2015 Classic Stovetop Burner Issue

[Narv]

The front burner is not burning clean on my 3-burner stainless steel w/ glass top stovetop. Gaining access to the underside of the top isn't obvious to me. I've searched forums and the Dometic website without success. I'm not sure of the model number on the stovetop, although I believe that the top is the same as on the Dometic Range #CU423 (cooktop w/ oven). Can anyone help me getting the top removed to access the guts of the burners? I won't have internet access for a couple of days, but thanks for any posts in the meantime.

[Al and Missy]

I don't know that yours is the same as mine, but my top panel is hinged. Grab the front edge, pull forward and lift up. You should then see the mix adjustments for the burners. While you are in there, check to be sure that all gas lines are tightly secured. One of mine came loose and the burner quit working.

Al

[Narv]

Thanks, Al. From your description, we obviously have a different stovetop. For some reason that's the only appliance for which we didn't receive an owners manual; and I can't find one on the Dometic website. I'll have to call JC for help on Monday.

[Narv]

Just a follow-up for anyone interested in how this problem resolved itself. My call to JC was a dead end. I was told the cooktop was a sealed unit that couldn't be taken apart without drilling rivets, etc.; they referred me to Dometic. Dometic did confirm that the correct model number was CU423, although that is the complete cooktop with oven. Apparently Airstream is able to buy the cooktop separately; or maybe they're just storing the oven module for parts when the non-oven option is selected? Anyway, Dometic was able to email me a parts list and owners manual. However, Dometic had no suggestions as to how to gain access to the underside of the burner and would only refer me to a service center. By looking at the parts list/diagram and owners manual; and by removing cabinet drawers to view the underside of the cooktop, I was able to determine that access to the underside of the burners is obtained by removing a metal shroud that is screwed to the bottom of the cooktop frame. However, access to those screws is not possible without removing the cooktop unit from the countertop. There is no way to adjust the gas/air mixture, so I had pretty much decided that my problem was due to a burner jet that needed to be cleaned. The problem is that removing the jet requires a wrench on both the top side and bottom side of the cooktop. So I decided the best I could do for now was clean what I could from the top side of the burner jet; and removal of the cooktop would have to wait until after this trip was completed. I wasn't very confident of any progress without being able to remove the jet and soak it in a solvent, but to my surprise a thorough cleaning from the top side restored the burner so that it was burning with blue-only flames. By the way, removal of the cover that fans out the flame from the burner jet requires a #8 Torx bit; of course that required the proverbial trip to the hardware store, as the smallest I had was a #10.

[WanderGators]

Hi Steve. Could you describe in more detail how you cleaned the burner jet from the top side? We have a 2019 AS Classic and have been full timing since June 2019. The largest front burner has started to not burn efficiently with pops of orange flame pacing black soot on bottom of my Magma pans. Because we were at the bottom of Tank 1, we first thought perhaps we might just be getting impurities at the bottom of gas tank, but it continues to do this after the auto switch to Tank 2. It is interesting that the back two burners are just fine. Our front burner visually appears clean, so I am not sure if the jet burner is visible or under the black circular cover plate that sits on top. I suspect this is the item you removed with the #8 Torx bit? Any help you can provide will be appreciated as I read somewhere that it isn't safe to use when this is happening. Thank you.

[funguy]

Similar problem. We have a 2016 AS Classic with Dometic CU423 Stovetop. Front burner starts OK, then goes out when we put on a pan. Could this be faulty thermocouple, or due to dirty burner jet?

[funguy]

Steve-
Thanks so much for sharing. I had similar problem - front burner, which is where we usually boil coffee, kept going out. Removed the cover and cleaned it, also ran a small wire brush from my welding tools down the gas jet. Re-assembled and WOW, it works. Really wasn't all that dirty, just a little carbon on the cover plate that spreads the flame.