Propane explosion below cooktop

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

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

Oh geez, I'm getting senile! Conflating all the talk about how lousy Dometic stuff is, with this thread. Sorry!!!

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by 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?

I for one do not think that’s a bad idea. It’s sort of like the old suggestion box. Not all of the suggestions are valid and some are downright insulting but some are well thought out and worth pursuing. I had a guy work for me once who would start many suggestion sentences with “If you guys really knew what you were doing........ it did kind of put a person off but was often worth listening to. And when we carried through on installing a culvert where he suggested once, he crowed about guiding us for some time. The public park users were the beneficiary and life went on. Customer feedback is always important. And so is word of mouth advertising. Hopefully positive.
Iowa Dave

[gbaglo]

ETI may actually have somebody reading the forum, but the worst thing they could do is respond online. I used to let Tammy know if I thought there was something that they needed to know. I also advised not to discuss with anybody, including me, because emails could be subpoenaed in a court case.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Mike G

Oh geez, I'm getting senile! Conflating all the talk about how lousy Dometic stuff is, with this thread. Sorry!!!

You aren’t going senile. Dometic does have a current recall on some of their oven models which has impacted Escape owners. Supposedly affects about 300 trailers with the RV1731 oven/range with completion dates between Jan 10, 2020 and Oct 30, 2020.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...eak-19810.html
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...0E071-9137.pdf

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

ETI may actually have somebody reading the forum, but the worst thing they could do is respond online.

Responding carelessly would be bad, but a suitable forum post is just one form of public communication, along with statements on their website, press releases, social media posts, and letters sent to owners.

Both Escape's founders and the current management have used this forum to make announcements and to respond to the public, as appropriate.

[Bobbie54]

Thanks.

[SA54]

If you're relying on a cheap propane detector, you are already putting too much faith in technology. Your nose is the first and best detector (trust your nose). These units are expensive, cheaply made and go off whenever the trailer voltage drops below a couple percent of full charge (usually at 2am!). I'm on my third one for the same problem and after two days, once again, got awaken in the dead of night because my battery charge dropped below full charge. I no longer use it (snipped the wires). These things look good, make regulators feel good, and lull people in to a false sense of security. (Like soooo much else these days). Old school it, trust your senses and frequently check ALL of you important connections. I'm happy to hear you are doing well and hope you've learned an important lesson. If I were you, I'd spend a few bucks consulting an attorney, warranty or no warranty.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by JazzDad

Although I do not yet have my trailer, I have used the contact link rubicon provided asking what the company is doing about this problem (including the link to this thread). If everyone would do similar...

Originally Posted by JazzDad

So far:
Thank you for filling out the Suburban Contact Us form. Someone will be in contact with you just as soon as possible.

Please note: Emails are answered in the order received. Should you submit this form after 3PM EST on Friday afternoons, we may not be in contact with you until Monday. Should you need immediate assistance, please contact your local dealer and/or service center.

https://www.airxcel.com/

I didn't even get the auto response.

[Crayfishrock]

Double issue, propane and detector

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by SA54

If you're relying on a cheap propane detector, you are already putting too much faith in technology. Your nose is the first and best detector (trust your nose).

OK, now explain why so many people die of smoke inhalation in house fires? Why don't they just wake up and get out of the house?

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

OK, now explain why so many people die of smoke inhalation in house fires? Why don't they just wake up and get out of the house?

Because smoke inhalation makes you sleepy.

But I would not rely solely on the nose. Women tend to have a better sense of smell than men but as we age we start to lose some of it, and some people lose most of it. So the combo of propane detector and nose is safer. If either is saying propane- check it out. If the propane detector says propane and you can’t smell it, turn off the gas and leave the trailer anyway, and ask someone else to sniff.

The thing about the under stove explosion is that the propane collected. In a small space and got much more concentrated than it normally would before there was much to smell and probably before there was much for the detector to sniff out.

[drjp]

My goodness, such a perilous experience! I’m very glad that you are relatively ok.

I’m ordering a 5.0 with a three burner cook top and oven. Any reports on this internal gas line separation happening on other models of cookers ETI installs?
Jonathan

[Tam2004]

As regards the horrible stove top explosion -- I wonder how that would express itself with the range which has the three top and oven down below? I noticed, when I took off the top to see why the spark had quit working to light the flame, how the pipes could be pulled off. I am going to notice if there is any wobble and I am ultra sensitive to the gas smell so won't get too worried. But I feel horrible for our victim!! And, by the way, I did fix the lighter easily with a simple reconnect. This afternoon I will get out the screwdriver and take off the range top again to look.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by drjp

I’m ordering a 5.0 with a three burner cook top and oven. Any reports on this internal gas line separation happening on other models of cookers ETI installs?

See post #84 but I wouldn't worry too much because the ovens are officially recalled and the existing stock and anything new from the factory should be corrected. What is scary about the Suburban SDS2 cooktop that is the main subject of this thread is that it isn't recalled and there has been no word from Escape or Suburban on the issue. As far as I can tell the issue was first brought forward on the forum in Sept 2019....over 1.5 years ago.

[luvlabs]

I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you! It must have been awful! I hope you heal quickly with a minimum of discomfort. We are picking up our 5.0 in July. We got the three burner flush mount with the oven. I hope it's OK! I will definitely keep your advice close in mind.

[SA54]

Don't need criticism. We have an overabundance of that these days. Just trying to tell folks that if you're relying on technology as your first line of defense you may want to rethink that. I've lived 70 damn years without google, detectors, and useless crap. AND, I'm not talking about houses, I'm talking about trailers!

[Ops]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

Women tend to have a better sense of smell than men but as we age we start to lose some of it, and some people lose most of it.

So that's why my wife hits me

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by SA54

I've lived 70 damn years without google, detectors, and useless crap.

Hope you have a blood pressure monitor.

[AnJ]

Thank you for making us aware of this. We have a 2018 and have only gotten to use it a handful of times due to the pandemic interrupting travel plans.
I have contacted the information provided, also cc’ing ETI’s service department in an email with our concerns. Our toddler is often underfoot or nearby, and I’d hate to think of what could have happened had someone been at eye level when this occurred. I’m so sorry, Beth, that you had such a traumatizing experience. No one deserves that, especially not with a newer unit and when you are on vacation. I hope that you continue to heal so you can fully enjoy the rest of your vacation.

[bborzell]

Just spoke to a rep at Escape about my disinterest in the Suburban cooktop.

They are having an internal meeting next Wednesday to discuss cooktop options. I asked whether they were considering offering the Dickenson cooktop and was told that the Dickenson was on the agenda for discussion. I put in a word for also considering carrying the Dickenson range.

I suggested that perhaps it was time to offer cooking appliances that match the quality and performance of the trailer.

Also got a call from a friend who is a long time Escape owner. He just had a Suburban cooktop experience that pretty much mirrored that of the OP.

Should be interesting…