RV Stove Tops/Turning Around

[TXMOOSE]

Hey guys. Maybe another silly question here but it's something I've been thinking about as I'm still looking into a Travel Trailer/5th Wheel. Anyway, most pilots are situated with the single in the front and the 2 in the back. Is it simple to roll the top around, having the 2 in the front.
Never had a reason but some thoughts I get when I'm looking about doing a little redesign to the area just brings it to mind.
I did a little kitchen work to my other trailer but that wasn't necessary. So I'm just wondering about it. Thanks guys.

 

[Rene T]

Anyway, most pilots are situated with the single in the front and the 2 in the back. Is it simple to roll the top around, having the 2 in the front.

Can you explain when you say a pilot?
Update: I may have figured it out. Are you talking about the burners?

 

[gwinger]

The burners are situated so you can use a larger pot or pan on the front.
More room with the single burner in the front.
Plus, putting a large pot on the rear would allow excessive heat coming from under the pot on the backsplash.
We just bought a new stove for our house and the front burners are the largest, with small burners in the rear.

 

[Kirk]

Adding to the post above, the stove has a propane connection that would have to be rerouted and several other connections. Depending on where they are mounted, rotating the stove top would make the control knobs either difficult to use or in some models, impossible. Is it possible to do, maybe. Is it a good plan to do, not likely.

 

[gwinger]

Adding to the post above, the stove has a propane connection that would have to be rerouted and several other connections. Depending on where they are mounted, rotating the stove top would make the control knobs either difficult to use or in some models, impossible. Is it possible to do, maybe. Is it a good plan to do, not likely.

Forgot about the knobs and the connections. Very doubtful if the can be moved.

 

[TXMOOSE]

Thanks guys. Ya it was just a thought. I know they are small in the back and I wouldn't be making a big dinner. Just a thought as far as a pot for pasta and like another for gravey and meatballs. You know just a couple of what are they, 2qt pots.
I'm mostly a BBQ guy any way. In the RVs I looked at I would picture in my mind of maybe highering the microwave and maybe placing an Air Fryer below. You know one that could deal with a 23in pie and some wings. I think their 3 shelved but not really wide or tall from measurements I've seen. This would require removing the exhaust fan, which I've done before. No real reason for it. This would leave still room for cooking if needed. Just figured if possible and if simple just turn the burners around for simple cooking.
Thanks anyways, it was a thought and I didn't have an RV on hand to look deeper into it. Alls good, thank you.

 

[Boat Bum]

It's scenarios like this that when you change the way something works for one reason, you later find out while using it for a while the maybe not-so-obvious reasons why they did it that way in the first place. However, true innovation comes from the fringe.

 

[Kirk]

Alls good, thank you.

When you look at an RV as it comes from the factory, you need to realize too that they are trying to build what they believe will appeal to the largest number of people. There are companies that build custom RVs but they cost a lot more. I suspect that the majority of us have made our own modifications to more than one RV, very soon after acquiring it.

 

[gwinger]

When you look at an RV as it comes from the factory, you need to realize too that they are trying to build what they believe will appeal to the largest number of people. There are companies that build custom RVs but they cost a lot more. I suspect that the majority of us have made our own modifications to more than one RV, very soon after acquiring it.

One of the first things I did was to add shelves in the cabinets below the kitchen and bathroom sinks. The kitchen sink had none, just a 30 high inch opening. The one in the bathroom was about 20 inches. Lot's of wasted space.
We have a floor to ceiling cabinet in the bath with 12 inch shelves and a pantry in the kitchen area.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

If you are capable, you can accomplish whatever you want. We wanted both propane and electric induction cooktops in our Casita trailer so we could dry glamp for long durations using propane and glamp dock without using any propane at all. And we wanted a window in our kitchen backsplash too.

