We ordered the washer and dryer option for our 2020 309FBB, thinking that was easier than to try and buy them and self install. They both work well given the smaller size, and we’re glad to have them.
For those that do have them I wanted relate a couple of issues we’ve encountered with them over the past few years in the hopes it may help if you come across similar issues.
The first thing I noticed was a leak at the drain pipe. We noticed this leak by seeing water dripping down under the front overhang. This leak was due to a faulty Hepvo valve. That type of valve is what’s used in place of a traditional p trap for space considerations. It has a flexible membrane that seals shut but still allows water to pass through when needed. In our situation, that membrane had somehow been flipped and wasn’t allowing water to pass through at rate that faster than the rate the washer was pumping the water in. That caused the water to overflow the drain pipe and eventually make it way out under the front overhang.
Water dripping down the drain pipe (Hepvo valve in white)
Membrane flipped
Since this occurred during the warranty period Vanleigh sent out a replacement Hepvo valve. Unfortunately whoever installed the original must’ve used glue on the threads as I couldn’t easily remove it without destroying the drain pipe. As an alternative I was able to get the membrane flipped back to the correct orientation using a long plastic pole, being careful not to tear the membrane. That solved the overflow and leak and I still have a spare for future use if needed.
The next problem was the washer stopped draining. You can access the pump clean out behind the bottom front cover. Have a lot of towels and a bucket ready since all that water will drain out onto the floor otherwise. I checked to make sure the pump wasn’t being impeded or jammed up with anything. Turned out to be the drain pump being faulty. I called Splendide and they sent a replacement under warranty. All I had to do was install it.
The installation required access to the bottom of the washer which meant I had to remove both the dryer and the washer from the cabinet. That was the hardest part as they’re awkward to extract from the cabinet and took a two of us to remove them. Once removed it was a pretty easy process to take out the old and put the new one in. I tested it a few times before putting the washer and dryer back since that was going to be a challenge like removing them was.
The last issue I had was probably somewhat self inflicted. This involved another leak and took some time to track down the source. I notice some water dripping from the front overhang again and checked to make sure the drain pipe wasn’t clogged like before. The drain pipe was clear and I was able to see a little behind the washer and saw a pool of water on the floor that looked to be coming from where the hot and cold lines connect. I had to remove just the dryer this time to gain more access to where those water connect. Not as bad as the last time, but still a bit of work. With the dryer removed, I had good access to remove the exterior panels of the washer and could see where the leak was originating.
Leaking hot water valve
Apparently I hadn’t been thorough in the winterizing process and there was some residual water in the hot water valve which then froze and expanded the valve causing it to begin leaking. Another call to Splendide and I was able to order replacements for both the hot and cold water valves. I think it was less than $50 for both. I only needed to replace the hot water valve, keeping the cold valve as a spare. Replacement was very easy it’s gettin access is the challenging part!
I’m now more diligent and thorough when winterizing paying special attention to the washing machine, refrigerator ice maker and dishwasher. I’ll open the low point drains and run all the remaining water through, then use compressed air to blow out the system and finish with a few gallons of the RV antifreeze. Being sure to cycle the washer using both hot and cold cycles.
Hopefully some folks will find this information useful and be able to perform similar repairs if needed saving a lot of $$ and time. I think if I had relied on a dealership to perform these simple repairs it would’ve cost substantially more money and probably many weeks if not months before they returned the unit.