Ouch ! obsolete oven parts are expensive !

[tri5ron]

Hi All,
It's been a very long time since I stopped in here, probably no one here even remembers me, haha.

Just thought I'd say Hi, (and cry in my Cherrios too)

I have been searching for a replacement oven control/thermostat for the range in my '97 Lance. I called Atwood to learn it is a discontinued part, and there is no cross-over part number either.
I have spent hours calling every parts/repair house possible, but could only find ONE through CW, and they said it is the last one,... at a different location,... and will have to be shipped to them in about a week.

well, after many hours of searching, I don't seem to have any other options,.. so I said "lets order it".
Imagine my surprise when the total for the thermostat and a knob came to $164.
DANG IT! That's a lot of money just to be able to cook some biscuits when camping ! Oh Well,... I guess I'm done crying now,... my Cherrios are getting all watered down. 😉

Will my biscuits taste better being cooked with a expensive valve now ? lol!

[doxiemom11]

Too bad you ordered it. What about ordering a new oven. Could have put the money towards a new, Maybe could have located an entire oven at a rv salvage shop for that. Hard to know what to do sometimes.

[Alpenliter]

Just install an in line shut off valve on the gas line to the thermostat. That way you can still use the burners

[Twomed]

Glad to see you had time to post a humorous response... my wife thinks you should have spent the time continuing your search.

See it's true as I always suspected...they are all genetically linked. Must have been that rib thing. 🙂 🙂

Chris's suggestion to cap it off is a good one....cold beer and grill out. 🙂 🙂

[Francesca_Knowl]

tri5ron wrote:
yeah, I feel like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, with no other options. I'll explain,...

You don't need biscuits- you need a stiff drink! :B

[Chris_Bryant]

Go to the hardware store and buy a 3/8" male flair plug and just disconnect the range for the time being. It's something to keep in the junk drawer in any case.

[enblethen]

You might try these people.
Laurelhurst

[tri5ron]

yeah, I feel like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, with no other options. I'll explain,...

the shaft of the control valve/thermostat, (where the knob itself attaches)snapped off flush with the valve body.
Of course it did this, while I was trying to turn OFF the oven.

This means I could not turn off the oven ! That's just GREAT !
So thennnnnn,... what's a man to do ??

I went to the propane tanks and shut them down, and let the oven burn out the remaining LP gas in the lines. ok, good for the moment.
BUT,...
This also means I have no operating LP at all.
No stove, no fridge, no generator, no water heater, no NOTHING !

the next conversation goes like this:

wife: so now what do we do ?
me: well,... we need to replace the control valve
wife: you can do that?
me: of course you can do that
wife: ok, where do you get one ?
me: should be able to get one at any RV store,... Atwood is about the most common range used in any RV... it'll be no problem.
wife: good to hear.

next day

wife: did you find that part we needed ?
me: no,... I've spent over 3 hours, I've called every dang place within 100 miles, nobody has one,... I'll call the manufacturer tomorrow 'cuz they are closed now since we are in Kalifornistan, and They are in Indiana or Moscow, or on Jupiter or something like that.
wife: you seem a bit frustrated, I thought you said it was a common part ?
me: I figured it was,... don't worry,... I'll find one
wife: what if you can't ?
me: please go away
wife: but what if you cant ?
me: please please go away
wife: can we use the camper without using the oven ?
me: Well,.... yes,.... but,.... since we can't turn the gas back on,... will you be satisfied with only an ice chest, cold showers, no electricity, no heater, no A/C, no microwave, no other comforts??
Now will you PLEASE go away?,.. my beer is getting warm, and I've got
to find this dang part,... or otherwise, all we've got is a 4000lb hard sided tent sitting on the back of the truck !
wife: you better find us that part
me: yes dear....
wife: if you don't find us that part,... I'm not going out with you until you do.
me: HMmmmmm,.... maybe I should rethink this,.....
wife: what's THAT supposed to mean ??
me: nothing dear,... I was just thinking,.... ahhh nevermind

[Water-Bug]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
97 is old? Man, I guess everything is throw away now days. :S Pretty soon if your water heater goes out in your trailer your going to have to throw away your 2010 trailer. :M

I read somewhere that 7 years is the requirement for providing replacement parts, that is unless the company goes bankrupt or government regulation prohibits the manufacture of the part. Having said that, I think that companies can charge whatever they like.

[Chris_Bryant]

They have banned mercury in motor vehicles, so the parts are nla. There is a company- http://www.erepco.com/ which rebuilds controls like these.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

97 is old? Man, I guess everything is throw away now days. :S Pretty soon if your water heater goes out in your trailer your going to have to throw away your 2010 trailer. :M

[RetSgt7114]

That's a lot of biscuits.

[Twomed]

Parts

Give these guys a try...they ship AND actually answer the phone. I was just there last week...tons of stove stuff, 97 should not be that hard to find.

Good Luck 🙂 🙂

[Francesca_Knowl]

YIKES!!!!!

Is there any money left to even BUY biscuit makins'???

On the bright side (I guess)- you're probably better off than the next guy whose thermo goes out...you got the last replacement in the world! :@