Very poor performance from oven

[lukebolger]

Hi guys!

The oven on my Laika is not very usable. It doesn't seem to get hot enough for even cooking a pizza (half cooked after one hour)

I am wondering if a) It's just a joke oven and I will need to find an oven that will fit in where this one is

or b) could there be an issue with the gas pressure? Maybe a tap is not turned all the way out?

I should mention the gas heater (trumatic) doesn't work very well either. I am thinking the two issues may be connected!

Thanks for your help everyone!

Me and Holly are currently in a beautiful campsite (on hookup) in Beddgelert. It's freeeeeezing!!!

 

[Otter Spotter]

May be the gas you are using, are you using propane in winter instead of butane ?

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

After spraying a bit of grease on the hinges of ours we can now get the temperature up to about 190, anything we cook normally gets about another 50% time added.

Certain models are known to be bad

 

[Lenny HB]

After spraying a bit of grease on the hinges of ours we can now get the temperature up to about 190, anything we cook normally gets about another 50% time added.

Certain models are known to be bad

It worked then, surprised me the improvement.

 

[Lenny HB]

May be the gas you are using, are you using propane in winter instead of butane ?

What oven is it?

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[Lenny HB]

Hi guys!

The oven on my Laika is not very usable. It doesn't seem to get hot enough for even cooking a pizza (half cooked after one hour)

I am wondering if a) It's just a joke oven and I will need to find an oven that will fit in where this one is

or b) could there be an issue with the gas pressure? Maybe a tap is not turned all the way out?

I should mention the gas heater (trumatic) doesn't work very well either. I am thinking the two issues may be connected!

Thanks for your help everyone!

Me and Holly are currently in a beautiful campsite (on hookup) in Beddgelert. It's freeeeeezing!!!

Which oven is it?

 

[Plumb]

Which oven is it?

Sounds like it's a SLOW cooker

 

[Two on Tour]

Our Thetford oven on our MH was not much cop as it was not retaining heat due to its woefully poor factory insulation material.
I added extra insulation around the oven with pottery kiln lagging material, and now it's on a par with our oven in the house for heat and cooking times.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

It worked then, surprised me the improvement.

Did thanks Lenny

 

[TinaLes]

If its a Dometic Tech Tower oven on top of The FF, don't expect too much in the way of heat regulation.
I used ours when new to cook some pizza which it did quite well after pre-warming it, but I wouldn't want to cook anything that needed constant but steady heat, like maybe Yorkshire Puddings or such like.
Maybe The OP could get a gas engineer to do a gas pressure test if the heating is not getting very hot.

Maybe the gas regulator is playing up, check it & the gas flexi pipes from the cylinders for sludge build up.
You need Propane Gas(Red Bottles) not Butane (Blue) in cold weather.
Good luck.
LES

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[Guigsy]

Ours is a Thetford. We use it a bit. We have to add 5 minutes for a pizza and at least 10 minutes for a pasta bake, but it does get there.

What's this hinge trick Lenny HB ?

 

[Lenny HB]

Ours is a Thetford. We use it a bit. We have to add 5 minutes for a pizza and at least 10 minutes for a pasta bake, but it does get there.

What's this hinge trick Lenny HB ?

It's on the Dometic TecTower if you spay the hinges with high temp ceramic grease. The door closes better may only be a millimeter or two but it makes a huge difference to the performance and adding faux ceramic insulation above the also improves the performance.

 

[pappajohn]

I should mention the gas heater (trumatic) doesn't work very well either. I am thinking the two issues may be connected!

Could be a failing bottle regulator at the high demand end.
Let's enough through for the hob etc but oven and heater need more than the reg let's through.

Other than that there will be a gas manifold with taps for each appliance lurking in the bottom of a cupboard or drawers.
May be partly turned off restricting flow.

 

[lukebolger]

Here's the old devil!

I found the three isolation taps and checked those, they were all fully open (including the oven fridge and heater)

The high pressure regulator sounds like it might be a good place to look. Would that be in the gas locker? I assume I just whak it with a hammer, or my head, and it will fix it

 

[lukebolger]

May be the gas you are using, are you using propane in winter instead of butane ?

Yes I am using propane

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[lukebolger]

Our Thetford oven on our MH was not much cop as it was not retaining heat due to its woefully poor factory insulation material.
I added extra insulation around the oven with pottery kiln lagging material, and now it's on a par with our oven in the house for heat and cooking times.

The shelf above it gets hotter than the food! Maybe I should try this. I will have a look in the morning, although I have no idea how to take out the oven, I imagine the gas pipe is connected and needs disconnecting before I take it out

 

[lukebolger]

If its a Dometic Tech Tower oven on top of The FF, don't expect too much in the way of heat regulation.
I used ours when new to cook some pizza which it did quite well after pre-warming it, but I wouldn't want to cook anything that needed constant but steady heat, like maybe Yorkshire Puddings or such like.
Maybe The OP could get a gas engineer to do a gas pressure test if the heating is not getting very hot.

Maybe the gas regulator is playing up, check it & the gas flexi pipes from the cylinders for sludge build up.
You need Propane Gas(Red Bottles) not Butane (Blue) in cold weather.
Good luck.
LES

How would I know if there was sludge in them? Thanks

I am going to be a camper expert by the end of the winter, if I survive the cold

 

[pappajohn]

The high pressure regulator sounds like it might be a good place to look. Would that be in the gas locker? I assume I just whak it with a hammer, or my head, and it will fix it

You could try that, but I doubt it will work.
If it is failing it will need replacing.
As they say.....no user serviceable parts inside.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Our Thetford oven on our MH was not much cop as it was not retaining heat due to its woefully poor factory insulation material.
I added extra insulation around the oven with pottery kiln lagging material, and now it's on a par with our oven in the house for heat and cooking times.

