Condenser for a tumble dryer

At the moment our tumble dryer is in the utility room. We’d like to bring it inside the house and use it in the bathroom. To do this we would need one of these
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We realise it’s not a perfect solution to the moisture problem but if it’s fairly efficient we would give it a try. So just wondering if anyone else has tried this method?

If replacing the dryer is an option get a heat pump model, they don’t spit out vast quantities of warm damp air.

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Well they aren’t expensive but this is what Which say about them,

How do tumble dryer condenser kits work?

Most tumble dryer condenser kits include an exhaust hose (which fits over the steam outlet on your dryer), a condenser unit and a container where the water collects.

You’ll need to put water, or sometimes blocks of ice, in the condenser unit, to keep the temperature down and help the water vapour to condense. You’ll also need to empty the container after each use.

These boxes won’t be nearly as effective or efficient as a proper condenser dryer. They don’t recover heat in the same way, so your dryer will have to use more energy getting your clothes dry, and there’s a risk of damp air leaking out and causing condensation to build up in your kitchen or utility room.

We have a condenser dryer - it works fine. Not sure what the box on the pic is - the inbuilt ones are a box of metal plates and a water “bottle” you empty - and don’t have miles of plastic tubes looking scenic.

They do still vent warm damp air. In a kitchen it wasn’t noticeable - in a small cloakroom it is apparent - easily managed but it needs airing

Heat pump models recover the heat from the exhaust air so they are cheaper to run - and venting cold air means less moisture as the cooler air has less capacity to carry water vapour.

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We decided against a heat pump one due to the length of dry time, with s family when I need stuff I can’t always wait 4 hours! We have one that just has the thing to empty, much better than the tubes!

Yes, I understand that the downside to the heat pump models is the long drying time.

I confess I don’t have a dryer of any sort - I was always put off by the energy consumption and the fire risk.

Heat pump models seem to have sorted the former, possibly they have sorted the latter as well.

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We bought our Zanussi Heat Pump Tumble Dryer in 2015. It’s still going strong. Model no ZDH8333PZ.

I imagine recent models are more efficient. Might it be worth replacing your old one with a new, heat pump model, on the basis of electricity consumption?

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I think I got our first when I had 2 kids and the baby was in cloth nappies! I tend to only do a start to finish dry if it’s urgent, otherwise I try to hang up somewhere to get them dry and finish in the dryer if I need to. Slso saves any ironing! Great Aliexpress purchase last autumn was a 6 line pull out drying line, it fits wall to a beam in the laundry over the window and chest freezer, so doesn’t get in the way and even in the depths of winter with the morning sun stuff drys in a day or less.

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We use our dehumidifier in the bathroom for drying clothes more than the tumble dryer. That moisture has to go somewhere if its indoors so in winter especially water will condense on a cold surface like a window or window reveal and encourage mold.

When you’re in France you could dry everything outside for almost all of the year, all dry or substantially. Then depending on how you do your hot water either finish it in an airing cupboard in the cooler seasons or bring a Lakeland Dry:Soon (use it covered with either their posh cover or just a sheet wrapped round it) to just fimish off drying.

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/21736/dry-soon-3-tier-heated-airer

Often available via Amazon so any Amz credit could be used, also the occasional discount offer on some Amex cards and their own periodic discounts.

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We have a Dry:soon. It’s very useful.

True from April(ish) to October but Brittany is a bit damp otherwise :slight_smile:

One of our clients back in Brittany constructed an outside drying area for use all year round. Basically an apex roof not too high, supported on posts every few metres, tiled roof and then strung a line from end to end. It was wide enough for sheets to blow around too and worked well. If you have the room, well worth the idea. Me, I would neverhave another tumble drier let alone in the house or outbuilding after the last scare of having a dangerous one. Everything dries here in a short time anyway.

You can buy tumble dryers with an integrated condenser these days. Ours has one. It is located at the front and bottom, and slides in and out After use, we (well, more specifically OH) empties it out into the sink and slots it back in, et voilà!

Or should that be still buy? In the fact the new ones are heat pump versions and old ones condenser and even older ones nowt :joy:

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Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven’t found much positive feedback for these condenser gadgets. I was looking for an easy solution to our problem. Our problem is that the tumble dryer is currently in the utility room and we just put the vent tube through the window, not a good idea in the depths of winter. Also we have no heating in the utility room so the dryer has to work a lot harder.
When we bought the dryer we already had a vent on an outside wall. The dryer still works fine so no point in buying a new one. So I have three choices
Use an existing vent in the utility but this means removing a radiator (not used)
Make a new vent in the utility
Make a new vent in the spare bedroom
I’ll need a 4 inch masonry circular saw, a bit messy but shouldn’t be too bad as I’ll be cutting through breeze blocks. I’m not sure what is the recommended height above ground level but I would have thought 2 feet should be okay

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To cut the hole you can hire a 110mm “carotte” and a suitable drill at any hire centre

Hmm time for a discussion. As heat rises I would place the vent higher near the top of the machine. I imagine too low and steam could condense in the machine and or the vent pipe and run down into the machine again.

What do others think?

Lower the better, level with the output from the machine. A vent cover on the outside wall is a good idea too.