Dometic Glass Top Replacement

[BryonJ]

As luck would have it, we broke (shattered) the glass top on our Dometic cooktop while on our maiden voyage.

Never let a disaster go to waste.

After learning that a replacement top is $500 (plus labor), I set out to find an alternative. I first searched out Corian to match the countertop. I just could not find a workable solution. Then I looked at glass and the cost was $$$$.

Then there was good old stainless steel. I bought a 24" x 24" sheet of 304 brushed #4 from McMaster Carr for less than $100. A little bit of metal epoxy to hold it together and....better than new (at least in our opinion).

See attached picture.

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

Looks good! How did the glass break? One of my fears is breaking it.

[saraed]

Great idea!! It looks really good. I have a stainless steel top on my stove and it scratches easily, so be careful!

[BryonJ]

We had some heavy glass beer steins in the overhead cabinet. When my wife opened the cabinet, one fell onto the glass top - boom! Since it is tempered glass it shattered into thousands of little squares - what a mess. Now we have bins and elastic straps in the overheads.

The only pain about the repair was that I had to take the stove out in order to put the top in. The spring loaded devices that are inserted into the the top just don't go into their slots unless you open up the top flange of the stove. It's pretty easy to do. 6 screws along the top and 4 on the front (open the oven door). The stove slides out easily and there is plenty of slack in the power and propane lines to set the stove on the floor. Then on one side of the stove, unfold two of the tabs that hold the sides of the oven together. This will allow enough flex to insert the spring loaded pins and the new top. It goes back together easily. It took me about 15-20 minutes with just a Phillips screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

[VetteGuy]

I love the Fabrication. Beautiful... I have zero idea why they do these stupid things.. glass as a cover. Might as well make a paper refrigerator door.

[rmkrum]

Boy, this incident makes me glad our 2007 stove has a simple painted two-piece folding top.

[norcim]

Our kids thought the glass cover worked just like the electric glass-top range in the house. After a few minutes of the burner heating up the closed cover we had shattered glass everywhere. This was one week after getting our new 30' GT.

The dealer wanted over $700 to replace the top. I found a replacement top and spring hinges for the Dometic CU434 for $335.32 including shipping. https://rvpartsexpress.com/product/d...ls-blk-sq-s-o/

One thing I learned, the screws in the hinge tabs DO NOT need to be removed prior to install/uninstall. In fact doing so will make reassembling the spring hinges that fall out a pain. Just follow BryonJ's instructions and nothing else.

[BryonJ]

Originally Posted by norcim

Our kids thought the glass cover worked just like the electric glass-top range in the house. After a few minutes of the burner heating up the closed cover we had shattered glass everywhere. This was one week after getting our new 30' GT.

The dealer wanted over $700 to replace the top. I found a replacement top and spring hinges for the Dometic CU434 for $335.32 including shipping. https://rvpartsexpress.com/product/d...ls-blk-sq-s-o/

One thing I learned, the screws in the hinge tabs DO NOT need to be removed prior to install/uninstall. In fact doing so will make reassembling the spring hinges that fall out a pain. Just follow BryonJ's instructions and nothing else.

Wow. Glad all that went wrong was the glass. Never would have thought about this happening, but after reading your story, I can see it easily. I mean how is a kid supposed to know the difference.

[DenMan]

Bryon,

I was searching online to see why our newly purchased classic’s stove top was ss and not black glass. Found your post about it breaking on its maiden voyage. We bought it from Ft. Worth Explore USA. If this was yours we would love to hear from you and learn a little about our new home’s history and where it’s been!!

Thanks much!
Den and Flo

[no_worries]

Wondering how the glass was removed from the front “handle” and rear hinge? Guessing its glued in at both ends.

[Aircats]

I just had the same “shattering” experience with the Dometic oven glass top this week. I showed my wife your fix with the stainless steel (which I thought was very clever), but I was outvoted.

After an extensive online search, I was seeing prices for the glass top around $450, with 12-16 week lead time for delivery. I also noted that Dometic has discontinued the CU-434 oven model.

But then I located a Dometic CU-423 cooktop, which is identical to the CU-434 (except no oven). Same black glass top; same burners, igniters, regulator, knobs. The CU-423 I found on eBay was brand new with minor damage to the top trim pieces. And cost less than the list price of the replacement glass top alone.

