Carolina Commercial Laundry Equipment
For all your professional laundry equipment needs.
Commercial Laundry Equipment
FAQ
How much does a commercial washer cost?
A small chassis laundry machine (Typically residential size) will start around $1000.00, with some of the small chassis industrial hybrid machines can start around $3000.00.
The cost of commercial laundry equipment depends on many factors, capacity, brand, frame type, gas fired or heated electrically. Typical retail cost can vary from $4000.00 for a smaller 25 pound (large chassis) machine to as much as $18,000 for an 80 pound capacity washer. Keep in mind these are reflective of retail prices and do not include sales, dealer incentives.
Smaller capacity washers but large chassis washers 25 pounds and up can be almost as expensive as larger capacity because there are less of these sold than the larger sizes. The average size sold is a 65 pound capacity. Generally you can expect to pay around $10,000 for a 60 pound capacity washer extractor. $6,500.00 for a typically 40 pound washers.
Large or Small Washers and Dryers
Small Chassis = This term refers to smaller capacity laundry equipment that is typical of the size used in the residential environment. This equipment is normally used in a guest laundry room or an area where a larger industrial machine can't be installed. Weight of these machine may be a few hundred pounds. Easy enough to move a around on a appliance hand truck. Typical maximum load capacity is 22 pounds.
Large Chassis = Refers to a larger frame and or larger capacity laundry machine. 25 pound capacity and above fill this category. An example of this is perhaps one of the larger stainless steel front load washers you may see in a laundromat. These machines typically weight over 5 hundred pounds upwards to 2000 pounds depending size. A pallet jack is need to move these machines. They come in a rigid mounted or softmount version. (Rigid mounts are mounted to a concrete floor with bolts and grout and a softmount machine has internal springs and shocks to balance the load.
Capacities from 20 pounds to 250 pounds are available. Normally 40 to 150 pound capacity machines are found in the healthcare, hospitality and other markets.
Extractor = Another term for a washer. (Washes and then extracts the water from the material during the spin cycle.
Tumbler = Another name for a large chassis dryer.
Machine Installation or Mountings
Rigid Mount = This type of machine needs to be bolted to a concrete floor. Any vibration from operation is transmitted to the foundation through the machine frame. If the machine is installed correctly on the proper foundation per the manufactures instructions, vibration is little to nonexistent. The floor thickness may be between 4 to as much as 16 inches or more depending on the capacity of the machine. Typically, this refers to washers/extractors. This is the most common type of commercial and industrial laundry equipment installed. Typically price is about 25% lower than a soft mount machine.
Soft Mount = This laundry machine has internal springs, shock absorbers and or struts to allow the wash tub to be suspended inside the frame. This allows for all movement of the wash tub during washer or the extraction process to be balanced without machine vibration being transmitted to the concrete floor. This type of machine can be installed on a second floor in some cases. Concrete thickness isn't typically an issue.
Drains
Drain Pump = An electrical or mechanical driven pump is used to drain the water from the washer. Normally used on all small chassis machines but can be specially ordered on some large chassis machines up to 40 pound capacity.
Gravity or Neutral Drain = Typically found on front load large chassis washers/extractors. This type of valve is used to drain the tub water into a pit or pipe located behind the machine. Drain valve automatically openings when power is removed from machine, this insures a power outage will not leave your washer full of water.
Power Supply for Laundry Equipment
1 or Single Phase Power = This refers to the power supply for a washer or dryer. Small Chassis machines normally are single phase Example: 220v (1) Phase. The word PHASE may be represented by 0 with a slash through it. Newer large chassis equipment can now use single phase power supply if the machine is prepared from the factory. NOT all large chassis laundry equipment can use single phase. A single phase circuit breaker will have 1 or 2 poles.
3 Phase = 3 Phase power is used for Large Chassis machine requiring more power. Example 220V 3 Phase. Many commercial building has 3 Phase power entering the building. Many new large chassis machines no longer need 3 Phase to operate. These machines can still be hooked up to a 3 Phase electrical circuit but the number 3 power leg isnt' connected at the machine. A 3 Phase circuit breaker will have 3 poles.
"1/3 Phase" on the machine data tag = This machine may be used in either circuit explained above as long as the breaker and wiring leading to the machine is correct.
120, 208, 220, 240 Volts = All of these voltages are typical for the American market. Most all chassis will use the standard wall outlet rated for 120 volts. 208,220,240 are normally used for small chassis dryers and large chassis machines. Most machines will handle between 208 and 240 volts without any issues. Some large chassis ELECTRIC Heater dryers will need to be wired according to which voltage is present. These also are normally 3 Phase units. There are some special made large chassis washers that can be wired for 120 volts. Product selection is depends on manufacturer.
Dryer Heating Types
Gas Fired = Heating is done with a flame using either Natural or Propane Gas. This requires Fresh Air Make Up Vents to be installed for large Chassis machines.
Electrical heating elements = Uses elements to achieve heat. Typically does not need makeup air. Small Chassis will need 220volt 1Phase. Large chassis will need 208-204 volts 3 phase although there are a few Large Chassis models available for 220 1 Phase.
Reversing Mode = Many Large Tumblers are able to reversing the tub action. The dryer will start out turning in a clockwise motion for a preprogrammed time, stop momentary and then start to rotate counterclockwise a prescribed time. This reverse action is quite helpful in dryer large items such a s sheets and blankets in a much quicker times. The reversing allows the sheets to break apart before rotating enough to become a big ball, once e sheets becomes entangled together in a big ball the heated air has no way to move air though the material.
Exhaust Duct for Dryers
Small Chassis (Residential size) laundry dryers will require a 4 inch wide duct. The total length of the exhaust line should not extend further than 30 feet (we prefer 20 feet maximum). For every 90* turn in the line you will need to deduct 5 feet from the total. Failure to do this will allow for lint build up in the line causing extended run times and drying issues.
Large Chassis Dryers will need a minimum of a 6 inch wide duct up to 16 inches. Typical sizes are 8 inch. The total run of the exhaust line length is depending upon manufactures recommendations but normally should be kept less than 40 foot. Consult manufacture for longer runs.
Makeup Air
Make Up Air = This is the fresh air that is needed for gas burners in Large Chassis tumblers/ Dryers. All large Chassis dryers require fresh into the room for proper burner operation. Typically, small chassis dryers do not need fresh air vents installed into the room.
Why sale dryers with larger capacities than the washer?
Dryers and or Tumblers are typically sold to be larger than the washers load capacity. Normally we try to increase the load size by approximately 20-25 percent or so. The reason is due to the additional weight of the washed items. A 50 pound dry load can easily weigh 10-20 percent more after the wash cycle even after extraction, thus needing a dryer to handle 60 or more pounds of weight. For instance, we will recommend a 50 pound capacity washer and a 75 pound capacity dryer.
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