Thread Number: 27218
White Knight Condensor Dryer
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Post# 418133   2/24/2010 at 10:28 (5,146 days old) by robliverpool (england Liverpool)        

robliverpool's profile picture
Hi Guys an Gals.
Maybe someone could help me out on this one as I am a little confused. In Novemebr last year my vented Hotpoint dryer packed in and due to high demand of laundry in my house I needed another dryer ASAP. So I opted for a white knight condensor dryer.

Problem is it keeps steaming up the windows and the air feels moist in the room it is in. I have had the engineer out again today and he has been on the phone to the peoplo who make the dryers and they have advised me to leave a window open. HELLO ITS A CONDENSOR DRYER not a vented one. Apperently they still put some moisture in the air. Ok a little but not enought to steam up windows. They have sent me a new door seal, and that did nothing. Now they are going to send me a new condensor unit to see if that fixes the problem. If not I have been told there is nothing that i can do. Surely this is wrong..

Anyone had any experience with condensor dryers, any feedback would be great so i can get on the phone and have me little moan lol.

Thanks in advance

Robbie





Post# 418142 , Reply# 1   2/24/2010 at 11:33 (5,146 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
AIR COOLED CONDENSER DRYERS

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The first frigidare CDs in the 1950s only caught about 1/2 the moisture removed from the drying process. Other designs may be a little better but in my experience a good deal of moisture still escapes into the room.

Post# 418163 , Reply# 2   2/24/2010 at 12:29 (5,146 days old) by hoover1100 (U.K.)        
Yeah the cheaper ones do still steam up the room

But the White Knights are meant to be noticably better than the Hotpoint/Indesit condensers.

Aside from that you've got a rather good, tried and tested well designed dryer there :)

Matt


Post# 418183 , Reply# 3   2/24/2010 at 13:52 (5,146 days old) by robliverpool (england Liverpool)        

robliverpool's profile picture
Cheers Matt

White knight are known for reliabilty but this condensor one is absolutley, pants...
takes ages to dry anything, its noisy...
Currys are phoning me back tomorrow cos i wanna replacement, i have had some dryers over the years and this one has got to be the worst ever


Post# 418188 , Reply# 4   2/24/2010 at 14:18 (5,146 days old) by hoover1100 (U.K.)        
thats a shame :(

I must admit I've used one on holiday, it still steamed the room up, but it was in an outhouse so I just left the door open.

I don't know what would be best to suggest really, is a vented dryer possible at all? If so then I'd go with a vented White Knight.

If it must be a condenser then possibly Zanussi? Haven't really looked into the prices.

Best of luck :)

Matt


Post# 418196 , Reply# 5   2/24/2010 at 14:34 (5,146 days old) by SuperElectronic (London, UK)        

We have one of these and I can testify to it being very noisy and certainly not 100% effective in condensing the water. It's worse on high heat (which is pretty fierce). Mostly it gets used on low heat and takes a good 2 hours to dry a load. These days I mostly remove the condensor unit - doesn't run so hot at least, no reduction in drying time, though.

Not the best piece of equipment in the world, that's for sure; expecting it to die this year as my landlords installed the same model in their other rental property two doors down and that only made it to 5 years.



Post# 418199 , Reply# 6   2/24/2010 at 15:15 (5,146 days old) by dyson2drums (United Kingdom)        

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I have a window which is always closed except in the summer in the utility area. I have a hotpoint ultima condenser ctd80 which condenses very well, the area doesn't feel moist at all, it is performing very good, although they weren't my impressions before i bought it, but once i actually used one my opinion changed and proved me wrong. It was like i was a judging a book by its cover, glad i saw hotpoint condenser dryers true colours.

You can only truly say by experience.


Post# 418207 , Reply# 7   2/24/2010 at 16:01 (5,146 days old) by dubstar85 (Glasgow, Scotland)        

I bought a Zanussi sensor condenser dryer 3 years ago and it been flawless. Strange thing is that I have to dry my towels on 'Slightly Damp' or else it gets over dry. Clothes get done on 'Store Dry' and there fine!

No problems with moisture from it, although the first couple of cycles the machine never collected any water. It may be an extended priming period?

David


Post# 418221 , Reply# 8   2/24/2010 at 16:46 (5,146 days old) by hoover1100 (U.K.)        
Not to mention

the size, ventilation and insulation of the room in which it is situated will have a large effect if less than 100% of the moisture is caught.

