Tumble dryers revisited.

[T i m]

Hi all,

The door opening handle had just broken on our old Zanussi TD-534 vented tumble dryer and assuming the realistic repair timetable exceeds our clothes drying schedule, we may be in need of a replacement. ;-(

We have repaired it a few times now, from new bearings in the motor, I turned a new belt tension / idler, replaced the rear bearing spigot (they actually make / sell that bit saving having to replace the whole drum) and a couple of drive belts. It currently also needs the front felt drum-seal and we have that waiting to go on.

The problem we had last time when looking for a replacement machine was actually finding something that was vented and with a vent port on the LHS and wasn't likely to self combust. ;-(

So, where are we now with condensing / de-humidifying (non gas) dryers please?

If any waste heat came into the kitchen, rather than being blown outside then that would be ok (especially in the winter ) and we already have a dehumidifier out there (again for the winter) that we could turn on if any new condenser dryer didn't condense all it's moisture. The tumble dryer also sits over the washing machine (on a shelf) and so we could easily plumb-in the condensate drain.

Daughter recently bought us a Bosch washing machine to replace the Zanussi we salvaged from being scrapped (at 13 months old, from Freecycle) after that finally died after about 8 years or so.

So, makes, models, suppliers and personal recommendations please?

Cheers, T i m

[Andy Burns]

It might be helpful to use the "piece of cord" trick to open the door while waiting for a replacement ...

[Fredxx]

I'm genuinely surprised anyone is still using a vented tumble drier, where a condensing one is so much more convenient and efficient.

I have one that also stops on the desired dryness as well. Again makes for greater efficiency and not having wet or over-dried/melted clothes

[tabbypurr]

You'd get clothes dry with a fraction of the energy use by replacing the heating element with a vigorous fan. Do that and you don't need to worry about door seals, thermostats etc.

NT

[Lee]

We have a Bosch heat pump dryer. We like it* and it does the job it is asked to do. Downsides are initial cost, and the one we have doesn't reverse tumble*.

*You'd think that wouldn't be a problem - until you forget to button up the duvet cover before drying it and end up with a twisted wet mass of clothes inside it :(

[T i m]

Spooky ... we (daughter and I) worked that trick out before looking here again (with a piece of Xmas parcel ribbon). ;-)

That wasn't till we had stripped it down to see if we could release it from inside first of course (you couldn't).

However, I knew that if I could get the door open and the latch / handle replaced I would need to replace the front felt seal / bearing so we did that whilst we were there.

The original seal had worn though and the drum had worn the plastic slightly so we built it back up with some Kapton tape and fitted the new seal.

We re-assembled it (easier with someone with strong hands rather than arthritic ones as when the Mrs helps me) as we could get the motor tension spring on and the belt fitted without having to pre-tension it with a big cable tie or similar.

We stripped the door down and (gave it a clean) and re fitted the catch and made it releasable with a cable tie for now. ;-)

I *might* look at fixing the old handle with a little bit of steel and some small bolts but with a new one at about 7 quid delivered ...

Thanks for that string trick though, that could have been a life-saver and would have allowed us to get the clothes out and the catch bodged without having to take it to bits (but I am glad we have as we did the felt bearing etc). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

I can see why it could be more efficient but not why it would be more convenient? If it leaks humidity we may have to run the de-humidifier and that reduces the efficiency a bit?

As did ours (although that bit isn't so reliable these days).

Can't say we have seen that in the many many years we have had this one.

The good thing is that now we have it running again we have at least bought ourselves some time to find a good replacement.

Or ... make that heat exchanger I was going to put in the exhaust ... ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

So why don't manufacturers make such a thing then?

I get the idea ... and personally I tend to run it on low temperature as I think the drum motor / fan (same thing) draw less power than the higher heater element and as long as you aren't in a hurry ...

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Are you able to say / tell if it does so better than others you have had Lee?

Yes, they do look quite expensive (only see the Bosch so far) and I guess you would have to compare the extra initial cost with the energy savings over the machines life span?

I'm not sure about that on our existing one as the belt has a tensioner on one leg and the drive motor also (directly) drives the blower?

Ah, yes, no fun that. Given I've never seen anything coming out twisted up, ours must reverse I'm guessing then.

Cheers, T i m

[Fredxx]

I find mine leaks very little. If I use conditioner its not obvious until I open the door.

Well done.

I think one with a purpose built-in heat exchanger might be easier.

