2021 320S Stovetop Lid

TommySax · July 2024

I've received many good tips from this forum and just realized someone out there may have a good solution to this problem. Design flaw in location of 2 burner countertop stove such that the glass lid won't stay up. When I bought it, my dealer, using contact cement, glued a piece of metal to the lid and a corresponding magnet to the window frame. Open the lid, the magnetic force kept it open. Glue failed within a couple of months. I re-glued several times, even with Crazy Glue... nothing lasted. Now we are using 2 small, powerful bar magnets, about 2 inches long, trapping the glass lid against the window frame. Works but it's very awkward and it's hell when the magnets invariably stick to each other. And I'm forever afraid I'll break the glass. Also, storing the magnets is difficult. Right now we just stick them to the wall.
Anyone have a good solution?

AndreO · July 2024

I have a 400 so no such issue however I would suggest using 2 part epoxy to hold the magnets in place.

TommySax · July 2024

Yes the 400 has enough space behind the stovetop to lift the lid far enough to engage the locking mechanism in the way it was designed to function. In the 320S the lid hits the window frame before you can open it to that point.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Shastaber · July 2024

Nucamp said remove the stovetop, recut the hole in the counter as far forward as you can and remount the stove.

CatDaddy · November 4

I'm the second owner of a 2022 320S BD. The stove lid will not stay open. I had a two week long exchange with Dometic regarding this issue. They acted like they had never heard of this issue before. They referred me to NuCamp. That set off a two week long debacle with NuCamp that ended with them sending me instructions on how to enlarge the stove opening so the lid can open further and lock in place. I did that, but the stove lid still doesn't lock in place. It will not, just barely balance open, but the slightest bounce of the trailer and it drops to the 60 deg position. The lid has never stayed open for as long as I have owned the trailer.

even if I pull the stove completely out, and fully open the lid, it only locks open at the 60 deg position, which leaves the lid over the burners.

This leads to a few questions:

How is the lid suppose to work?
Are my hinges broken or just the wrong hinge?
What is the best solution?
Why are NuCamp owners okay with what is an obviously broken or poorly designed stove? Why would I want to use a binder clip to keep the stove on my $32k (new price) stove? Am I missing something?

I was seriously considering stepping up to a 360 Black Canyon, but after this experience with NuCamp customer service and seeing NuCamp quality, I am thinking a Safari Condo Alto F1743X might be a better choice for me.

I am very disappointed with NuCamp quality and customer service.

DaveAnna · November 4

Ours broke when we left a burner on. Removed pieces and now use silicone roll mat and roll up when using stove. ALWAYS keep both screens in stored position, both upper and lower. Then crack open the window. Never had issue since. The glass is a terrible design….

dave

CatDaddy · November 4

DaveAnna said:

Ours broke when we left a burner on. Removed pieces and now use silicone roll mat and roll up when using stove. ALWAYS keep both screens in stored position, both upper and lower. Then crack open the window. Never had issue since. The glass is a terrible design….

dave

In my case, the glass is hitting the the window frame before it will stay in place. Did yours do that before it broke? I cannot imagine that was intentional. I just don't know how it was intended to work.

TommySax · November 4

I'm still using the "2 bar magnets" solution described in my other post. . I agree with you in that it IS a stupid design flaw. But the magnet solution also reminds me to open the screen ( we burned our first one)

Maxcamp · November 4

CatDaddy wrote:
How is the lid suppose to work?
Are my hinges broken or just the wrong hinge?
What is the best solution?
Why are NuCamp owners okay with what is an obviously broken or poorly designed stove? Why would I want to use a binder clip to keep the stove on my $32k (new price) stove? Am I missing something?
≈========

Good questions. The Dometic brand hinge is junk. It is supposed to swing up, kick out slightly and latch upright. Built of flimsy sheetmetal the hinges will twist and fail upon the very first use for many, and per forum comme ts perhaps all. Dometic and Nucamp have been nonresponsive to many, including regarding our 2021 320.

Workaround is to use an added material or clamp to hold the glass top upright against the plastic C channel front window frame. A 2 inch plastic jaw spring clamp worked for us but tended to slip and fly off. Serrating the face with a file reduced slippage.
Another option would be to epoxy a pair of small round Neodymium magnets to glass top and channel respectively.

Regardless, venting stove heat is critical. Our stove test with open window resulted in glowing red hot metal burner stand (!) and alarming degree rise to front plastics. Rigged up 12v overhead exhaust fan. Used exactly twice in snowstorms with all fans roaring, and rejected use of indoor stove outright.

It's now a work surface of quarter inch melamine faced masonite shaped to full counter.

We reheat quarts of stews using the microwave or outdoor campstove. Rewired camper with 400ah batteries, 3000 watt inverter. 12 to 15 minute reheat at 93 amphour rate is now repeatable between recharge opportunities.

DaveAnna · November 4

The original glass did stay up, but it limits the size of pan or pot. Any glass in a camper is a bad idea waiting for a YouTube moment….

GregChris · November 4

2021 320s. Ours never worked either. Since we didn't but it new neither NuCamp or Dometic would even listen to us. My wife solved the problem by placing a Command Hook on the window frame. It holds the glass just fine. I've heard there were many such problems in 2021 because of supply chain issues and covid.

DaveAnna · November 4

This is the mat we use as counter space when not using stove. Have one over the sink, too.

Sharon_is_SAM · November 5

Do you have a link to that mat?

DaveAnna · November 5

Silicone roll mat for dish drying. https://www.amazon.com/Hhyn-Roll-Up-Sink-Drying-Rack/dp/B07PBPM7XQ

Measure the size y’all need. We have 2021 320. You can cut them for custom fit,too

dave

Basil48192 · November 5

This, and variations, have been posted here on other posts. I just used a 'chip clip' on the glass and positioned it to catch the window frame. Sorry I don't have a better photo. It always worked for me. Good luck!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/08/1xvsqc2lvbc9.jpg

TommySax · November 5

A chip clip. What a great idea! Same principle as the way my magnets work which I attach in the same spot but probably much easier. Thanks.

ColleenD2 · November 12

The only brand of glue we have found to consistently work in our camper is Loctite. They are good from -65° f to 300° f. Because we live in the Midwest, we’ve had it as cold as -4° outside but in the summer when it was 110° it easily got to 160° in there. They have lots of different kinds of glue, superglue, plastic glue, wood glue.

db_cooper · November 14

We do the chip clip mod with our Dometic stove top as well. I find it hilarious and maddening that Dometic doesn't admit that the mechanism to hold it up easily breaks. It just takes one person opening incorrectly to break it. We bought our camper used, so of course it was already broken. It still had a sticker on it telling you to lift it up before closing, but that ship had sailed. A really poor design, especially considering our 2015 T@b had a Dometic cooktop that had actual hinges that worked fine. If the glass top ever breaks, I'll make a cutting board or use the silicone mats to cover.

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