For our induction cooktop, we selected the Kenyon Bridge Induction Cooktop, which is a 2-burner induction design that can be “bridged” together to enable large griddle use, uses 240VAC and provides 3,500 Watts of total induction capability…either all used by one single burner, shared by both single burners or bridged together to create a large cooking area suitable for our Lodge Reversible Griddle. And 3,500 Watts of induction capability enables boiling water unbelievably fast. This high-end marine quality induction cooktop weighs 12 pounds and has dimensions of 12 inches wide by 21 inches deep.

For our propane cooktop, we selected the Contoure Propane Cooktop, which is a 2-burner propane design, has 12VDC electronic ignition, provides 7,500 BTU and 5,800 BTU capability (which are relatively low power burners, but are appropriate for inside a small RV) and which also has desirable safety features including push-to-turn knobs and a thermocouple sensor that terminates the propane flow if no flame is detected. This propane cooktop weighs 6 pounds and has dimensions of 11-3/8 inches wide by 18-3/4 inches deep.

More photos and details of this Casita trailer modification and all our many Casita trailer modifications may be found by Googling our trailer name if interested.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

 

[Lou Schneider]

Another consideration is the required space between the burner(s) and combustible surfaces. The front burner is higher output and as such requires more clearance to a flammable surface than the smaller burners in the rear. Flames and heat spread out when there is a large pot on the burner.

If you turn the stovetop around you have to ensure there is sufficient clearance between the high output burner and the wall behind the stove.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

Yep...and side walls too...

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

 

[Rene T]

If you are capable, you can accomplish whatever you want. We wanted both propane and electric induction cooktops in our Casita trailer so we could dry glamp for long durations using propane and glamp dock without using any propane at all. And we wanted a window in our kitchen backsplash too.

For our induction cooktop, we selected the Kenyon Bridge Induction Cooktop, which is a 2-burner induction design that can be “bridged” together to enable large griddle use, uses 240VAC and provides 3,500 Watts of total induction capability…either all used by one single burner, shared by both single burners or bridged together to create a large cooking area suitable for our Lodge Reversible Griddle. And 3,500 Watts of induction capability enables boiling water unbelievably fast. This high-end marine quality induction cooktop weighs 12 pounds and has dimensions of 12 inches wide by 21 inches deep.

For our propane cooktop, we selected the Contoure Propane Cooktop, which is a 2-burner propane design, has 12VDC electronic ignition, provides 7,500 BTU and 5,800 BTU capability (which are relatively low power burners, but are appropriate for inside a small RV) and which also has desirable safety features including push-to-turn knobs and a thermocouple sensor that terminates the propane flow if no flame is detected. This propane cooktop weighs 6 pounds and has dimensions of 11-3/8 inches wide by 18-3/4 inches deep.

More photos and details of this Casita trailer modification and all our many Casita trailer modifications may be found by Googling our trailer name if interested.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

Looks good but the only issue that would make me worry is how close that back propane burner is from the outside wall. You put a big pot on that burner and the heat will head right for that wall. I would never leave anything cooking on that burner and walk away. To make it a lot safer, you could put a piece af sheet metal between the pot and the wall.
Must be the old firefighter instinct in me.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

Looks good but the only issue that would make me worry is how close that back propane burner is from the outside wall. You put a big pot on that burner and the heat will head right for that wall. I would never leave anything cooking on that burner and walk away. To make it a lot safer, you could put a piece af sheet metal between the pot and the wall.
Must be the old firefighter instinct in me.

It likely looks closer to the back wall than it actually is and it is also in full compliance with the cooktop clearance wall requirements too. But Yes, it is wise to think and be conservative as you indicated.

If we have to use propane and if it's decent weather outside, we always cook outside using our propane Camp Chef Everest stove. In fact, even if we have a hookup and if it's decent weather outside, we always cook outside using our portable electric induction stove too.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

 

[TXMOOSE]

Another consideration is the required space between the burner(s) and combustible surfaces. The front burner is higher output and as such requires more clearance to a flammable surface than the smaller burners in the rear. Flames and heat spread out when there is a large pot on the burner.

If you turn the stovetop around you have to ensure there is sufficient clearance between the high output burner and the wall behind the stove.

