Splendide Washer-Dryer Smells Like Gray Water! ...AND A COMPLETE SERVICE TO FIX THAT!

[imnprsd]

A fowl odor started coming out of my washer-dryer combo and so I thought maybe I'm using too much soap or it was the water softener that was stinking up the joint.

I tried running several fresh water rinse cycles and the smell got weaker, but I could tell it was still there. Then the OAT creeped in the mid-90's and the smell got worse. Plus letting leaving the door open so the moisture can evaporate had no affect.

So I started doing some research and found all of these things out:

* Splindide 2100XC Washer-Dryer does not have a lint filter to clean. It's supposed to be a self-cleaning process, but it's really not as you will find out.

* You can pop the bottom cover off the washer and clean the water pump trap. And there you will find some moldy black stuff, but this is not the source of your problem.

* Then I pealed the rubber seal away and found a lot of "crud" has accumulated, and for 4 years I never thought to check this area. Note: I'm a single guy so that explains the 4 years of use only 3-4 months every year; and I don't have pets, but if you have pets I'm guessing you will really want to clean this area weekly. (See pictures below.)

...AND I STILL COULD NOT GET RID OF THAT GRAY HOLDING TANK SMELL

So, I did some more research and came across this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2AglZ0np9A

I then followed this advice and attempted to do a lint purge by first filling and empty tub with water on "Setting #11"... and when the water fills above the rubber seal mark by ~1"... you then press the "Start Button" again for ~3-5 seconds... and then your are supposed to rotate the dial to "Setting #2"... and then press the start button so the machine can do a "self-clean." And you are supposed to do this three more times.

HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT I STILL COULD SMELL SOME GRAY HOLDING TANK SMELL COMING THRU SO I DID SOME MORE RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS VIDEO...

...which is a much more aggressive lint purge buy filling the tub with more water, and more agitation. Note: The steps were the same with one slight change

... The "Setting #11" is followed by "Setting #12"... not #2 as shown in the first video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdTdW7bAdkk

====

In my case, I got a lot more lint out, and I thought this was the "home run" I was looking for. But not so fast...

...The lint left the washer-dryer, but then accumulated in the drain pipe and 2 weeks later the smell returned.

[imnprsd]

...Continued.

In hotter weather the gray holding tank small will get more pungent; and so now was faced with pulling the washer out of the cubby and doing something more.

I was also now think the Air Admittance Valve (AAV) was leaking and that would explain the gray holding tank smell. (See picture below.)

Fortunately, the previous owner relocated my TV so above my washer-dryer was above my washer is a big storage area, which I disassembled hoping the "smarties" at Winnebago would leave the rear of the washing machine accessible from the top. Either that or I was prepared to cut an opening if that was easier than pulling the Splindide out of the cubby.

Well, it turns out there was a 5"x27" open area Winnebago did indeed leave. And all I had to do was remove the top 1/4" skins, of which there were 2, and then I was able to see the entire back of my washer... going in from over the the top!

And guess what? ...There was a 1-1/2" threaded area for the air gap to screw in... but there was NO Air Admittance Valve!!!

...Probably, because it was not installed at Winnebago 17 years ago; or someone may have removed it and forgot to put it back, but I don't think so, since I replaced the original washer-dryer with a newer Splindide 2100XE 6 years ago and everything was so dirty and dusty and original in this cubby.

Anyway, I then filled the P-trap with about 3-4 cups of "Mold and Mildew" cleaner and let it sit over night. ...This not only filled the p-trap it also would allow some of the cleaner to flow in the ABS pipes and hopefully clean out any mildew growing on the bottom-inside of the pipe.

* I picked up a $5 AAV at ACE Hardware store... used some Tefflon tape... and screwed the AAV into the air vent.

* I also wrapped a plastic garbage bag up around the washer drain hose, and covered it with tape, so that created a "lid" to hopefully stop smelly fumes that might escape from the P-trap.

* Reassembled everything and now NO MORE GRAY WATER SMELL!

>>> No doubt the missing AAV valve was the solution, but along the way, I cannot deny knowing, or should I say, not knowing, how to properly clean my washer dryer.

>>> And one more thing. Besides this gray water smell, all the LED lights on the Splindide front panel were blinking just after the dry cycle started... which is a warning that you your air vents in the tub are getting full of lint.
>>>So, now it is obvious to me I need to run a few self-cleaning cycles before I put my RV in storage every year!