Economical electric clothes dryer

Product_Designer

Hello all, my name is joe and i am currently studying for a degree in product design and technology. As part of my corse i have been given the task to design an electrical rotating clothes dryer (think of it as a standard rotating clothes dryer which is electrically driven as opposed to being spun by the wind.) The idea being that it wont be as expensive to run or to buy as a tumble dryer would be but it will dry the clothes faster than any other washing line.

I noticed a post on this forum about washing lines which seemed to attract alot of interest and thort i would be able to gain some information from the potential customer of this product (You!). I would be very gratefull if you could post some replys about the questions below and add any input you think may be relevent!

Note: The quickest and easiest way to complete this questionnaire is to copy and paste the questionnaire into the "reply to thread" box and type your answers under the apropriate question.

Thanks again, joe.





1. If the washing line has two different operating speeds, would it be appropriate to have a slow operating speed for attaching and removing clothing from the line and another operating speed for drying the clothing? Other suggestions-please state.

2. What price would you be willing to pay for an effective electric, rotating, domestic clothes dryer?


3. Would you be willing to have a bracket concreted or screwed into the ground to provide a stable base for the clothes dryer or would you rather have a less stable, free standing clothes dryer?


4. Do you have an out-door mains socket which is accessible for plugging a clothes dryer into / is there an accessible mains socket for use for an outdoor clothes dryer on your property?


5. In an average load of washing, what items may be found, and approximately how many of each item may be found? (I.e.4 pairs of socks, 1 – shirt 1 pair of trousers. Etc.)


6. Roughly what is the largest piece of washing you might find in a load?

Silaqui

Hi Joe...

First thoughts - watch your spellings (course and thought to mention a couple). You don't want people on here talking about how students these days can't spell rather than giving you the market research you need!

As a designer myself it's an interesting brief but I can't say I can see it working for me. An interesting angle to develop might be for those in flats where these is no garden space? (i.e. me!) I'd also be a bit concerned about the need for outdoor electrics which might prove costly (and not very sustainable). Perhaps some kind of dynamo/self generation system would be worth researching? You would also have to ensure that a motor was strong enough to withstand possibly being forced around or pulled around by strong winds, especially when drying large items such as towels or sheets in very windy weather!

I would also have a couple of safety concerns, in that if the line was rotating out in the garden with large items on, could it cause a potential hazard to children (and possible animals) who might get caught up in it?

Anyway - I'll answer your questions...

Product_Designer wrote: »

1. If the washing line has two different operating speeds, would it be appropriate to have a slow operating speed for attaching and removing clothing from the line and another operating speed for drying the clothing? Other suggestions-please state.
I think this would be a good idea as you would have the option of either switching it off or using the slow speed to attach clothes.

2. What price would you be willing to pay for an effective electric, rotating, domestic clothes dryer?
I wouldn't, personally. If you have space to dry outside then the wind is usually effective enough. However, I would pay up to £40 for an effective system of drying clothes in a limited space indoors, without costing as much as a tumble dryer!


3. Would you be willing to have a bracket concreted or screwed into the ground to provide a stable base for the clothes dryer or would you rather have a less stable, free standing clothes dryer?
Unable to have a concreted base as in rented accomodation. Something to think about when thinking about your target market.

4. Do you have an out-door mains socket which is accessible for plugging a clothes dryer into / is there an accessible mains socket for use for an outdoor clothes dryer on your property?
No

5. In an average load of washing, what items may be found, and approximately how many of each item may be found? (I.e.4 pairs of socks, 1 – shirt 1 pair of trousers. Etc.)
Completely depends on what I've been wearing recently - I couldn't really say, sorry.

6. Roughly what is the largest piece of washing you might find in a load?
Double/king size bed sheets.

Best of Luck
Sil
x

Seakay

1. If the washing line has two different operating speeds, would it be appropriate to have a slow operating speed for attaching and removing clothing from the line and another operating speed for drying the clothing? Other suggestions-please state.
I'd rather that it wasn't moving when I pegged washing onto it - or are yo saying that without the motor on it will not revolve at all?

2. What price would you be willing to pay for an effective electric, rotating, domestic clothes dryer?
COLOR="Red"]To be honest, I wouldn't buy one. Unless it's the middle of winter then washing will dry outside if it isn't raining. If it is the middle of winter then it's the lack of daylight that is the main problem[/COLOR]

3. Would you be willing to have a bracket concreted or screwed into the ground to provide a stable base for the clothes dryer or would you rather have a less stable, free standing clothes dryer?
I would be willing, but it would be more sensible to have it free standing or inserted into some sort of lawn spike as other rotary driers are, otherwise you are going to have a lot of problems with both damage and theft.


4. Do you have an out-door mains socket which is accessible for plugging a clothes dryer into / is there an accessible mains socket for use for an outdoor clothes dryer on your property?
no


5. In an average load of washing, what items may be found, and approximately how many of each item may be found? (I.e.4 pairs of socks, 1 – shirt 1 pair of trousers. Etc.)
depends on the time of year etc

6. Roughly what is the largest piece of washing you might find in a load?
largest would be a double duvet cover. Heaviest would be a large jumper, jeans, pillow or summer duvet.

Possibly this would be a useful invention in a windless, cold and dry country. I know that you cannot have much influence on the tasks which you are set (by the way, you have been given the task of designing not given the task to design) but it would be more useful to have something which would dry clothes cheaply indoors without causing loads of condensation, or some sort of cover which enabled the outdoor line to be used in all weathers

PasturesNew

I just can't see this product being of interest for people to buy ... just to stare at if they saw one demonstrated

Product_Designer wrote: »

1. If the washing line has two different operating speeds, would it be appropriate to have a slow operating speed for attaching and removing clothing from the line and another operating speed for drying the clothing? Other suggestions-please state.
: Two speeds for drying. Stop for taking them on/off.
2. What price would you be willing to pay for an effective electric, rotating, domestic clothes dryer? : I'd never buy one, waste of money, I wouldn't see the benefit of it.

