Community Forums

WriteOn · 12-31-2014, 01:07 AM

Anyone know if Tioga's were ever built with washer/dryer connections? I've been going through some of the old floor plans and haven't seen one yet.

Have been looking at 1997-2002 ish rvs because they are in my price range. I most often come back to Bounders and Tiogas. The Bounder has everything I want but I like the Tiogas a lot. Think my money will go further with the Tioga.

I looked at a 2001 or 2002 Tioga 31'W today that I thought was terrific. It was big enough to meet my needs without the slide. The tv/microwave unit seemed wide enough for a combo washer/dryer. Thinking of relocating the tv above the cab on a pull out arm, adding the w/d combo, Microwave would go above the combo.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated as I slog my through getting my first rv?

moisheh · 12-31-2014, 05:13 PM

I did not know that any Class C's had washer dryers?

WriteOn · 12-31-2014, 11:26 PM

moisheh, thanks for the response. Sounds like it may not be an option. A 31' Class C seems like a lot of space if I can get a little custom configuration.

FWIW, the guy from the parts department went out and looked at the RV with me and said, "Sure, we can do that." and gave me an estimate.

Gary RVRoamer · 01-01-2015, 11:51 AM

I don't know of anybody offering a 31 foot or less RV with space dedicated to a washer/dryer. There simply isn't enough floor space to make that practical. Look around the Tiogas you like and try to see what space/features you would sacrifice to make room for something that occupies 4 sq ft of floor space and stand 3 feet tall. Maybe the bathroom? It also needs more power than most C's have to spare, about 1300 watts. That more than 1/3 the total power available to a coach with only 30A shore power.

If there is some space you could carve out, adding the washer dryer may not be terribly difficult. Depending on where the space is, you need to add a 1.5" drain line to the nearest gray tank feeder, cold & hot water lines, a 15 amp electric circuit, and a dryer vent to an outside wall. All doable if the location is right, but a bear if not near any existing sources or an outside wall. Sometimes can run most everything underneath the rig, though.

WriteOn · 01-01-2015, 11:20 PM

RVRoamer, thanks for the info! I need to learn more about electricity and what the limitations will be while using the w/d. I have no idea what the an a/c and fridge draw but will check into it. If I can run a lamp, I'll be good. My laptop a bonus.

Space isn't a problem. I wasn't considering Class Cs till I tried an over the cab sleeping area. For me, it was spacious in length and width, comfortable and I could even sit up straight. It also frees up the entire bedroom for other uses. I understand this wouldn't work for everyone.

The ideal location is on the back of an L shaped kitchen. Putting it up against the kitchen seems the best bet. I'm open to removing all or part of the dinette or swap the couch for a chair. Better if I can find an RV with a table/chair and swivel chairs. The bedroom is also an option, if I turn it into an office, but the adjoining wall has a shower and that might be harder to access than the under the kitchen sink space on the L shaped kitchen.

Gary RVRoamer · 01-02-2015, 05:38 PM

An RV with a 30A shore power connection has a max of 3600 watts of power available. An a/c uses about 1200W, the water heater is 1400 watts, and the fridge is around 300 watts. However, fridge and water heater can run on LP instead of electric, so some options there. Your laptop is probably in the 200 watt range.

The key to the power thing is to remember it is not essentially unlimited like it was in most homes and apartments. You can run most anything alone, but you can't run them all at once. Things with fluctuating power demand, e.g. a thermostat controlled appliance, can make power shortages seem totally random, but in fact they are largely predictable.

moisheh · 01-02-2015, 05:53 PM

You should be aware that the Tioga may not take the xtra weight. Especially right at the rear. I realize that your budget is limited but whatever you pay for the MH and the mods it will be worthless when you are done. Very few people look at units with extreme modifications.

ARC · 06-06-2015, 01:59 AM

WriteOn,

We have a Tioga 31W and just bought a Pan30 compact washer/spinner to use on our next long trip so we don't waste time in laundry mats. The idea is to store it under the bed (I installed 2X 100 lb gas springs to use that space for storage) when not in use. My kids' job is to do the laundry while we're on the road. The washer fits nicely in the shower when in use. The cord reaches the wall plug in the bedroom, which is fed by a MSW 2000W inverter, two 6V batteries for which are continually charged by the alternator. I swapped three pairs of white screws at the top of the shower enclosure with equivalent eye screws. I screwed hooks on the ends to three wooden rods to hang into the eye screws and serve as clothes racks to dry the laundry after spinning. Should work as the shower dome makes that a hot little corner of the MH.

At least that's the theory. We'll test it in a couple of months.

Art

ARC · 08-29-2015, 07:39 PM

Update: We (six) just came back from a 4-week, ~5,800-mile trip, CA to VA and back. The little washer/spinner worked as planned with two modifications: (1) there was no need to store the Pan30 under the bed; it stayed in the shower stall the whole time except when someone showered, and (2) in campgrounds I strung out a clothes line for more drying capacity. We did not stop at a laundry mat once and came back with hardly any dirty clothes. I could have done with a quarter of the clothes I packed.

ARC