[Fredxx]

The longer the tumble, the more felt you make.

Its not just a question of being in a hurry.

[T i m]

Ok, that's good to know. I was reading up a little earlier and it was suggesting that it might take the life span of a heat-pump dryer (~10 years) to save the extra cost over a condenser dryer. ;-(

Thanks. It was good that daughter helped as as I have said to her before, I'll not be around for ever and being able to do such things herself could help to save herself some money in the future.

I showed her the pulley I made and she took the door off and to bits because she wanted to give it a good clean out. I thought we had mislaid a little panel that covered the inside on the handle but she looked at it closer and suggested there wasn't one (doh).

Or better would be one that made better use of the heat but wasn't as complicated or expensive as a heat pump type, especially if these white goods don't seem to last as long as they once used to? ;-(

It's as if this old Zanussi was designed to be repaired as it comes to bits pretty easily (once you know how etc) with no 'snap together' parts.

I was really surprised to get a replacement spigot bearing (to save having to replace the whole drum) and that's probably been in there about 10 years now. You had to drill the rivets out and I just used SS pan headed Allen screws and Nyloc nuts to put it back on and it doesn't seem to have moved. ;-)

And it doesn't have any complicated digital programmers to go wrong or the displays to fail on (when the rest of the machine is still working fine).

As it seems we have this one working again, I wonder at what point it would make sense to replace it with something more energy / cost efficient?

Cheers, T i m

[tabbypurr]

who knows. It does seem silly what they make. Hopefully someone will come along & kick their collective butts into the 21st century.

If the fan is vigorous enough it's just as quick.

NT

[tabbypurr]

he heating element with a vigorous fan.

The longer and the faster the revolving, ie the total number of twists & fa lls. That can be reduced by slowing tumble speed - a vigorous fan blows air through the clothes even when they're not falling through the air, so no n eed for anywhere near as much tumble & wear on the clothes.

NT

[Jeff Layman]

5 years ago when we moved here we decided a condensing TD was required. After reading reviews and looking at the models, we decided a Beko would do what we wanted, and got one. It's been fine, even when we heard it was one of the models Beko were doing a recall on to fit a replacement part. The technician came and fitted the part when we requested.

I have no idea if it was really required or not (maybe we're unusual in that we regularly clean the filter!), and it's working as well as it did when we first got it. I must say that it is a bit noisy, and you really don't want to be in the kitchen for any length of time when it's on.

Oh, as a bonus, if you're into fussy house plants, you get a litre of pure water for watering them after a batch of washing has been dried.

[T i m]

Good to hear (that it has been good and was upgraded promptly etc).

No, we do so every time as well but it may not be as 'involved' as some (the filter is simply a mesh around the inside of the aperture so it's easy to wipe round).

Again, good to know.

Oh. Noise isn't really something I had considered and would have to say our old Zanussi is pretty quiet (it's not easy to hear that it's even still on from the other end of the hall).

As it happens, we have two humidifiers that keep the neighbours supplied with water for their steam irons etc. ;-)

If / when we got a condenser TD it would be plumbed in in any case.

Cheers, T i m

[Max Demian]

Will that always work? How does it work? I would have thought that the cord would do the same thing the handle does and any locking mechanism be in the body of the washer. Or does it only work with *some* causes of jamming, such as a broken handle?

[T i m]

I would have thought it would work with any catch / lock that was sprung loaded outwards, and especially where it was the handle that was broken (as it was in our case).

Many of them are a simple spring loaded plastic 'barb' that hooks into the body of the machine or a striker plate of some sort. With a washing machine (or later TD than ours) there could also be solenoid interlock but on our TD there is just a 'tang' on the door that goes into the body to a micro switch that inhibits the motor when the door is open. I'm not sure if then the 'string trick' would work as the handle is also normally locked out?

Cheers, T i m

[Fredxx]

I looked at heat-pump tumble driers. As you say the payback period is very long, especially in my case it's not in constant use. For a large family it might become worthwhile.

Secondly, the drying time is much longer, and I want to retain the bulk of my clothes as they are, rather than making more felt.

If used when you would normally have heating on, it adds to the warmth of the house. More costly than gas, but all the heat is dissipated into the room.

Zanussi appliances used to have a good name.

[Fredxx]

Condenser tumble driers usually have a collection container. There is no need for any plumbing. They use room air to cool the condenser rather than water as per some washer driers.