So this afternoon I replaced the glass top. Perfect fit; your installation suggestions were very valuable. An added benefit (in addition to the Happy Wife) is I now have a supply of spare parts if something else goes out on the cooktop.

[Silver Sub]

We had the same situation as norcim ...although we couldn't blame the kiddos.

While using the oven, one of the knobs on the stovetop had been (barely) turned on...after a few minutes....BOOM.

The gas must have gotten trapped under the glass and the heat from the oven was enough to ignite it.

We happened to be outside the trailer when it happened....but the glass did at least break as you would hope (i.e., imploding into small pieces) and didn't blast everywhere.

I'm in the process of getting a quote to replace and will also explore some of the other options mentioned here.

It does surprise me that the knobs don't have some sort of child safety on them to avoid them easily being nudged into the on position)

Oh well...live and learn.

[Bud Howard]

Bryon, what was the thickness of the 304 Brushed Stainless Steel you obtained from McMaster-Carr?

Please let me know.

Bud

[RonAndDonna]

My question is related to this topic, but not about replacing the glass. We took our glass top off the stove, but in doing so I removed the screws from the spring hinges.

Now, it is like playing with a rubik cube to get it back together. Any help would be appreciated.

I know. I am stupid for having taken them out!!!

[SL4BLLT]

Looks great. We have a furrion glass-stove top with the same concerns. We are considering while it is being worked on to have an aluminum top fabricated to mitigate this from happening in our 1972 land yacht. We think you just convinced us of doing this while we have the materials and skills available which I certainly am lacking. Great job.

Question, is the bier-stein OK? Brost!
All the best,
SL4BLLT

[GoinStreamin]

How do I remove the back frame bar of the glass top cover? Our cover shattered and I would like to remove the back bar that held the tempered glass cover with the front bar. Unfortunately, I threw away the front bar so I would just like to remove the back stainless steel bar….looks like it should be a spring device to snap into place. Do I need to remove the entire unit to remove the bar that still holds some jagged edges of glass? Thank you.

[GoinStreamin]

Originally Posted by BryonJ

We had some heavy glass beer steins in the overhead cabinet. When my wife opened the cabinet, one fell onto the glass top - boom! Since it is tempered glass it shattered into thousands of little squares - what a mess. Now we have bins and elastic straps in the overheads.

The only pain about the repair was that I had to take the stove out in order to put the top in. The spring loaded devices that are inserted into the the top just don't go into their slots unless you open up the top flange of the stove. It's pretty easy to do. 6 screws along the top and 4 on the front (open the oven door). The stove slides out easily and there is plenty of slack in the power and propane lines to set the stove on the floor. Then on one side of the stove, unfold two of the tabs that hold the sides of the oven together. This will allow enough flex to insert the spring loaded pins and the new top. It goes back together easily. It took me about 15-20 minutes with just a Phillips screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

How do I remove the back frame bar of the glass top cover? Our cover shattered and I would like to remove the back bar that held the tempered glass cover with the front bar. Unfortunately, I threw away the front bar so I would just like to remove the back stainless steel bar….looks like it should be a spring device to snap into place. Do I need to remove the entire unit to remove the bar that still holds some jagged edges of glass? Thank you.

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by GoinStreamin

How do I remove the back frame bar of the glass top cover? Our cover shattered and I would like to remove the back bar that held the tempered glass cover with the front bar. Unfortunately, I threw away the front bar so I would just like to remove the back stainless steel bar….looks like it should be a spring device to snap into place. Do I need to remove the entire unit to remove the bar that still holds some jagged edges of glass? Thank you.

Yes, you need to remove the stove from it's mounting. I took the attached photo of a "scratch and dent" stove I purchased a while back to have a replacement top and potentially other service parts to keep my stove working. It is the same on both sides and is not for sale.

The lid (actually the stainless back bar) is held in place by two plastic locators that insert into cutouts in the sides of the stove. With the stove out of the counter, you may be able to pry the top edges apart enough to pop the stainless back bar out. Otherwise, those plastic locators could be removed with a screwdriver. You would probably only have to remove one to get it out. I do not know if they are under spring tension, though, so be careful. I do not think there is enough room to pry the back bar out out while the stove is bolted into the countertop. Sorry.