3. Would you be willing to have a bracket concreted or screwed into the ground to provide a stable base for the clothes dryer or would you rather have a less stable, free standing clothes dryer? : Tricky one, one that's in the ground would be best, but I've never ever managed to get one of those slots into any garden I've owned... last one I ended up with 3 inner sleeves and some broken up pegs to make it all fit.

4. Do you have an out-door mains socket which is accessible for plugging a clothes dryer into / is there an accessible mains socket for use for an outdoor clothes dryer on your property? : I've never had one of those, nor have I ever seen a property that had such a thing. By using the word accessible, I imagine you mean "inside", but that brings problems of security and not being able to go out while it was in use.

5. In an average load of washing, what items may be found, and approximately how many of each item may be found? (I.e.4 pairs of socks, 1 – shirt 1 pair of trousers. Etc.) : There's no such thing as an average load really. I group things together, so I'll do an entire wash of undies/socks, an entire wash of bedlinen/towels, an entire wash of whites, an entire wash of anything else.

6. Roughly what is the largest piece of washing you might find in a load? : a thick double bedspread, more often would be a high quality bath sheet.

PasturesNew

Personally, rather than finding a new way to dry clothes, I'd buy a dehumidifier, which would have a dual purpose. One portable dehumidifier and the clothes can be dried quickly, indoors, without worries of getting a room damp.

oystercatcher

I'm having trouble seeing the advantages of the rotation here.
How fast would the line rotate? have you actually tested to see if it makes a difference to the drying speed as I can't see how it would make much difference unless it was rotating really fast which just doesn't seem feasible.


1. If the washing line has two different operating speeds, would it be appropriate to have a slow operating speed for attaching and removing clothing from the line and another operating speed for drying the clothing? Other suggestions-please state.
I would want free movement for hanging as I go back and forth between the rows and sides of my washing line fitting garments into the 'right' spaces. It would be really annoying to have the line moving when pegging out fiddly things like socks.

2. What price would you be willing to pay for an effective electric, rotating, domestic clothes dryer?
Me....... erm........ nuffing ! (Sorry) (Because I can't be convince it would be effective, if it did work then it would depend on how much it cost to run and how much it shortened drying time.) If it was really good then maybe £200 but it would have to be really, really fantastic.


3. Would you be willing to have a bracket concreted or screwed into the ground to provide a stable base for the clothes dryer or would you rather have a less stable, free standing clothes dryer?
Freestanding so can move to catch the sun.


4. Do you have an out-door mains socket which is accessible for plugging a clothes dryer into / is there an accessible mains socket for use for an outdoor clothes dryer on your property?
All I have is a plug inside the garage which I attach an extension lead to for mowers etc.


5. In an average load of washing, what items may be found, and approximately how many of each item may be found? (I.e.4 pairs of socks, 1 – shirt 1 pair of trousers. Etc.)
Varies hugely. Could be a double sheet, king size duvet cover and eight pillowcases. OR Five bath towels and four hand towels and a few tea towels and flannels. OR Two pairs jeans, 7 T shirts, 7 boxers, 7 pairs sox and a couple of sweatshirts.

Bear in mind I often do two or three loads of washing a day .


6. Roughly what is the largest piece of washing you might find in a load?
Kingsize sheet or large bedspread or blanket.

newleaf

I use an outdoor washing line if the weather is suitable and a dehumidifier & clothes horse indoors if it isn't. I don't really feel I need anything else.

donny-gal

Hi Joe - by now you are probably going to wish you never asked:

Here are my comments:
1. If the washing line has two different operating speeds, would it be appropriate to have a slow operating speed for attaching and removing clothing from the line and another operating speed for drying the clothing? Other suggestions-please state.

It takes differnt time to add large or small items, so it would need to stop to add/remove items, and then probably one speeed to dry.

2. What price would you be willing to pay for an effective electric, rotating, domestic clothes dryer?

Again probably £0, as not a fan of rotary dryers, as I feel the inside items don't dry as well as the outside one, and a line works better.

3. Would you be willing to have a bracket concreted or screwed into the ground to provide a stable base for the clothes dryer or would you rather have a less stable, free standing clothes dryer?

It would need some form of stand /base especially in clay soils. The weight of wet towels is not insusbstantial.

4. Do you have an out-door mains socket which is accessible for plugging a clothes dryer into / is there an accessible mains socket for use for an outdoor clothes dryer on your property?

We do have one, put would not like to have a wire dragging across the garden.

5. In an average load of washing, what items may be found, and approximately how many of each item may be found? (I.e.4 pairs of socks, 1 – shirt 1 pair of trousers. Etc.)

I would work on an average of 20 items per wash for general clothes, but only 4 for a load of towels, and 6 for bedding.

6. Roughly what is the largest piece of washing you might find in a load?

Superking quilt cover for me, but the heaviest would be Bath Sheets.

JillS_2

If there is only one direction of rotation then the clothes would tend to get twisted out of shape. So, yet another reason for not wanting one even if it were free.

Product_Designer

Thank you to everyone who has posted here, this kind of feedback is exactly what I need! There is just one thing I would like to clarify; most people who posted said there is no way of accessing a mains socket from the garden. I’m wondering if you did purchase this item (and let’s pretend that it does actually dry clothes faster than other dryers on the market) would you rather it was battery operated and maybe came with two batteries, one which could be in use as the other was charging?

Thanks again, all of the feedback so far is very useful!
P.S. to those who pointed out spelling and grammar errors thanks I’ll brush up on them!:)