Do modern condenser dryers really work? Or am I going to have a high humidity level in the house each time I run it? Opinions, please! Greg
Condenser dryers
- Thread starter luxflairguy
- Start date
Help Support :
westyslantfront
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2004
- Messages
- 1,718
Hi Greg. I had a 1956 Frigidaire condenser dryer. Except for the timer not advancing, it dried well but sure heated up my garage. Living in the desert in Tucson, that can be difficult in the hot weather so I purchased a modern Kenmore vented dryer after I gave that set to one of the other club members. Spent 4 years trying to get the washer to work....needed transmission overhaul for which I did not have the parts or the knowledge.
Ross in Tucson, formerly Palm Springs.
Ross in Tucson, formerly Palm Springs.
Greg,
Over here in Germany they are more common than the vented ones. My first was built in the early 60's; my current one is a 1998 AEG.
They have an entirely closed condensing system, so there is absolutely no problem with humidity.
They are louder, take longer (you can't use more heat to speed things up, 'cause the condensation process can only remove so much water at any given time), use much more energy.
Except for the Bauknects built after Whirlpool took them over, they are all good and reliable.
Now reread that sentence above...and make sure you don't buy a US machine built by Whirlpool. Get an Elektrolux if at all possible. Or, if you can affort it, buy a Miele or Bosch/Siemens. One of those will last you forever.
Be sure to clean the condensor and lint filter religiously, most folks don't even know there is a condensor and then call the repair people when it "stops working" after only three months.
Go for it - but yes, it will heat things up rather nicely.
Oh, all the after-market "hook the vent hose up over this puddle of water in a plastic bucket" stuff is worthless.
Over here in Germany they are more common than the vented ones. My first was built in the early 60's; my current one is a 1998 AEG.
They have an entirely closed condensing system, so there is absolutely no problem with humidity.
They are louder, take longer (you can't use more heat to speed things up, 'cause the condensation process can only remove so much water at any given time), use much more energy.
Except for the Bauknects built after Whirlpool took them over, they are all good and reliable.
Now reread that sentence above...and make sure you don't buy a US machine built by Whirlpool. Get an Elektrolux if at all possible. Or, if you can affort it, buy a Miele or Bosch/Siemens. One of those will last you forever.
Be sure to clean the condensor and lint filter religiously, most folks don't even know there is a condensor and then call the repair people when it "stops working" after only three months.
Go for it - but yes, it will heat things up rather nicely.
Oh, all the after-market "hook the vent hose up over this puddle of water in a plastic bucket" stuff is worthless.
brettsomers
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2005
- Messages
- 1,993
whirlpool
i dont know anything about CONDENSER dryers, but i thought Whirlpool made some very well-respected conventional/ducted dryers? i got (for moms house) a Kenmore gas dryer with the top-mount lint screen and four temps about ten years ago. so far it has worked flawlessly. this is in the US, of course. must be different overseas?
i dont know anything about CONDENSER dryers, but i thought Whirlpool made some very well-respected conventional/ducted dryers? i got (for moms house) a Kenmore gas dryer with the top-mount lint screen and four temps about ten years ago. so far it has worked flawlessly. this is in the US, of course. must be different overseas?
Well, I have to say that I have an AEG condenser dryer (one of the last ones of the actual 20 year old or so AEG design, rather than the modern Electrolux design), and I'm not too happy with it. It does dry evenly and thoroughly - I never get damp patches, and the tumbling speed is quite fast which I think does help in even drying. However, it is noisy (way noisier than Darren's/newwave1's vented AEG dryer), takes much longer to dry, not to mention the higher maintenance by having to clean the condenser unit every month & having to empty the water container after every 5 cycles or so. For convenience, quietness and speed alone, I would say that vented dryers - both American and European - are a much better option. Also forgot to add that the room turns into a sauna unless you use the low heat setting - so for a comfortable room temperature you have to use the low heat option, which pushes the drying times up even more.
