New Caravan Disasters

Oct 3, 2013
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Since taking delivery of our new caravan last year we have experienced two disasters -
1.On our second trip out, the battery compartment door ripped off when reversing down the driveway slope (unlike our last caravan the door when left open hangs down nearer the road ) and hit the road just before the van levelled out out.
2.Shut the cooker hob glass cover whilst one of the gas rings was on low.Glass cover shattered with a mighty explosion whilst we were having dinner.(The last cooker automatically shutoff the gas rings when the glass cover is closed).
Now we are both paranoid (she won't let me reverse without being there)and I won't sit down to dinner until all gas rings are off.
Happily both damages were repaired (replaced swiftly) and we had a successful rest of season caravanning (without further incidents)
Why don't cooker hob glass covers automatically shut off the gas when closed. Seems logical to me.
 
Aug 4, 2004
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bertie boy said:
Since taking delivery of our new caravan last year we have experienced two disasters -
1.On our second trip out, the battery compartment door ripped off when reversing down the driveway slope (unlike our last caravan the door when left open hangs down nearer the road ) and hit the road just before the van levelled out out.
2.Shut the cooker hob glass cover whilst one of the gas rings was on low.Glass cover shattered with a mighty explosion whilst we were having dinner.(The last cooker automatically shutoff the gas rings when the glass cover is closed).
Now we are both paranoid (she won't let me reverse without being there)and I won't sit down to dinner until all gas rings are off.
Happily both damages were repaired (replaced swiftly) and we had a successful rest of season caravanning (without further incidents)
Why don't cooker hob glass covers automatically shut off the gas when closed. Seems logical to me.
Can we assume this is a veryold caravan? Perhaps the fairly safe shut off is broken and this should have been picked up on a service. You can always replace a door, but not a life!
 
Oct 3, 2013
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No the caravan is brand new - a 2013 Bailey Pegasus Rimini and there is no safety shutoff device fitted to the cooker.(so it can't break)
After we got home I took the trouble to read the van manual fully (should have done this in the first place)and it warns that the gas burners must be off before closing the glass lid.
The cooker is a Thetford Mini Prima MKIII although the "Gas Soundness Certificate" says Spinflo
 
May 22, 2008
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One of our old caravans which were Swift had an auto shut off on the hob if the lid was closed. Our new van, a 2014 Swift Challenger Sport 586 has a hob with no auto shut off, so yes checks would need to be made before closing the hob cover to prevent shattering.
 
Aug 4, 2004
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bertie boy said:
No the caravan is brand new - a 2013 Bailey Pegasus Rimini and there is no safety shutoff device fitted to the cooker.(so it can't break)
After we got home I took the trouble to read the van manual fully (should have done this in the first place)and it warns that the gas burners must be off before closing the glass lid.
The cooker is a Thetford Mini Prima MKIII although the "Gas Soundness Certificate" says Spinflo

I am surprised as I would have thought that in this day and age it would be a standard safety requirement?
 
May 7, 2012
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I assume they saved a few pounds by not having the cut out but looks like profit came before safety. It may be the two are different makes and the one in your new caravan was from a maker who does not fit them.
 

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