Condenser Dryer: anyone has one?

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graemew

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#838924 18-Jun-2013 21:08

I have a Bosch Heat pump Condenser - it gets a lot of use - it is slower , but I like it . Only real con is no anti-balling function.
No biggy with towels & clothing - but sheets & duvets can ball up. - So need attend mid-cycle to them .

You can set how dry they come out

kiwigander

231 posts

Master Geek

#841351 21-Jun-2013 23:43

OP asks, "Are they any good (yet)?"

The first few dryers my parents (in the USA) owned were all condenser dryers. They bought their first one in 1952. They were rather annoyed when, some time in the early '80s I believe, they had to replace their deceased condenser dryer with a vented dryer because condenser dryers were no longer available.

Those condenser dryers were water-cooled. There was no air vent, but they had a cold water inlet hose and cold water had to be run continuously while the dryer was operating. An article in Popular Mechanics in 1954 states that they used "15-20 gallons" (57 - 76 litres) of cooling water per load. Maybe that's why they gradually died out.

As far as I know modern stand-alone condenser dryers are all air-cooled and do not consume water.

Other than avoiding venting, they do not seem to offer any advantage over vented dryers. I would expect a condenser dryer to run longer than a vented dryer to achieve the same degree of drying.

Don't confuse condenser dryers (which use electrical resistance heating just like vented dryers) with heat-pump dryers, which are quite a bit more efficient.

Azzura

603 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#842115 23-Jun-2013 22:10

gehenna: No such problems with mine.

No problem with our Bosch. Rated at 128 kWh per year (sticker...like it really means anything).

insane

3240 posts

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#842120 23-Jun-2013 22:42

I wonder if those who had issues were over filling them? I find my cheap Simpson does OK so long as its only half full, any more and the clothes ball up and don't get air circulating around them properly.

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#842162 24-Jun-2013 08:30

We have a condenser dryer, too.

We live in an apartment in a renovated concrete office building so we don't have vents in the walls for a traditional dryer to expel the damp air.

It works pretty damn well really. Just gotta remember to empty the water tank.

Gordy7

1906 posts

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#842216 24-Jun-2013 10:33

kiwigander: OP asks, "Are they any good (yet)?"

snip

Don't confuse condenser dryers (which use electrical resistance heating just like vented dryers) with heat-pump dryers, which are quite a bit more efficient.

Interesting discussion.

Please explain the different drier types.

From discussions in this thread it appears there are about 4 types of drier:

1. Heated with ventilation. (I know as a tumble drier).
2. Condenser (which uses elecrtical heating) and no ventilation. (not sure about this one).
3. Some sort of water chilled condenser which uses lots of water (no ventilation)
4. Heat pump (no ventilation).

Cheers

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Niel

3267 posts

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#843464 24-Jun-2013 16:37

Condenser uses ambient air with an air-to-air heat exchanger (like a car intercooler) to condense moisture out of the clothes. Often they have a very small heater to help evaporate moisture out of the clothes. There is no vent required. You can (should be able to) plumb it into a drain instead of having to empty the water bucket (like a dehumidifier).

The water chiller type is very old, and moisture from the clothes would condensate on the cold water pipes. There is no vent required.

Heat pumps are the same as normal tumble driers, except the heat pump uses around 1/3 the power as the compressor moves heat energy out of ambient air instead of an element using electricity to dissipate heat. AFAIK a vent is better.

You can never have enough Volvos!

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