Me too

 

[the1andonly]

Our Thetford oven on our MH was not much cop as it was not retaining heat due to its woefully poor factory insulation material.
I added extra insulation around the oven with pottery kiln lagging material, and now it's on a par with our oven in the house for heat and cooking times.

In our Rapido The cupboard wall next to the oven was too hot to touch as was drawer above. I added a concreate fibre insulation board on both sides and top. A deflector was added to the area under the drawer. Result: oven hotter, walls cool enough to touch.
Seems to be a typical poor design.

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[DandG5515]

We’ve got the smaller version, food doesn’t cook where the tray is in the picture,ours has to be at the top on a shelf. Also just check the door seal at the top, close the door with some a sheet of paper in then tug it out. Should feel resistance from the seal gripping it. It not try lennys trick of lubricating hinges so door shuts more firmer.

 

[Otter Spotter]

Yes I am using propane

Must be rubbish insulation then !

 

[Riverbankannie]

The shelf above it gets hotter than the food! Maybe I should try this. I will have a look in the morning, although I have no idea how to take out the oven, I imagine the gas pipe is connected and needs disconnecting before I take it out

The bottom of the grill area above, gets the hottest in our oven. It does work but you have to put the shelf at the highest level that you can. In your photo it looks too low down. Is there anything anyone can suggest to insulate the top of the oven from the grill? It would have to be something that could be moved when I use the grill.
It is a Thetford Caprice like this

 

[Two on Tour]

The shelf above it gets hotter than the food! Maybe I should try this. I will have a look in the morning, although I have no idea how to take out the oven, I imagine the gas pipe is connected and needs disconnecting before I take it out

Our gas hob in the worktop sits above our oven.
I took out the gas hob which gave me all the access I needed to add the insulation to the oven without moving or removing the oven itself.
The other thing I found was the amount of heat lost to the grill area above the oven, so I made up a pad of the insulation that sits in the grill if the grill is not being used.

 

[lukebolger]

Door seal doesn't hold onto a piece of paper very tightly - I shall oil the hinges tomorrow and see if that helps

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[mitzimad]

we had that oven in the last van and it worked well it does look like your missing the shelf to raise the food towards the top of the oven

 

[Figaro]

I have that same Smev oven and find it ok just add 30% onto cooking times and rotate food as it cooks better towards the rear.
I also found the catch you lift to open oven, sometimes prevents it closing properly so you have to lift it when closing.
I too think your missing a tray to lift food to top of oven, might be worth investigating ?

 

[Riverbankannie]

Our gas hob in the worktop sits above our oven.
I took out the gas hob which gave me all the access I needed to add the insulation to the oven without moving or removing the oven itself.
The other thing I found was the amount of heat lost to the grill area above the oven, so I made up a pad of the insulation that sits in the grill if the grill is not being used.

We had it all apart earlier in the year when the powder extinguisher had to be used! So at least we know how it goes together.
There is a lot of ceramic insulation on amazon, what sort did you use and for the loose pad in the grill, did you enclose the fibre blanket in anything to make it easier to move and replace ?

 

[Two on Tour]

Riverbankannie I bought the 25mm thick ceramic fibre blanket from Castree Kilns as it was the best value for money at the time even though there is way more than needed.
I joined and held the insulation together with self-adhesive aluminium tape.
The pad for the grill I made from the same 25mm thick ceramic fibre blanket and covered it with the self-adhesive aluminium tape.

I still have a fair amount of the ceramic fibre blanket left over so might be able to do a deal with you if you plan to insulate your oven?

https://www.castreekilns.co.uk/25mm-ceramic-fibre-blanket-96kg-1260c-1218-p.asp

Aluminium Foil Tape

If you need a high-performance foil tape for jointing insulation boards and lagging, look no further. Ultratape's aluminium foil tape is perfect for use on foil-faced pipe and slab sections, and is particularly effective at protecting against the effects of dust and moisture.This self-adhesive...

www.toolstation.com

 

[Riverbankannie]

Riverbankannie I bought the 25mm thick ceramic fibre blanket from Castree Kilns as it was the best value for money at the time even though there is way more than needed.
I joined and held the insulation together with self-adhesive aluminium tape.
The pad for the grill I made from the same 25mm thick ceramic fibre blanket and covered it with the self-adhesive aluminium tape.

I still have a fair amount of the ceramic fibre blanket left over so might be able to do a deal with you if you plan to insulate your oven?

https://www.castreekilns.co.uk/25mm-ceramic-fibre-blanket-96kg-1260c-1218-p.asp

Aluminium Foil Tape

If you need a high-performance foil tape for jointing insulation boards and lagging, look no further. Ultratape's aluminium foil tape is perfect for use on foil-faced pipe and slab sections, and is particularly effective at protecting against the effects of dust and moisture.This self-adhesive...

www.toolstation.com

Thanks.
I would have to get the job on the list of things to do that I need husband’s help with ! How did you attach the insulation to the sides of the oven? The cooker casing comes down to the floor but there is a storage area under the oven with a drop down glass door on the front.
I mainly have a problem with the top getting too hot and have not checked the sides and back. It is all built in with panels around but the back panel has some vents cut into it.