did not wait long enough.  I removed the top of the unit.  I then disconnected the harness and locking mechanism from the latch.  It is a plastic piece that clips on.  Keep the harness attached to the lock mechanism.  This allows the unit to activate the lock mechanism without locking the latch and the brain thinks all is well.  We can now open the door when we wish.

I tried this but there is a piece of the handle still attached in the whole where the handle goes and I can't get the screw driver in there far enough to make it do anything.  Should I finish breaking the piece of the handle out so I can get the screw driver in the whole?
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Rudy on July 11, 2010, 01:23:39 am
John,

If you break out a little more to create a place to insert a screwdriver, it will not be broken any more than it already is.  So I would go for it to get the door open.

We could run our unit with the handle broken, so we used the screwdriver method till the new handle arrived.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: J. D. on July 11, 2010, 09:07:18 am
I got the door open and the washing machine works, but the dryer does not come on.  I got to thinking we are at a camp ground with only 30 amp electricity so it may not work unless we have 50 amp service.  Thanks for everyone's help.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Michelle on July 11, 2010, 09:34:54 am
If you're talking about a Splendide combo unit, we lived on 30 amp for 5 months last year, and you *can* run the dryer function but only if you power manage and don't use the other large loads (AquaHot 110, air conditioning, etc.)

Or do you have a separate washer and dryer?  If that's the case, and the dryer is a 110V model it *should* work.  Check to see if you have power - a separate dryer is likely on it's own circuit breaker.

Michelle
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: J. D. on July 11, 2010, 09:52:36 am
It is a combo unit and the light blinks when you turn on the dryer, but it won't go to solid light and start drying.  We are in the mountains of Colorado and not using the A/C and only use the Aquahot on diesel.  It should work, but I'll wait until I get to 50amp service before I pass judgment on it.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Rudy on July 11, 2010, 10:06:13 am
John,

I believe it will work on 30 amp service as my old 2000 and newer 2100 both do.

My 2100 has a dial for dry time.  IF set to zero, the dry function will not come on.  Check to see if you might have the dry function turned off.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Michelle on July 11, 2010, 10:09:24 am
It is a combo unit and the light blinks when you turn on the dryer, but it won't go to solid light and start drying. 

According to the manual

The appliance is not plugged into the socket, or not enough to make contact.
There has been a power failure.
The appliance door is not shut properly.
The DRY TIME Knob is on the 'OFF' setting.

Sounds obvious, but the last one has bitten me at least once  ;)

Michelle
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: J. D. on July 11, 2010, 10:12:28 am
I was messing with the thing and turned the washing machine on, so I have to wait until it finishes before I can try what you all suggest.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Michelle on July 11, 2010, 10:18:16 am
Holding the start button in until all the lights flash will cancel a cycle.  Of course, you may then have to turn it to "drain" and start that to empty any water out.

-M

BTW we upgraded from our 2000 to the 2100XC 2 years ago and the extra capacity is FANTASTIC!  The new model uses much less water, too.
Title: Re: Washer/dryer
Post by: Peter & Beth on July 11, 2010, 10:21:33 am
These Splendide units are finicky about the settings.  You need to follow the instructions to the letter otherwise you need to shut it off...wait...and start all over again.  One particular issue I have with our unit is that the dial is off about a quarter of the "settings dial" travel.  In other words, the dial pointer is not exactly on the setting you want.  So I end up leaving all the dial setting to Beth, who somehow gets it right all the time.    :(
 
Of course, we also have to winterize our unit with RV antifreeze.  This requires that the unit get run with hot water...then, cold water...then spin...to fill the drain pipes to the grey tank.  Sometimes it takes me a while to get this job done.
 
Also, the time delay after cycle completion is pretty long, and the door will not open for a long time.  I'm sure this is a source of frustration, and the more one tries to test to see if it's ready for you to open, the more wear and tear on the handle.