Time to Act on Stove Recall

[CPT Davenport]

Last weekend we camped at the lake. I got up at 0 dark 30 to fish and got my coffee going. While heating the water the flame went yellow and stove began making a hissing sound. I immediately turned off the burner but the hissing continued (dang it, all I wanted to do is go fishing!). I quickly went out and shut off the valve on the tank. The hissing sound slowed down and then stopped. It appeared to be coming from the area that was described in the recall. I have put off doing the recall swap as I'm 4 hours from the nearest FWC dealer. I tried to get one shipped to my local RV service center, but the process has been complicated.

Needless to say, I now am forced to take care of this issue. The recall states that the fittings can wear and break from off road vibrations. On Labor day we bounced all over the dirt roads in the TNF. I'm sure this is what put it over the edge. I try to turn off the propane while driving, but admittedly forget at times. Had this leak happened while I was underway, the camper would have been full of propane!!!

Just a word of caution to others who are procrastinating dealing with the recall.

 

[ski3pin]

Not recall related but allow me to pass this on. We've had a SMEV glass top propane stove in our camper for 13 years. Dear Julie is adept at spilling water, bless her heart. When water spills on the burner and gets inside, the flame turns yellow and the burner hisses. I turn the burner off, let it cool, pop the burner apart and completely dry it. Many times it is unnecessary to pop the burner apart and I can get away with allowing the heat to evaporate any water inside the burner. All is well after the water is gone. Just FYI.

 

[CPT Davenport]

Not recall related but allow me to pass this on. We've had a SMEV glass top propane stove in our camper for 13 years. Dear Julie is adept at spilling water, bless her heart. When water spills on the burner and gets inside, the flame turns yellow and the burner hisses. I turn the burner off, let it cool, pop the burner apart and completely dry it. Many times it is unnecessary to pop the burner apart and I can get away with allowing the heat to evaporate any water inside the burner. All is well after the water is gone. Just FYI.

It is possible that I spilled water in the burner, but it seems that if I turn off the flame the hissing would go away rather quickly??? I have not turned the gas back on yet, but will try it (with burner off) and see if the hissing returns, indicating a leak in the fittings.

 

[ski3pin]

Yes, if it is still hissing with the burner turned off I'd be very concerned! A little hissing after a wet burner is turned off would be the water sizzling until completely gone. I'd expect, maybe, a little difference in sound of sizzling water and escaping propane.

For all of us - always be careful and check our cooktops. Stay "on the safe side."

Good luck with this and getting the recall done.

 

[Jon R]

I think this is also a good reminder to not be lazy about turning the gas off before driving. I am guilty of that myself.

Note that, for this particular issue, the stove leak that is the subject of the recall is downstream of the burner control valve, so it would not fill your camper with gas if you left the gas tank valve open. There was a previous thread discussing the recall in early 2023 that discussed this.

Here is a link to the thread:

Possible Suburban Propane Stove Recall

Stan Kennedy from FWC, just posted this on the FWC Users Facebook Group: Four Wheel Campers has been contacted by Suburban Manf. about a possible recall on their Flush Mount (glass top) 2 burner propane RV stove. We are in discussions with them and are awaiting further information on what...

www.wanderthewest.com

 

[CPT Davenport]

Thanks guys! I will do a little more detective work on it this weekend. Got back late Sunday night and been back to work all week. I will update my findings.

 

[SLEDAWG]

Concur regarding turning the gas off at the tank valve before traveling. Went on a roadtrip with a friend for his solo FWC trip. He drained the hot water tank the last day but left it on. Hot water heater ran empty for six hours. Was really hot when he finally noticed it. Luckily no damage or fire.

 

[rubberlegs]

Since we take ferries across Puget Sound several times a year (they require propane tank to be off), we've gotten in the habit of turning off the propane before driving.

 

[Wyo4Life]

With the newer campers that use the Truma on demand hot water heaters, they heat the water up so quickly that there is no need to travel with the propane valve turned on. Since the refrigerators are compressor fridges and don’t use propane, there is nothing requiring the propane valve to be open during travel.

 

[Wallowa]

Thanks guys! I will do a little more detective work on it this weekend. Got back late Sunday night and been back to work all week. I will update my findings.

CPT,

What year is your FWC?

 

[CPT Davenport]

CPT,

What year is your FWC?

2022

 

[CPT Davenport]

Not recall related but allow me to pass this on. We've had a SMEV glass top propane stove in our camper for 13 years. Dear Julie is adept at spilling water, bless her heart. When water spills on the burner and gets inside, the flame turns yellow and the burner hisses. I turn the burner off, let it cool, pop the burner apart and completely dry it. Many times it is unnecessary to pop the burner apart and I can get away with allowing the heat to evaporate any water inside the burner. All is well after the water is gone. Just FYI.

I think this may be my situation as well. I finally popped up the camper today for some trouble shooting (have not camped in her for the last few weeks as the pain in my hip has reached an unbearable limit. surgery in 3 more weeks) When I heard the dreaded hiss, it was completely dark before an early strike mission on the trout, and I was trying to make coffee without waking the bride. I could have spilled water as the symptoms sound very similar. Yellow flame and hiss. Just seems like it took a while for the hiss to stop. I'm not sure if it would have stopped on its own as I ran out and shut off the tank. Today stove works fine, no hiss, nice blue flame, no smell of propane and all seem right.

 

[Taku]

we always pre-flight before driving. 9 main items: the six latches, the propane, door is locked and a full walk around to check for left items and look at tires, etc. Lot's of years of flying in wildland fire got me trained for taking the time to look and check

 

[CPT Davenport]

we always pre-flight before driving. 9 main items: the six latches, the propane, door is locked and a full walk around to check for left items and look at tires, etc. Lot's of years of flying in wildland fire got me trained for taking the time to look and check

At the firehouse we called it the "golden circle". I still do it before every dispatch of the camper.

 

[craig333]

We'd also check the oil, the lights, etc. I need to get back into that habit.