Obviously in a large, draughty, poorly insulated environment any excess moisture will not be noticable, but in a very small enclosed area (say a cupboard or a smaller room) you are far more likely to notice condensation if 100% of the water is not condensed. Room temperature will also play a part

I have a friend with a zanussi condenser in the airing cupboard beneath the boiler, and I've noticed no increase in humidity in the cupboard, even with the door shut when the dryer is running.

Matt


Post# 418225 , Reply# 9   2/24/2010 at 16:58 (5,146 days old) by dyson2drums (United Kingdom)        

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my area is fairly small, well insulated, no ventilation unless windows opened which only happens in summer.

Thanks, hope your problem gets sorted, all the best


Post# 418229 , Reply# 10   2/24/2010 at 17:52 (5,146 days old) by robliverpool (england Liverpool)        

robliverpool's profile picture
Cheers for the feedback guys, the dryer is barely 3 months old and its in the spare bedroom which is a double sized room so its not exactly tiny. I think it will be getting sent back and replaced with a vented one as i cant cope with the noise from the machine.

They should state on the instructions that it isnt 100 per cent effective at removing the moisture from the air.

i originally wanted the machine to be housed under the worktop in the kitchen and hidden away with a door but there is no chance of that not, dont want to run the risk of having a new kitchen with mould build up behind the units.

Thanks again guys


Post# 418275 , Reply# 11   2/24/2010 at 19:50 (5,146 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
Which....

ronhic's profile picture
....which I know people don't always agree with do, however, comment on the noise and poor condensor effectivness of the White Knight dryers....

Zanussi have good condsensors....and are not stupidly expensive either....

On the note of effectiveness, unless you are going to spend Miele money, you will not get a 100% effective condensor dryer...you can, however, get a much much better one than white knight....

John Lewis machines are Zanussi as are the Electrolux ones...

If you can find a discontinued Tricity, then they are also Zanussi and should be amazing value now....


Post# 418292 , Reply# 12   2/24/2010 at 21:17 (5,146 days old) by Easyspindry (Winston-Salem, NC)        
I have a 1959 . . .

. . . Philco/Bendix Duomatic that is a condensor dryer. Every bit of the water goes down the drain. There is no fogging up of windows.

Jerry Gay


Post# 418310 , Reply# 13   2/24/2010 at 22:42 (5,146 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
Jerry....

ronhic's profile picture
Doesn't that use water to condense the steam?

The stand alone ones don't use any water just the ambient air temperature or, if you spend a lot of money, they are 'reverse cycle' like an airconditioner....


Post# 418325 , Reply# 14   2/25/2010 at 00:06 (5,146 days old) by SactoTeddyBear ()        
Hey! Robbie "robliverpool"

I've got an LG Condenser Dry Compact Washer/Dryer Combo that uses a Reservoir that fills with Water, then the Electric Pump turns on and the Water and Lint goes down the Drain.

I actually put a Nylon Stocking on the Drain Hose,so the Lint doesn't actually go down my Sink Drain.

Since I'm not as familiar with "Over The Pond" Appliances, I would suggest/recommend that you check out several Brands both in Vented and Condenser types of Dryers, that others over there from their experiences and whatever you are able to pay for a replacement Dryer, if the Company won't totally just make an even exchange of your Dryer for the replacement Dryer.

Peace and Kind Regards, Steve
SactoTeddyBear0503...


Post# 418365 , Reply# 15   2/25/2010 at 06:14 (5,145 days old) by Easyspindry (Winston-Salem, NC)        
Hey Ronhic . . .

. . . Yes, the Bendix does use water to condense the moisture. And the colder the water, the better the drying.

Jerry Gay


Post# 418382 , Reply# 16   2/25/2010 at 07:59 (5,145 days old) by vacbear58 (Sutton In Ashfield, East Midlands, UK)        
Fairly basic Hotpoint Acquarius dryer here

vacbear58's profile picture
I have had no problem with moisture on mine either - its in a corner of my bathroom (say about 1.8m x 1.8m) stacked over my Miele washer, with a side panel over both and a cupboard over the top, so its not exactly abundant in ventilation either. Its quite noisy I will agree, but it does the job.

Chris makes a good point about the Tricity Bendix variants of the Lux/Zanussi dryers, they all look much the same, the more expensive Lux models having a heat exchanger to be more envoirnmentally friendly.
Al


Post# 418401 , Reply# 17   2/25/2010 at 09:25 (5,145 days old) by FL1012 ()        

We've got an Electrolux Premier Condensor, which is more or less identical to a Zanussi Condensor. It is noisy & lets abit of steam into the room, but it is 10 years old now so i'm pretty happy that it's still going.

It's always been noisy but all of that generation Zanussi/Electrolux condensors were. We've got it in the utility room so it's ok, but it'd be no good in the kitchen.

