Oven won't stay lit or relight

[bennydog]

While on our trip the oven started to get flaky. One time it worked fine then on another occasion it would light and then I think after it got to temp (325) the burner would go out and I could not get even the pilot light to stay on. Does anyone know if the thermocouple that keeps the pilot lit is also what the oven uses to know when it has reached the set temp? I really hate to drag the whole trailer up to the dealer if this is a simple fix.

Thanks

Bob

[Flyguy]

If that was happening to me, as silly as it sounds, I would first check to see that I had enough LP in the tanks, if I did I would then check the regulator output and make sure that it was 11" on the water column or 0.48psi, if that was ok then I would check for a leak somewhere in the gas line to include the gas stove, also if the regulator has an auto changeover device, make sure that when the service bottle emptys that it will auto change to the reserve bottle. JMHO

[bennydog]

Great minds think alike... I did check to see if I still had gas, stove top worked fine. All the other gas appliances where functioning correctly, stove top, frig, and heater. The oven had lit first try and was coming up to set temp of 325. Then it seems to stop heating and will not restart. It's like the thermocouple once hot opens up and shuts the gas off. I need to dig through the cobwebs to remember how to meter a TC to see if this one is failing. Or I can take it back to dealer and let them figure it out....just a long drive for a simple thing. Every changed a TC?

Bob

[Flyguy]

change the thermocouple on the oven and make sure that there's no clog in the gas pipe to the oven jet and that the jet orfice is clean. Thermocouple is easy to change and any local gas company should have a replacement or let them change it for you, beats spending money on gas to take it to the dealer (even if it's under warranty). JMHO

[hankpage]

The thermocouple does not control oven temp but will shut it off if it fails. If it was working and just quit that is most likely the cause. It may just be out of adjustment ..... look to see if the bulb is in the tip of the pilot flame. As others have said, it may be cheaper to have repaired locally by a service person if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself. Good luck and keep us informed on the outcome.

[bennydog]

So yesterday I hauled the trailer up to the dealer which is about 60 miles north of us. The two items I had asked them to look into were a sticking black tank drain valve, which they were able to fix by removing some sort of "construction debris" from the valve. The other was the oven. To quote the technician " after 8 minutes of operation with the oven set to 300 it had heated to 350 at which point it shuts off and will not relight" It has a defective "safety switch". Back inside with the service adviser, well we'll contact Keystone to have them authorize the repair which can take up to 4 weeks, then we'll order the part, (we don't stock parts anymore) and we'll give you a call. They declined to keep the trailer as this could take up to 2 months, Yikes. I've looked in the booklet that came with the range and can see no part identified as a safety switch. Any thoughts on what needs to be replaced? I am completely comfortable doing the work if I can find the parts or I can wait 2+ months and drive another 120 miles to have the "dealer" repair it. It's an Atwood range, could I not take it to any Atwood repair center and have them work on it?

[Flyguy]

The range that I have is a Wedgewood 1732, Atwood should be the same range by the same number as Atwood makes both units, here's the manual that I have for my range which is the "vision" model: http://eaa1358.com/Passport/Range/At...e%20Manual.pdf the part that I think is in question is ID'ed as #16 and part #56116 for both the Atwood and the Wedgewood, this is the oven thermostat and I'm sure that it comes with a thermocouple lead and bulb (that isn't shown) that mounts in the oven, this is separate from the thermocouple bulb for the pilot light, any safety switch I believe will be in the thermostat, JMO. You can check with your local gas company to see what they think. Hope this helps. I guarantee you that if this fault was detected at the PDI before the money changed hands, the dealer would have had this fixed in record time (funny how that works) and I know that I sound like a broken record about this PDI thing, but I keep coming up against the results of it from owner to owner and post to post in this forum, anyway remember that Keystone dosen't make the range, they buy them in large lots and install them during assembly, they also don't make the refrigerator or the water heater or the furnance or the light fixtures or the plumbing fixtures etc, etc.

[bennydog]

Thanks for the response. Do you know of a source for Atwood parts? I agree with the importance of the PDI though not sure I would have found this one. We did test the oven but did not leave it on long enough for this problem to manifest itself. I also think that the oven did actually work the first couple of times we used it. I would be curious how they would have taken care of this at PDI if they have no parts. After I brought the trailer home I ran it down to the local tire shop to have the wheels balanced. During that process we discovered that one of the tires had a rather large flat spot on it that appeared to have happened when the deliver guy had to slam on the brakes. I had them mount the spare and took the "defective" tire back to the dealer. He just swapped it with a spare off of another trailer and I'm sure did nothing more about it. Now someone else will have a spare that has a flat spot on it. If we had caught the oven at PDI someone else would have an oven that won't stay lit.

[Flyguy]

You got that right, that's how they work it. You might try calling "PPLmotorhomes", I think they are in Houston or do a google search for their web address, also try the parts dept at Camping World, give them your make and model number of your range and the part number.