In hindsight, I wish I had gotten the vented version of my AEG dryer. Have used Darren's vented AEG dryer from the same era as mine (same control panel minus one or two buttons), and it is much better than my condenser version of an AEG.
Jon
In hindsight, I wish I had gotten the vented version of my AEG dryer. Have used Darren's vented AEG dryer from the same era as mine (same control panel minus one or two buttons), and it is much better than my condenser version of an AEG.
Jon
kirk280980
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2005
- Messages
- 172
Always go for a vented dryer if you possibly can, I agree that they are faster and quieter, plus of course there are fewer parts that could potentially go wrong later.
Previously I had a Zanussi condenser dryer, replaced that with a Bosch about a year ago and the difference is like night and day. The Bosch is noticeably quicker, by as much as 20 minutes per load, and always finishes before the next load is ready to come out of the washer. The airflow path in the Bosch looks less convoluted, and the heat exchanger itself seems far more substantial, so I assume that's why.
As for noise, it sounds similar to the equivalent vented model, except there's also a fairly audible "whoosh" from the flow of air used to cool the heat exchanger. That's just the nature of condenser dryers, and is a tradeoff you have to make for the convenience. The only alternative is to drill a hole in the wall and install a vented dryer instead.
With regard to heating the room up, remember that if the dryer isn't exhausting the heat outdoors, it has to go elsewhere instead. Whether or not this makes things uncomfortable depends on where the dryer is installed and how well the room is ventilated. Mine is in a large open-plan laundry room and kitchen, so the heat dissipates rather than building up, therefore it hasn't been an issue for me. I would NOT want to put a condenser dryer in a closed room or confined space, however.
Previously I had a Zanussi condenser dryer, replaced that with a Bosch about a year ago and the difference is like night and day. The Bosch is noticeably quicker, by as much as 20 minutes per load, and always finishes before the next load is ready to come out of the washer. The airflow path in the Bosch looks less convoluted, and the heat exchanger itself seems far more substantial, so I assume that's why.
As for noise, it sounds similar to the equivalent vented model, except there's also a fairly audible "whoosh" from the flow of air used to cool the heat exchanger. That's just the nature of condenser dryers, and is a tradeoff you have to make for the convenience. The only alternative is to drill a hole in the wall and install a vented dryer instead.
With regard to heating the room up, remember that if the dryer isn't exhausting the heat outdoors, it has to go elsewhere instead. Whether or not this makes things uncomfortable depends on where the dryer is installed and how well the room is ventilated. Mine is in a large open-plan laundry room and kitchen, so the heat dissipates rather than building up, therefore it hasn't been an issue for me. I would NOT want to put a condenser dryer in a closed room or confined space, however.
I had a 1956 Frigidaire condenser dryer. ..........
I may have to interject here.
The design of this machine used room air to cool the (air-cooled) condenser, therby heating the room. So, said another way this particular dryer condensed the moisture out of the air, yet put the heat back into the room. IIRC, most of today's condenser dryers do NOT add heat back into the room. They use a WATER-cooled condenser. Therefore, areas with truly cold *cold* water out of the tap (cold climates in winter) I believe would work quicker and better than *cold* water from warmer climates.
[BTW=> When I was in Phoenix, the cold water from the tap at 4 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon was VERY warm! I chose to do laundry earlier or later to avoid fading of darks].
[In Puerto Rico and Florida, I have seen tiny 20 gallon (80 litre) storage-type hot water heaters for ENTIRE homes! This appears to work due to the high temperature of incoming water. In my cold climate that would definitely not suffice. Believe it or not I have actually seen these units run on 110v instead of the usual 220v. Apparently a tiny 1,500w heating element suffices there!
Back to the issue at hand: Also clothes out of a condenser dryer are slightly *dew-y* but dry quickly in the ambient open-air.
Cool-down wrinkle prevention cycles normally last MANY hours for the temoperature in the closed drying-air *circuit/loop* to fall. (At least they do in the LG washer-dryer 110v combo unit I witnessed washing and drying!
I may have to interject here.
