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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Michelle on August 07, 2024, 07:34:34 pm

Title: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Michelle on August 07, 2024, 07:34:34 pm
Question for the collective - does the box on the right side of this closet photo contain washer/dryer water/drain prep for a 2000 U320 36' non-slide coach?

Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: red tractor on August 07, 2024, 10:40:57 pm
I looked at the picture again and it doesn't look correct to me. Is there a cabinet next to that one where the washer could go? I just looked at ours and the box for the washer hook up is actually on the outside wall in the closet right next to the washer cabinet.
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: red tractor on August 07, 2024, 10:43:22 pm
Maybe if that box was taken out the washer would slide in. As it is now I don't think you can get one in the opening.
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Michelle on August 07, 2024, 10:44:49 pm
I looked at the picture again and it doesn't look correct to me. Is there a cabinet next to that one where the washer could go? I just looked at ours and the box for the washer hook up is actually on the outside wall in the closet right next to the washer cabinet.

It's a 36 WTFE, so no dedicated washer cabinet, just 2 closets.  This is the closet closest to the galley; the black things on the box in the photo are apparently duplex outlets.

Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Jan & Richard on August 08, 2024, 12:10:39 am
That is definitely the plumbing for the washer/dryer.  We added a Splendide WDV 2200XCD about three years ago and have been thrilled with it.  MoT did the installation and did a great job. 

Before we bought the washer I removed that box to see what was behind it.  It did indeed contain the drain and vent piping.  The electrical and water are under those closet floors.  The dryer vent piping came out exactly where a steel structural beam was located in the side wall so we had to lower the floor of the closet about four inches so that the vent would clear the structural member.  Other than that, the installation was actually quite easy. 

Richard
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Michelle on August 08, 2024, 09:08:55 am
That is definitely the plumbing for the washer/dryer.  We added a Splendide WDV 2200XCD about three years ago and have been thrilled with it.  MoT did the installation and did a great job. 

Before we bought the washer I removed that box to see what was behind it.  It did indeed contain the drain and vent piping.  The electrical and water are under those closet floors.  The dryer vent piping came out exactly where a steel structural beam was located in the side wall so we had to lower the floor of the closet about four inches so that the vent would clear the structural member.  Other than that, the installation was actually quite easy. 

Richard

Awesome!  Thank you!
Title: splendide
Post by: Michelle on August 29, 2024, 05:05:52 pm
Jan had wanted a Splendide for a long time but  I couldn't see the tradeoff in giving up half of MY hanging closet. 

Did they install yours on the left above the AquaHot registers or on the right where the "hookups box" is?

We need to investigate our closet further - when we stopped at MOT last week, they suggested placing the washer on the left on the false floor over the AH registers and water shutoffs, which we aren't keen on doing for obvious reasons.
Title: Re: splendide
Post by: oldguy on August 29, 2024, 05:20:54 pm
They washer drier is lower on the right side which gives more room above for storage, that' where mine
is. When we had the Monaco there was a lot of storage in the bed room and that is a complaint my
wife has with the Foretravel although we have managed OK.
Title: Re: splendide
Post by: Jan & Richard on August 30, 2024, 12:42:31 am
Did they install yours on the left above the AquaHot registers or on the right where the "hookups box" is?
Our Splendide is in the forward (right) closet.  For whatever reason the forward closet had a higher floor level than the aft closet which has the heater register and return underneath.  There was no problem lowering the floor level of the forward closet to adjust the height of the dryer exhaust to miss a structural member. 

Also, the drain plumbing was located on the forward wall of the forward closet.  Therefore there was no real choice.  The water and electric is accessed beneath the closets so those would have worked for putting the washer in either closet. 

