Oven Temp Knob Adjustment

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BinaryBob

BinaryBob

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My 12 X 12  pizza stone arrived thanks to Scott's (Sun2Retire) recommendation in an older thread. With an oven thermometer, my temp is holding steady at 50 degrees too cool.
A search on knob adjustment shows some type of adjustment screw, but no specifics on where this is located. Pulling the knob off, I see two screws at 3 and 9 o'clock that hold the controller, but no adjustment screw. This is an Atwood oven.
Can anyone point me to where this elusive adjustment screw is?
Thanks
 
BinaryBob said:
My 12 X 12  pizza stone arrived thanks to Scott's (Sun2Retire) recommendation in an older thread. With an oven thermometer, my temp is holding steady at 50 degrees too cool.
A search on knob adjustment shows some type of adjustment screw, but no specifics on where this is located. Pulling the knob off, I see two screws at 3 and 9 o'clock that hold the controller, but no adjustment screw. This is an Atwood oven.
Can anyone point me to where this elusive adjustment screw is?
Thanks
Click to expand...

I'm still very happy with my pizza stone, use the oven quite a lot. Fortunately, my temp calibration seems to be within 10-20 degrees - about as close as I can eyeball setting the knob.

I just just checked the very skimpy manual and there is no reference to adjusting calibration. I found this comment on the web:

"Remove the knob that controls the stove temperature, inside the knob shaft you may see a set screw, or you may see one just beside and below the shaft. This can be used to calibrate the temperature, although 100 degrees is a little excessive. Let me know the make and model of the range and I should be able to tell you if the temperature is adjustable. If not, you will have to replace the oven knob assembly, which is the gas valve control."

Also found this article.

I also saw a comment about making sure the temp sensing bulb is not touching any metal as it will cause the oven to not get hot enough by sensing temps hotter than they really are. ("Thermo bulb out of position --Thermobulb must be in clip on back of oven - pans cannot touch thermo bulb.")

Apparently some of the ovens can be adjusted and some can't. Those that can't I've read that the thermostat has to be replaced
 
Thanks Gordon, but that's plan B.
I have this personality flaw that says when I set the knob to 350, I need 350 gawdddam degrees. I'm in therapy.
I sent a note in to Atwood to see what they have to say.
 
BinaryBob said:
I have this personality flaw that says when I set the knob to 350, I need 350 gawdddam degrees. I'm in therapy.
Click to expand...

:)) I have the same therapist.

You could also have a reindexed custom knob made. Can't imagine it would be more than $4-500  ;)
 
Scott, Thanks for the link to the article. I still don't see any screws, other than the screws taking the tstat apart, which is probably not a good idea.
I don't suppose buying a new tstat (part #52709) would accomplish anything as the calibration on these are dismal to begin with.
Time to visit our therapist. I have this absurd need for order......... ;D ;D
 
BinaryBob said:
I don't suppose buying a new tstat (part #52709) would accomplish anything as the calibration on these are dismal to begin with.
Click to expand...

I did find one for $48, but yes, there are lots of complaints about calibration - guess I got one of the good ones. I presume you have done the triple thermometer check (two if they agree) - I have seen some pretty inaccurate thermometers (although not by 50 degrees).
 
NY_Dutch said:
On some controls, the adjustment screw inside the shaft is hidden by a plug that has to be dug out to reach the screw.
Click to expand...

On this one, the shaft is solid on the outside. Any adjustment (if possible) would need to be made from the inside part, after taking the range top off.
 
Took me a while but I finally found the post I wrote on this subject. Here it is:

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,110887.msg1002936.html#msg1002936

Hope it helps.
 
Yes! Rene, thank you.
This was one of the threads I found in my search, but unfortunately my tstat doesn't have the silicone / set screw you describe. If / when I hear back from Atwood, I'll post what they say.
Seems to be a common oven. I'm anxious for a resolution.
 
BinaryBob said:
I have this personality flaw that says when I set the knob to 350, I need 350 gawdddam degrees. I'm in therapy.
Click to expand...

Then you would have loved the GE convection - microwave oven that came with our stick and brick. 

Set it to any temperature in convection mode and it runs and indicates 25 degrees cooler, i.e. a setting of 350 degrees makes the oven run at 325.  This is by design, so you don't have to compensate for the different heating patterns in a convection oven vs. a conventional oven.  You just set the oven to the recipe temperature and things turn out as they should.

This is explained in the manual, BTW.
 
Perhaps a photo of the back side of your oven knob would let us help?

I haven't had an Atwood oven in an RV for many a year (we are converts to micro/convection), but my last one had the two screws you mentioned.  The "adjustment" was to loosen the screws to allow the plastic part of the know to be rotated around the inner clamp that clips onto the control shaft. That changes what the knob displays for any given shaft position, i.e. you align the knob to match what the burner is doing.

I've seen some reports that the newer Atwood/Wedgewood knobs aren't adjustable like that. I know there are multiple knob styles and they are not interchangeable s far as calibration is concerned. See these two examples:
http://www.rvtechlibrary.com/appliances/rangeknob.pdf
 
copied this from a service manual; THERMOSTAT CALIBRATION

The ideal temperature variance is 25 degrees (plus or minus). This means that if the thermostat is set at 350
degrees, the temperature will range between 325 and 375. If the temperature exceeds 50 degrees, plus or
minus, check for a kinked capillary tube.
 
Per Atwood: There is no adjustment. All you can do is keep trying new ones till you get one that's accurate.. OR, as I did, Brother P-Touch label with the needed correction above the label. SO I look at it and set the thing to the right tremp, even if it's the wrong dial setting.  (or do I have that backwards) In either case the calibrated thermometer shows the proper temp.
 
I have an oven thermometer and a heat gun (plus thermometers in my fridge) guess I am obsessed with food temp.

I have to fiddle with my knob to get the exact temp.

At least now I have the 12 volt light bulb in the oven and that is heaven on earth to monitor cooking without opening the oven door.

Wheee!  ::)
 
Task has been delayed by another 2 day winter storm.
Looks like I'm going to have to print a label strip to put on the knob.
One thing I noticed, unlike many gas appliances, the gas does not cycle on and off.
In other words, when temp is reached, the flame is "reduced" not turned off.
This creates a consistent temperature without the drift up and down. (Presumably helped by the pizza stone).
I'm curious if these ovens have always been like that? Or is this a newer feature?
 
One of the gotchas in this discussion is that the heat inside any RV gas oven is very uneven, so trying to make the knob match any given point inside (wherever the thermometer is placed) is problematic. Even with the pizza stone in place.

Plus the classic oven thermometer gadget is often not all that accurate either.
 
BinaryBob said:
I'm curious if these ovens have always been like that? Or is this a newer feature?
Click to expand...


On all that I have owned the flame is either on or off, no modulation. Maybe it?s a new feature but you may want to check with Atwood to be sure. Just checked mine which is preheating to 500 for roasted broccoli to have with my Chicken Tikka  :D . Turned it down and flame went out


BinaryBob said:
Looks like I'm going to have to print a label strip to put on the knob.
Click to expand...


The problem with that is if you need a temp of say 425, you?ll have to turn the knob so it?s in the vicinity of ?broil? which is unregulated/full on burner. This could impact pizza, biscuits, cookies, etc (gasp)
 
just a thought but instead of changing the knob or printing a label for it why not just black out the old indicator on the stove and put a new indicator in the correct place? It may not be straight up and maybe offset a bit but the function would be correct. Could even use a paint marker.
 
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