Unfortunately I don't have space for a tumble dryer in the kitchen. Looking to install one in external gray, no heating in it. Not sure how cold it gets (we're in Scotland) so want to make sure I get something that's suitable. I've read that heat pump dryers are not grey in this environment. So was going to look at a condenser but ideally would get one that is as suitable as possible for low temps. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this?
Any considerations to get most suitable tumble dryer type for garage?
- Thread starter ElCI
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get a vented dryer as condenser dryers always has water left in them and may freeze
Definitely get a venting unit and make sure it vents outside the garage or you’ll end up with a mouldy garage
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As you have worked out the heat pump condenser drier needs to be in a room which is not too cold, the air cooler condenser drier warms up the room it is in, but garage should be large enough, the water cooled type, you need water supply and drain, and they tend to be built into the washing machine, and they all seem to have a fixed heat used.
The vented drier needs the air in the room to be dry, drawing are from a room with high humidity is not good, but the colder the room the less humidity, and often they have an option as to power used.
I used a vented drier in the utility room, vented through the open window, found the room having window left open, was forming mould on the walls, but on the plus side, set to ½ power so just 1000 watts, it took around 90 minutes for most loads, where new heat pump drier uses around 600 watts, and takes around 150 minutes, it is slightly larger drum capacity, and did some times have to switch vented on a second time, but if you look at cost.
Full power vented 55 minutes at 2 kW = 1.83 kWh
Half power vented 90 minutes at 1 kW = 1.5 kWh
Heat pump 150 minutes at 600 watt = 1.5 kWh although some loads the heat pump does cycle on/off, and the heat pump one works out how long is needed where the vented we had to guess. To me advantage of heat pump is window now closed, so house warmer, and also has built in delay start timer etc. But the lower power and longer time means not as easy to judge when to switch on to use spare solar power.
Never had a air cooled condenser drier, have got water cooled condenser drier down stairs in my flat, but since also washing the clothes, not a clue on running cost, however not having to swap clothes washer to drier is an advantage, but the capacity is a lot smaller.
My flat was a garage, it has the central heating boiler in it, so it is never that cold.
The problem is to get a good quality vented drier, i.e. built in delay start, and auto sensing how dry clothes are, plus boring a hole for the vent pipe. Most people get vented as they are cheap, so they tend to lack the bells and whistles found on heat pump types. The were low powered vented driers designed to run over night, they seem to have vanished.
The heat pump drier takes longer, so clothes are tumbled for longer which can't be good, but condenser and vented tend to run hotter and the heat is also not good for clothes.
The vented drier needs the air in the room to be dry, drawing are from a room with high humidity is not good, but the colder the room the less humidity, and often they have an option as to power used.
I used a vented drier in the utility room, vented through the open window, found the room having window left open, was forming mould on the walls, but on the plus side, set to ½ power so just 1000 watts, it took around 90 minutes for most loads, where new heat pump drier uses around 600 watts, and takes around 150 minutes, it is slightly larger drum capacity, and did some times have to switch vented on a second time, but if you look at cost.
Full power vented 55 minutes at 2 kW = 1.83 kWh
Half power vented 90 minutes at 1 kW = 1.5 kWh
Heat pump 150 minutes at 600 watt = 1.5 kWh although some loads the heat pump does cycle on/off, and the heat pump one works out how long is needed where the vented we had to guess. To me advantage of heat pump is window now closed, so house warmer, and also has built in delay start timer etc. But the lower power and longer time means not as easy to judge when to switch on to use spare solar power.
Never had a air cooled condenser drier, have got water cooled condenser drier down stairs in my flat, but since also washing the clothes, not a clue on running cost, however not having to swap clothes washer to drier is an advantage, but the capacity is a lot smaller.
My flat was a garage, it has the central heating boiler in it, so it is never that cold.
The problem is to get a good quality vented drier, i.e. built in delay start, and auto sensing how dry clothes are, plus boring a hole for the vent pipe. Most people get vented as they are cheap, so they tend to lack the bells and whistles found on heat pump types. The were low powered vented driers designed to run over night, they seem to have vanished.
The heat pump drier takes longer, so clothes are tumbled for longer which can't be good, but condenser and vented tend to run hotter and the heat is also not good for clothes.
My heat pump dryer would take about 3.5 hours to dry a load of towels...
gas tumble dryers are great shame they have now stopped making them for the domestic market
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