Title: Re: splendide
Post by: Jan & Richard on August 30, 2024, 12:59:47 am
I had not mentioned this before but when the MoT guys initially realized that the dryer exhaust was lined up with a steel beam in the sidewall they said that they would have to use an offset vent adapter.  This would require that the Splendide would stick out such that the door would not close.  Their only solution was to have the wood shop build a framework which would move the door a few inches toward the center of the coach.  I found this unacceptable so while they took their lunch break I snooped around and figured out that there was nothing beneath that closet that would prevent lowering the floor to solve the problem.  The closet door is now the same solid door it has always been.  When using the washer/dryer, we leave the door ajar to allow proper ventilation. 
Title: Re: splendide
Post by: Jan & Richard on August 30, 2024, 01:04:35 am
One other thing, they were able to bring the Splendide in through the front door but it would not fit through the door between the galley and bathroom.  So they had to take it back out and bring it in through the curbside bedroom window opening after removing the window itself. 
Title: Re: splendide
Post by: Michelle on September 14, 2024, 04:32:09 pm
while they took their lunch break I snooped around and figured out that there was nothing beneath that closet that would prevent lowering the floor to solve the problem. 

We (meaning Steve) are currently investigating the raised box floor of the forward closet.  What's the trick to removing it?  He's got the rearward closet false floor out, but the built-up one in the forward closet is proving to be a puzzle.
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: erniee on September 14, 2024, 06:24:13 pm
If it's got Ozite on it, screws are probably buried
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Michelle on September 14, 2024, 06:34:23 pm
If it's got Ozite on it, screws are probably buried

Steve pulled the staples and the pile carpet up - it's a wood box/platform.  Any and all visible fasteners removed and yet it's still solid.  Seems to be specific to a 36 WTFE floorplan.

Richard lowered his, so I'm hoping he can share how he got into it.  A search turned up that Dave Cobb had to do the same, so I sent him a PM.
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Jan & Richard on September 15, 2024, 12:06:12 am
I am sorry to report that I did not personally do the work of lowering the platform.  The remodel shop at MoT did the work and I was not present to observe. 
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Michelle on September 16, 2024, 03:51:52 pm
Thanks to Dave Cobb for the answer - the side panels of the closet are installed overlapping the platform on either side (ETA - IOW, the platform extends under the side panels of the closet just a little bit).  We determined the amount overlap with a boroscope and Steve has a plan.

This will also make it easier for whatever inverter upgrade wiring we need to do, since the main power lines route through the floor under the closet and for a short distance in the core of the bedroom floor.

We also confirmed based on measurements and utility locations that the right side/forward closet is the only one for a w/d installation (as we thought).  The left side closet door is too narrow for a Splendide to fit through; the right one is wider.
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: Jan & Richard on September 16, 2024, 05:19:58 pm
The left side closet door is too narrow for a Splendide to fit through; the right one is wider.
Count me as unobservant, I had never noticed the difference in the width of the doors. 
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: steve on September 16, 2024, 10:26:45 pm
the side panels of the closet are installed overlapping the platform on either side
Quick pic of the cedar siding (1/4") that overlaps the closet floor on the left/right.

The cedar siding is attached to the walls with staples that you may be able to pullout, but if they used as many as the did to hold the carpet down, and you can find / get to them all ... then you will be at that for a bit.  The right side of the closet only has a small 4-5" section that overlaps (due to the plumbing cutout in the floor).

Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: steve on September 20, 2024, 09:00:37 am
To remove the floor on the right side.

1) Pull up the carpeting, ours was held down with 347 staples
2) Remove all the floor screws that you will find under the carpet. 
3) Remove  the cedar false wall, behind that is where our drain stand pipe was located.
4) Removed the (2) vertical battens that the above cedar wall unit attach
5) On our coach, the base panel was held down on the left and right by the1/4" cedar side wall.  Using an oscillating saw, I flush trimmed the base to the side wall on the vent side, since the side wall overlap on that side was only ~6 inches.

After that it pulls right out.  I found no bags of money, just more dirt  :P
Title: Re: W/D hookups in a 2000 36' U320?
Post by: turbojack on September 20, 2024, 04:28:56 pm
How did we ever do things without oscillating saws?