[Flyguy]

I found this part at PPL: http://www.rvdealership.com/rvdstore...rNumber=885555 for catagory choose "Range" and then input the part number "56116", should give you a picture and a price. For the "Safety Pilot Valve" enter part #56120 instead. You know the hell of it is that if this trailer is still under warranty, you shouldn't have to be spending any money on parts, the dealer should be taking care of this for you, but my take on it is by the time you spend the money on gas and the frustration of dealing with the dealer (who now has you on his back burner of priorities), your money ahead to just replace the part or have your local gas company do it for you.

[hankpage]

If you have a broadband connection you might find this interesting http://eaa1358.com/Passport/Range/Ga...0Operation.swf I found it on Atwood's web page and it explains how the oven controls work. You may also find a dealer closer to home to buy the parts from. It sounds to me like you need a "Safety pilot valve".


NOTE: The original link that Hank posted is no longer valid and I have changed it to my homepage where I had saved the video before Atwood canceled it, it is in flash format, to save the video to your conputer just right click on the link and click on "save target as". My apologies to you Hank for the edit. Flyguy

[Flyguy]

That's an execellent video Hank and I've saved it for future reference, it explains the safety pilot valve but I haven't been able to see the part number for it in the manual parts list, maybe I'm missing it somewhere. On the picture of the oven thermostat from PPL, it does show two ports on it, the one on the right is for the oven pilot and the one on the left is for the safety pilot valve, (I'm guessing that this is so). So where are the part numbers for this valve? OK, I see it now, reference #32 in the manual, part #56120, WOW, at $81 and change that's got to be the most expensive part of the range, maybe Keystone or the dealer will send you the part (NOT), but I would try.

[bennydog]

So in the book that came with my oven item 32 is the Kit, Oven gas supply assy. Where are you getting your prices from?

[bennydog]

That was a great video, now I think I understand what was happening when it would stop working. Thanks

[Flyguy]

Look at the manual that I've posted the link to on my homepage, there #32 is the safety pilot valve and the prices that I'm getting is from PPL motorhomes parts web page that I posted too.

Here's the picture of the "Safty Pilot Valve": And here's the picture of the "Oven Thermostat":



These pictures plus the video that Hank has provided should tell the whole picture, BTW the "Safety Valve" mounts in the oven itself and looking at the picture of the oven thermostat with the control stem facing you, the port on the left is where the safety valve screws into and the one on the right is where the pilot screws into. This thread has turned out to be a great learning experience, I hope that everyone can benefit from it, I know I have.

[bennydog]

Took to trailer up north today to have the part installed...as luck would have it "Keystone" shipped the wrong part. As I'm tired of dragging it back and forth they get to keep it until they get it fixed. More later

[Terrydactile]

Hey Benny did you ever figure out your oven problem. Was it the saftey switch? BTW my dealer robbed parts out of another TT to repair my missing parts at PDI. Makes me wonder if mine was robbed to fix someone elses TT during their PDI. Could be a vicious circle of theivery.

[bennydog]

This is NOT a Keystone issue!!! Well it just gets better. Called on Thursday to check status and was told that there was a PO issues. I asked if that was the part we needed and they said no that this was just how they order them. I thought about introducing them to the internet and then changed my mind. I could have had two of them over nighted with out any effort. They also said that I should call back on Friday as the "person" working with me was off on Thursdays. So I called back on Friday mid morning.....well wouldn't you know the part was there, BTW this information did not come from the "person" who was working with me. "I see from the notes you would like to pick the trailer up today, let me get the part out to the shop to have them install it". I'll call if there is a problem. 60+ miles away at about 5 PM and there she is (the trailer) sitting right out front for me. Went inside to get keys and do paper work. Sorry Bob but the part did not fix the problem, we need to order a pilot light assembly. Question from Bob..."Then why didn't you call me?" I won't bore you with the rest of the conversation and besides I think the rules prevent me from putting it here anyway. They still have the trailer and we are awaiting the third part. . Sure wish they understood that how they treat me under warranty will have a huge effect on where I go when it's me who is paying for it. More later.

[bennydog]

OK trailer is back and oven has been repaired and it only took 2 months. According to the repair folks they replaced the safety valve and they still had a problem so they had to order and replace the pilot burner assembly. They seem to think that both parts were bad but were unable to know they needed the pilot assembly until after they replaced the safety valve. Also shared that they need to get authorization from Keystone at each step in the repair and that this can add sometimes a week per request. They were not getting the parts directly from Keystone. I could write an essay on why this industry has such a bad name and how little effort it would take to make it so much better......maybe when the snow starts. Going to the coast next week and I can bake cookies

[hankpage]

Glad to hear it's finally fixed ....... I can smell those cookies baking now.