The design of this machine used room air to cool the (air-cooled) condenser, therby heating the room. So, said another way this particular dryer condensed the moisture out of the air, yet put the heat back into the room. IIRC, most of today's condenser dryers do NOT add heat back into the room. They use a WATER-cooled condenser. Therefore, areas with truly cold *cold* water out of the tap (cold climates in winter) I believe would work quicker and better than *cold* water from warmer climates.
[BTW=> When I was in Phoenix, the cold water from the tap at 4 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon was VERY warm! I chose to do laundry earlier or later to avoid fading of darks].
[In Puerto Rico and Florida, I have seen tiny 20 gallon (80 litre) storage-type hot water heaters for ENTIRE homes! This appears to work due to the high temperature of incoming water. In my cold climate that would definitely not suffice. Believe it or not I have actually seen these units run on 110v instead of the usual 220v. Apparently a tiny 1,500w heating element suffices there!
Back to the issue at hand: Also clothes out of a condenser dryer are slightly *dew-y* but dry quickly in the ambient open-air.
Cool-down wrinkle prevention cycles normally last MANY hours for the temoperature in the closed drying-air *circuit/loop* to fall. (At least they do in the LG washer-dryer 110v combo unit I witnessed washing and drying!
oh Miss Mona, you are SO evil!. LOL
So your see, sweetie-
I may have not made it obvious, but I really WAS checking out your equipment.
So your see, sweetie-
I may have not made it obvious, but I really WAS checking out your equipment.
IRC, most of today's condenser dryers do NOT add heat ba
Toggle - all modern condenser dryers are air cooled, so they do pump heat back into the room.
Kirk - I do agree with you, my AEG condenser dryer probably does add more heat in my situation as it is in a bedroom, although my friend's Hotpoint condenser still turns his kitchen into a sauna. Still, I wish in hindsight I did just get a vented model instead - has got to the point where I use the vented Bosch for most things now rather than the AEG if I can.
Jon
Toggle - all modern condenser dryers are air cooled, so they do pump heat back into the room.
Kirk - I do agree with you, my AEG condenser dryer probably does add more heat in my situation as it is in a bedroom, although my friend's Hotpoint condenser still turns his kitchen into a sauna. Still, I wish in hindsight I did just get a vented model instead - has got to the point where I use the vented Bosch for most things now rather than the AEG if I can.
Jon
Also clothes out of a condenser dryer are slightly *dew-y* b
Also Toggle, have found at least with my condenser dryer laundry comes out as dry as it does out of the vented Bosch dryer - and only come out damp/dewey if that's what I set the drying level to
.
Jon
Also Toggle, have found at least with my condenser dryer laundry comes out as dry as it does out of the vented Bosch dryer - and only come out damp/dewey if that's what I set the drying level to
.Jon
westytoploader
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 4,485
The difference between vented and condenser dryers is huge; condenser dryers tend to leave the clothes softer but vented dryers are much faster and don't put out as much heat into the room.
If you want to know how much heat a condenser dryer puts out, just ask me or Toggle how unbearably hot Greg's basement was Friday night during the Convention!!!
Needless to say we unplugged all 3 Filtrators the next day...LOL.
--Austin
If you want to know how much heat a condenser dryer puts out, just ask me or Toggle how unbearably hot Greg's basement was Friday night during the Convention!!!
Needless to say we unplugged all 3 Filtrators the next day...LOL.
--Austin
Austin - I know exactly how you feel! Hence why I tend to use my vented Bosch as much as possible
vivalalavatrice
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2005
- Messages
- 1,031
...mh... what strange!
Here in Europe (at least in Italy), when you have to choose a dryer, you choose the moisture treatment system, so:
A Vented dryer
B Condensing drer
BOTH ARE ELECTRIC DRYER!
I' ve never heard about any gas dryer near here.
In Us, instead is different, you choose the heating resource, so:
A Electric dryer
B Gas Dryer
BOTH ARE VENTED!
But now I have to consider that is not like that, knowing about a condesing dryer either over there.