The steam it lets out is only a small amount, but this has only started in the last 18 months or so, obviously down to wear.

I certainly wouldn't expect a 3 month old machine to be doing what the White Knight is. That said, White Knight are generally well regarded, at least with their vented dryers.

Id push for that replacement. If it were my money, id go for a Zanussi/Tricity Bendix. AEG & Zanussi are very similar but cost more, so the Zanussi/Tricity Bendix ones make more sence.

Miele are good but stupidly expensive for a dryer, so therefore make little sence unless you run a hotel!

Some positive stories on here regarding Hotpoint dryers too, though i wouldn't personally get one when a Zanussi is the same price. Zanussi are not what they were by any means, but id still say theyre slightly better made than Hotpoint.


Post# 418402 , Reply# 18   2/25/2010 at 09:27 (5,145 days old) by FL1012 ()        
Oops...

I meant to say AEG & ELECTROLUX are very similar (not AEG & Zanussi).

Post# 418497 , Reply# 19   2/25/2010 at 16:58 (5,145 days old) by Rolls_rapide (.)        
I have a twelve year old Zanussi TC470

I works most efficiently in a cool, well ventilated room (with the window wide open). Winter is a marvellous season!

If the window is only left ajar, the heat from the machine is unbearable, and you can smell the plastic in the machine! Using the drier during wet Summer days takes forever.


Post# 418543 , Reply# 20   2/25/2010 at 18:57 (5,145 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        

I've got a Miele Condensor dryer and in Summer here it cant dry a full load in less that three hours. Even with all the doors and windows open.

These days, I just leave the condensor out and it works perfectly, other than the wet spot that forms on the floor in front of it where the humid air condenses as it exits.


Post# 418571 , Reply# 21   2/25/2010 at 20:27 (5,145 days old) by FL1012 ()        
Zanussis.....

After looking online i can see ours is just like the Zanussi TC481w - funnily enough ours is in a cold & draughty utility room, similar to the conditions in which Rolls_rapide's appears to thrive!

Post# 418659 , Reply# 22   2/26/2010 at 01:27 (5,144 days old) by ronhic (Canberra, Australia)        
These days, I just leave the condensor out and it works perf

ronhic's profile picture
Nathan...

That's hardly what I would consider working perfectly though...even if it does dry....

Is that because it is too warm/humid in Queensland for the condensor to work properly in summer?


Post# 418663 , Reply# 23   2/26/2010 at 02:00 (5,144 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)        

foraloysius's profile picture
My Miele T420C is around 13 years old and never had a problem with it. No moisture problem at all. A condenser dryer that has issues with humidity probably isn't sealed properly, there must be getting air from the circulation system into the room. Perhaps it is visible where the moisture leak is and you can seal it.

Post# 418687 , Reply# 24   2/26/2010 at 08:32 (5,144 days old) by favorit ()        
Liam, you weren't wrong at all

Call it AEG, Zanussi, Tricity Bendix.... they are all made in the very same factory. AEG dryers were actually "made by AEG" before 2007, now no more.

As a reference between models/brands compare dryers on AEG :

www.aeg-electrolux.co.uk/node145....

and zanussi italy :

www.rex.it/node36.aspxQUESTIONMAR...

The AEG Pro Steam is the twin of solaREX Iron Aid and also

heat pump dryers (A class) are twins


Post# 418762 , Reply# 25   2/26/2010 at 14:25 (5,144 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        

Hi Ron,

Thats it in a nutshell. When the ambient humidity is 80%+ and the temp is 30-40degC it just becomes a very expensive door stop with the condensor in. It takes the three hours even when the load is spun at 1800rpm.

With the condensor out and a 30 minute cool down, its usually done in about 1:45 on low heat.

We've got the T4888C which matches our W2888, luckily we didnt pay full price, or we'd be really peeved. We got a letter from Miele when they were running out the 5.5kg series advising that their records showed we had a W2888 and did we want to buy the matching dryer for $1499. I wanted an F&P topload and Michael wanted them to match, at that price for the match, he won.

The other reason I leave the condensor out is I'm not fond of the smell of condensor dried clothes. I find even on low heat, elastics wrinkle and it just doesnt smell fresh, or at least like normal mechanically dried clothes.

The New Miele heat pump drier in theory solves all those problems, because it operates at a lower temp, and has the built in ability to not only heat, but to cool the condensing air as well, but for nearly $4K I think the technology is a bit new to be taking ones chances.

I should note that when the Condensor is in, the temp is below 30, with low humidity, the Miele works perfectly with no moisture being released into the room.



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