I thought about the burners and how they would set, I was gonna besure everything was good. But also having that in mind I thought maybe I'd just put a shut off valve for the back.
My idea of raising the microwave and adding an area under it for an airfryers, the ones with 3 shelves. I looked up measurements and all. But if it was a good fit I probably wouldn't use the stove much if at all. Between the microwave, Airfryer, and BBQ the stove would probably have the cover down. But again it was an idea to play with. But if a hasle, I'm fine the way they are you know.

 

[gwinger]

Looks good but the only issue that would make me worry is how close that back propane burner is from the outside wall. You put a big pot on that burner and the heat will head right for that wall. I would never leave anything cooking on that burner and walk away. To make it a lot safer, you could put a piece af sheet metal between the pot and the wall.
Must be the old firefighter instinct in me.

Even a piece of sheet metal would still transfer the heat to the wall.
The distance for the burner to the wall may not be a problem, but a large pan will direct the heat to the wall.
Lot's of moaning about how the companions build and RV, but this problem was taken into consideration.
The rear edge of my cook top is a good 3 inches from the wall and those are the small burners.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

Even a piece of sheet metal would still transfer the heat to the wall.
The distance for the burner to the wall may not be a problem, but a large pan will direct the heat to the wall.
Lot's of moaning about how the companions build and RV, but this problem was taken into consideration.
The rear edge of my cook top is a good 3 inches from the wall and those are the small burners.

True. If you need additional wall protection from stove burner heat, use a heat insulator and not a heat conductor... They make Silicone backsplash products designed for just this purpose.

The burners should have been designed such that flame does NOT exceed the diameter of the pots placed on the burner. If you have a burner that violates this design principle, turn down the flame so it doesn't. Using a handheld IR temperature gun to check the temperature of your propane cooktop surroundings is also a good thing to do too.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

 

[gwinger]

True. If you need additional wall protection from stove burner heat, use a heat insulator and not a heat conductor... They make Silicone backsplash products designed for just this purpose.

The burners should have been designed such that flame does NOT exceed the diameter of the pots placed on the burner. If you have a burner that violates this design principle, turn down the flame so it doesn't. Using a handheld IR temperature gun to check the temperature of your propane cooktop surroundings is also a good thing to do too.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

It's not the flame reaching the wall, it's the heat washing around the bottom of the pot.
Not sure about the RV stoves, but a conventional stove top has a flame adjustment.
Pull the knob and see if the shaft is hollow. There should be a screw to to adjust the flame.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

It is the upper section of flame that is the hottest temperature. The flame diameter is adjustable by turning the burner control knobs. The minimum flame diameter and associated minimum heat simmering capability is also adjustable during installation. Or at least that has been the case for every gas stove we have installed and is the case for our aforementioned/described propane cooktop too.

Yes, there will always be heat washing around the pots, but as long as this heat doesn't cause any of the cooktop surroundings to exceed 100 degrees, you don't have an issue to deal with. And again, if you do have a wall excessive heat/temperature issue, it is likely from some design or installation violation...which even then can likely be resolved by using heat tolerant walls in the vicinity of the cooktop.

You will also note that we added a window to our backsplash. Since we have/use an exhaust hood above our cooktops, cool air comes through this window and washes the heat off the pot closest to the window further reducing heat transfer to our backsplash. This approach also minimizes heat gain/loss in our Casita trailer when using our kitchen cooktops. And this window is also used for passing items between our kitchen and our covered awning area on that side of our Casita trailer too.

Gayle & Bob
"Los Gatos Casita"

 

[Rene T]

Even a piece of sheet metal would still transfer the heat to the wall.
The distance for the burner to the wall may not be a problem, but a large pan will direct the heat to the wall.
Lot's of moaning about how the companions build and RV, but this problem was taken into consideration.
The rear edge of my cook top is a good 3 inches from the wall and those are the small burners.

The sheet metal would have a dead air space between the wall and the sheet metal providing some insulation