Wasn't condesing system applied on the vintage GE combo?
Well...I can't say any more as I don't have a dryer, I hang out my clothes when it's sunny, otherwise I hang the clothes on the line in the laundry! I do that after bedding, the following day I found everything dry...
BYE
Diomede
PS: I spin at 1000 rpm in a TL h-axis 2001 Whirlpool AWT8104D
Here in Europe (at least in Italy), when you have to choose a dryer, you choose the moisture treatment system, so:
A Vented dryer
B Condensing drer
BOTH ARE ELECTRIC DRYER!
I' ve never heard about any gas dryer near here.
In Us, instead is different, you choose the heating resource, so:
A Electric dryer
B Gas Dryer
BOTH ARE VENTED!
But now I have to consider that is not like that, knowing about a condesing dryer either over there.
Wasn't condesing system applied on the vintage GE combo?
Well...I can't say any more as I don't have a dryer, I hang out my clothes when it's sunny, otherwise I hang the clothes on the line in the laundry! I do that after bedding, the following day I found everything dry...
BYE
Diomede
PS: I spin at 1000 rpm in a TL h-axis 2001 Whirlpool AWT8104D
A dryer softens eveything....
Eliminates most ironing. (Use the longest cool-down you can, folks!
Prevents stretching of fabrics.
Even though line drying has a nice scent, the benefits of a dryer, (esp for towels) IMHO are FABULOUS!
Try this one. Put everything in the VENTED dryer for 15 minutes. (10 heated, 5 cool-down) THEN hang out. The fibers get fluffed, lint and hair extracted and you dry with much less energy and get the fresh outdoor scent.
Eliminates most ironing. (Use the longest cool-down you can, folks!
Prevents stretching of fabrics.
Even though line drying has a nice scent, the benefits of a dryer, (esp for towels) IMHO are FABULOUS!
Try this one. Put everything in the VENTED dryer for 15 minutes. (10 heated, 5 cool-down) THEN hang out. The fibers get fluffed, lint and hair extracted and you dry with much less energy and get the fresh outdoor scent.
IRC, most of today's condenser dryers do NOT add heat ba
I stand corrected. Thank you Jon.
oopps. The ones I have seen HERE in the US are generally water cooled!
And we have VERY few condenser dryers (here) in general.
I stand corrected. Thank you Jon.
oopps. The ones I have seen HERE in the US are generally water cooled!
And we have VERY few condenser dryers (here) in general.
BUT....
The condenser dryers in washer dryers/combo units ARE water cooled... just to add confusion. European dryers used to be water cooled too,b ut that was many years ago now, we're talking 1980 at the latest. But all European condenser dryers, for the past 20 years or so anyway, have been air cooled condensers.
Jon
The condenser dryers in washer dryers/combo units ARE water cooled... just to add confusion
. European dryers used to be water cooled too,b ut that was many years ago now, we're talking 1980 at the latest. But all European condenser dryers, for the past 20 years or so anyway, have been air cooled condensers.Jon
I fail to see the point af an air-cooled condenser dryer UNLESS one is in a cold climate where the heat is needed and/or humidity is not good.
Isn't it just as easy to vent an ELECTRIC dryer right into the room?
BTW=> Scandinavian countries use all kinds of energy to have saunas, but used to snub electric dryers for *wasteful* energy usage. Perhaps condenser dryers that extract the heat back onto the room (without adding humidity)is ideal for their mentality.
Isn't it just as easy to vent an ELECTRIC dryer right into the room?
BTW=> Scandinavian countries use all kinds of energy to have saunas, but used to snub electric dryers for *wasteful* energy usage. Perhaps condenser dryers that extract the heat back onto the room (without adding humidity)is ideal for their mentality.
Damn it we are STILL 20 years behind? LOL
I fail to see the point af an air-cooled condenser dryer UNL
It doesn't use water. You know how us Europeans like to conserve water... *rolls eyes*
It doesn't use water. You know how us Europeans like to conserve water... *rolls eyes*
