Propane explosion below cooktop

[MyronL]

Very upsetting. Dustin Dione at Escape trailers is obviously someone to avoid, assuming he is still there.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Very upsetting. Dustin Dione at Escape trailers is obviously someone to avoid, assuming he is still there.

Suggest a poll on that question. Is Dustin someone to avoid, or did he go out of his way to help you overcome a problem, even though your trailer was years out of warranty?

[sunrisetrucker]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Suggest a poll on that question. Is Dustin someone to avoid, or did he go out of his way to help you overcome a problem, even though your trailer was years out of warranty?

Let me be the first to respond to your poll. I too have had dealings with Dustin and let's just say, --I wouldn't want working for me. And that's putting it mildly.

[Allan Bornestig]

Maybe it should be part of somebodys job description to read the Escape forum daily, just to stay up to date on customer satisfaction?

[kootenaigirl]

So sorry that was the response, very upsetting. There is a big difference between showing compassion to another human being and a business accepting any liability. I would have hoped the first part would be a given....

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Suggest a poll on that question. Is Dustin someone to avoid, or did he go out of his way to help you overcome a problem, even though your trailer was years out of warranty?

A horse kicked in my driver side front access door. Called for a replacement and Dustin was very responsive. Had the new door and everything to replace it with in a week. About $95 I think.

Helped me out with the @#$% ETI battery switch too. The original never worked and the replacement he sent also failed. He said buy my own and send ETI the bill. I did and it was promptly paid.

So far, so good!

Anyone want a Horse? Snake mean and bear tough!

Edit: Forgot about my fridge. My original failed on the trip[ home and my RV guy in Corpus Christi worked with Dometic and finally got it replaced. Dometic would not pay for the trailer door removal and replacement labor.

Contacted Dustin and after he talked it over with whoever, ETI paid that bill. Over $200. They didn't have to do that!

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

So sorry that was the response, very upsetting. There is a big difference between showing compassion to another human being and a business accepting any liability. I would have hoped the first part would be a given....

Don't forget. We are only hearing one side of the conservation. Just saying....

[Buzz505]

After this post I inquired about getting a True Induction stove top installed in our 5.0 build. I have been told that they do not install other stove tops. I am reluctant to use propane and after this I will have the True Induction cook top installed after we pick it up. If we are boondocking we will use a charcoal grill or rocket stove for cooking.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Eggscape found that the nuts securing the control valves into the stove panel were loose. Tightening them provides the intended support to the valves instead of the tubing doing it.

Since this happened, has anyone checked the nuts on their control valves? (I haven't done anything yet as I'm not sure how to start, but wonder if it was a faulty installation or if they loosen as you travel, and if so, and some people find loose nuts, did they stay on paved roads or not?) If tightening provides the support it would seem like this would at least normally be done properly.

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by NWtraveller

I’m posting another update. I called ETI and and had a conversation with Dustin Dionne, After Sales Support. I felt that he was unsympathetic and pretty much uninterested in my issue. I described to him what had happened. He asked what I wanted from him. I told him that he should be aware that they are selling trailers with a potentially dangerous cooktop. He assured me that this is a good cooktop and that before the new trailers are delivered, the cooktops are pressure tested and that no trailers leave the factory with faulty cooktops. I asked him if he had read any of the forum discussions regarding this cooktop because I wanted him to know that I am one of several customers who have had similar issues. He said “I don’t read the forum.” I said I’ll send you a link to the forum discussion about this issue. He again said “I don’t read the forum.” I asked if he would be willing to read the forum discussion about this and he again said “I don’t read the forum.” I said “do you mean that if I were to send you the link to this discussion on the forum, you wouldn’t read it?” He said “correct”. I was pretty annoyed by then. He said that if I wanted to send photos of the damage I could. I asked if he wanted photos of the damaged part of the cooktop or my damaged body. He said only the cooktop. I sent the photo of the damaged part and that’s the last I heard from him.

I also sent a description of the event to the link rubicon posted for suburban. No response.

Meanwhile, my burns have blistered and have been weeping. Some of them are worse than I originally thought. I’ve been having to wrap my legs with gauze like a mummy. The skin is easily torn so it has to be covered. Surprisingly, it doesn’t hurt other than the places the skin has opened. I’ve been able to hike and bike so all is not lost, though I am trying not to push too hard. Tomorrow we visit Bryce Canyon. I’ve ordered a dometic cooktop from Amazon to be delivered next week to a UPS store on our way. I hope it all works out. We got a little campstove yesterday so we can at least make coffee.

Don't take this the wrong way, but after the terrible experience you had with your Dometic cooktop, I'm wondering why you bought another Dometic cooktop instead of some other brand? When you're trying to warn ETI how dangerous Dometic cooktops are?

[Kirt]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Since this happened, has anyone checked the nuts on their control valves? (I haven't done anything yet as I'm not sure how to start, but wonder if it was a faulty installation or if they loosen as you travel, and if so, and some people find loose nuts, did they stay on paved roads or not?) If tightening provides the support it would seem like this would at least normally be done properly.

I checked our trailer yesterday.
The right side was snug. The left side was loose, out about 2 full turns. I picked up a couple lock nuts per Eggscape and re assembled with some medium thread lock.
By the way, we have about 1000 miles on the trailer after it was delivered to Twin Falls ID.

[Ops]

I've dealt with Dustin a couple of times on relatively minor matters and found him to be pleasant, positive and with a sense of humour.

I've also spent over 30 years dealing with front counter issues, all requiring problem resolutions ranging from deathly serious to minor laughable queries. Having ALL the answers to every question posed, and incidents responded to, is very frequently challenging, no matter the venue.

Not to minimize NWTravellers experience and her injuries, there are occasions where expected responses from an expectedly informed source, are not what the complainant wants. How the questions are asked, and how they are heard can have a significant impact on how that individual concern is dealt with.
Having a poll on Dustin's performance may not be the best means of helping this matter get resolved.

We've all seen too much of that on social media these days, where one individual is slagged by another, and the subject of the complaint is overwhelmed with negative "opinions" and "feelings". I think the football term is piling on - which is against the rules according to most referees.

Bottom line: I am sure that ETI is now fully aware of this concern, voiced both by NWTraveller et al.

Are businesses slow in responding? Certainly not as slow as politicians, and not as fast as social media.

There are far better paths to follow than having a poll on this forum regarding Dustin OR any other employee of ETI.
And some of those paths have already been suggested.

[Mark B1]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Since this happened, has anyone checked the nuts on their control valves? (I haven't done anything yet as I'm not sure how to start, but wonder if it was a faulty installation or if they loosen as you travel, and if so, and some people find loose nuts, did they stay on paved roads or not?) If tightening provides the support it would seem like this would at least normally be done properly.

I checked my valves and they are tightly secured and there is no movement at either end of the tubes. I probably have about 5000km and 75 nights on the trailer but have only cooked on the stove once, on the way home from picking it up in Chilliwack. We prefer to cook outside.

As Eggscape's diagnosis makes sense to me, we will just monitor the security of the valves like other routine inspection/maintenance on the trailer. If you are aware of the problem this is easy to do. If I do ever notice movement I will consider Eggscape's lock nut solution.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Ops

There are far better paths to follow than having a poll on this forum regarding Dustin OR any other employee of ETI.
And some of those paths have already been suggested.

The poll was suggested in jest.

I agree entirely with your post, BTW.

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by Ops

I've dealt with Dustin a couple of times on relatively minor matters and found him to be pleasant, positive and with a sense of humour.

I've also spent over 30 years dealing with front counter issues, all requiring problem resolutions ranging from deathly serious to minor laughable queries. Having ALL the answers to every question posed, and incidents responded to, is very frequently challenging, no matter the venue.

Not to minimize NWTravellers experience and her injuries, there are occasions where expected responses from an expectedly informed source, are not what the complainant wants. How the questions are asked, and how they are heard can have a significant impact on how that individual concern is dealt with.
Having a poll on Dustin's performance may not be the best means of helping this matter get resolved.

We've all seen too much of that on social media these days, where one individual is slagged by another, and the subject of the complaint is overwhelmed with negative "opinions" and "feelings". I think the football term is piling on - which is against the rules according to most referees.

Bottom line: I am sure that ETI is now fully aware of this concern, voiced both by NWTraveller et al.

Are businesses slow in responding? Certainly not as slow as politicians, and not as fast as social media.

There are far better paths to follow than having a poll on this forum regarding Dustin OR any other employee of ETI.
And some of those paths have already been suggested.

I can remember many years ago my Grandfather holding 'court' on Sunday afternoon. We had many more Hands in those days. 1940s and 50s. We were still in the beef business then.

Anyone who felt he had been slighted could appear and state his case. After Pops got thru almost everyone left laughing and the best of friends again. Never saw a completely one sided case.

Before I get flamed for calling employees 'Hands'. They call themselves that and it has always been so here.

The finest complement we can give is 'He's a top hand'

[wackyburggeezer]

Responding to Bobbie in post #69,

Several trips ago, one of the on/off switches on our stove simply disconnected itself and tried to slide into the recess under the stove. We simply pulled the switch back into its' normal location and reinstalled the nut. Checked it and its' partner yesterday, and both nuts are tight.

[Effie]

My stove came with all nuts & bolts secured but still had a leak from day one. Loose connections could be the reason for some of the issues but I believe the design is marginal and assembly errors (like over tightening of the aluminum) are to blame.
When it comes to Dustin he was actually responsible of shipping me a replacement stovetop so no complains here.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by wackyburggeezer

Responding to Bobbie in post #69,

Several trips ago, one of the on/off switches on our stove simply disconnected itself and tried to slide into the recess under the stove. We simply pulled the switch back into its' normal location and reinstalled the nut. Checked it and its' partner yesterday, and both nuts are tight.

OK, next question, how do I check it? No smell of propane so I'm not very worried and I rarely use it, but it would be good to check.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Mike G

Don't take this the wrong way, but after the terrible experience you had with your Dometic cooktop, I'm wondering why you bought another Dometic cooktop instead of some other brand? When you're trying to warn ETI how dangerous Dometic cooktops are?

The Suburban SDS2 is the cooktop in question as far as I know - not a Dometic.

[Eggscape]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

OK, next question, how do I check it? No smell of propane so I'm not very worried and I rarely use it, but it would be good to check.

Put a few drops of dish soap in a 1/4 cup of water. With an old tooth brush dip the brush in the solution and rub a bit in the areas in red. If there is a leak, soap bubbles will appear and be growing. This test can only be done when the stove burner is on as it is beyond the valves. So get all setup with something soft on the floor, a light under the sink, your solution then light one burner and test for leaks in two spots on that side. Repeat for the other side.

Just a note that all the tubing on the underside of the stove should be solid...no wiggles or movement.

Edit: just stepped outside and took a look at what I was writing about. You will also have to remove the heat deflector which is held on by two little screws to access what you see in the picture.