Force 10 oven troubles

[Jim Cate]

I get the feeling that there have been a number of changes in the innards of F-10 stoves over the past 20 years. I remember that there was a spate of oven door glass failures a while back, and that seems to have been fixed. Perhaps some of the other faults chronicled above have similarly been remediated... I hope so, 'cause we bought one here about six months ago! So far it works pretty well... far better than the elderly cooker it replaced. Oven temps are not as well regulated as in a good domestic oven, but it does do some regulation. I'd be just as happy with a manual control... that worked well for many years on our previous boat, and was trouble free.

Jim

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by Jeanneau 45.2

My 2000 Force 10 4 burner with oven has just experienced a failure with the oven/broiler gas regulator/thermostat. There are three versions of oven temperature regulation: manual adjustment sort of like controlling the cook top burner, an automatic high/low set up, and an automatic variable flame proportional to the temperature differential from set point. (the first two types have a dial thermometer in the control panel and the later operates like a home oven with temperature settings printed on the control panel.) I have the third type, the automatic variable flame.

I spoke with Force 10 in British Columbia and their US service center in Seattle. Both state the regulator/thermostat is not either owner or factory serviceable, the part is no longer available, and they do not know of any available compatible regulator/thermostat that I can source on the open market. They literally told me I am facing having to purchase a new stove !!!!

I'll spare you how I feel about their response. Has anyone experience the same failure (Force 10 acknowledges mine is not an isolated event). There must be a compatible valve with the appropriate temperature sensing bulb, safety shut down, and variable gas flow. I don't want to cobble together a Rube Goldberg solution given propane's dangers but I'd prefer to repair versus replace.

Force 10 ( Ive had 4 of them ) is a highly over-rated POS

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by geoleo

Force 10 ( Ive had 4 of them ) is a highly over-rated POS

OK then, what is the alternative in the same price range? I've heard lots of negative words about many of Force 10's competitors. The only one that I've seen that seems superior is a British model (can't remember the name) that looked fantastic... but the FOB price in the UK was over 6000 USD. Adding shipping and duty didn't help, either!

Jim

[Mike OReilly]

For the record, I’ve owned my 2-burner stove/oven Euro model for must be seven years now. Seasonal (~6 months/year), but intense usage. We basically cook all meals aboard.

Stove and oven has performed flawlessly to date. No problems that a good cleaning didn’t solve. Oven heats up well. We bake all manner of foods, from chickens to breads. And the stove top elements have always worked fine.

Not saying for one minute the other negative reports are wrong. Just adding my perfectly satisfactory experience.

[boatnerd]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

OK then, what is the alternative in the same price range?

Jim

We're on our 2nd Force10. Ovens always been somewhat of a joke but gets the job done. Just found some sabaf replacement burner for spares. One thing safety wise I like is F10 uses stainless steel tubing instead of aluminum to connect burners to valves. Components are serviceable.

Was looking online for current model stoves that weren't Eno or F10. Saw Dickinson on Defenders and Techimpex in Europe at about same price range. Best marine stove I've used was the Italian Alpes Inxo. Amazing oven/broiler but you pay the price.

[zeehag]

i had a 2004..it began failing so i traded for an unknown year model and used it for a few years it failed so i removed it and am using a temporary mexistovetop. i have contracted with a welder to create me a stovetop for installation in my galley once i find a fridge i can work with underway, more than likely a chest style portable.
as much as i enjoyed my force 10, after having 2 fail in locales wherein itis impossible to find parts, i am done with em. my stovetop being built will have replaceable parts easily located and easily replaced.
best of luck with finding replacements for your force 10. good stoves, but.....


i stopped using the oven when as i tried to light it, the flame came out 2 feet. oopsy bad planning.. no more ovens on my boat.... i dislike jumping back and out of the way of the flame. was huge.

[Svan]

This force 10 is going overboard. If anyone wants an older one whose burners and oven mechanism work well, it is for sale from Midland ON.

As a Canadian I am obliged to buy a Dickinson, and given the depth it will be a Caribbean model.

[Jeanneau 45.2]

Originally Posted by Svan

This force 10 is going overboard. If anyone wants an older one whose burners and oven mechanism work well, it is for sale from Midland ON.

As a Canadian I am obliged to buy a Dickinson, and given the depth it will be a Caribbean model.

IS THIS STILL AVAILABLE, ALTHOUGH I AM INTERESTED IN JUST THE OVEN MECHANISM? PLEASE REPLY VIA PM.

[AndyEss]

Originally Posted by Svan

This force 10 is going overboard. If anyone wants an older one whose burners and oven mechanism work well, it is for sale from Midland ON.

As a Canadian I am obliged to buy a Dickinson, and given the depth it will be a Caribbean model.

I might be interested in the burner tops - mine are pretty rusted. Can you pm me?

[rsn48]

Google Force 10 home office, then call them with your problems and parts needed. They are located in Vancouver BC.

[sv Libby]

We have had nothing but troubles with our 2018 2 burner model. We replaced a 30 year old model that was ok but we couldn't get parts for. I wanted to impress my wife with a shiny new one for her birthday. What a fail.

After three years of use the stainless steel grate that the pots sit on started cracking in several places, and eventually segments broke off completely. We had to get a new one fabricated after hearing no reply to repeated emails.

Next the gimbal latching mechanism just came apart. I have just jammed it in place but it looks like there are internal rivets that are too weak for the job.

The second burner takes ages to get lit even after cleaning.

Now this morning the pivot has snapped off completely.

The newer models seem flimsy, poorly engineered and assembled, and built of poor quality steel. I wish I'd kept the old one.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by sv Libby

We have had nothing but troubles with our 2018 2 burner model. We replaced a 30 year old model that was ok but we couldn't get parts for. I wanted to impress my wife with a shiny new one for her birthday. What a fail.

After three years of use the stainless steel grate that the pots sit on started cracking in several places, and eventually segments broke off completely. We had to get a new one fabricated after hearing no reply to repeated emails.

Next the gimbal latching mechanism just came apart. I have just jammed it in place but it looks like there are internal rivets that are too weak for the job.

The second burner takes ages to get lit even after cleaning.

Now this morning the pivot has snapped off completely.

The newer models seem flimsy, poorly engineered and assembled, and built of poor quality steel. I wish I'd kept the old one.

I just put in a Dickenson Mediterranean, 3 burner. Had 2 previous Force 10, and I am glad I switched. The Dickenson is fabulous.

PS. I have a bunch of spare parts for a Force 10 circa 2000 if anyone wants them...

[Svan]

If we kept our boat I would have totally put in a Dickenson. I was impressed with their BBQ we installed. As a Canadian there really is no other option.

[MarkSF]

I have a Seaward Princess that has performed just fine, but they have been discontinued now.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Jeanneau 45.2

... Has anyone experience the same failure (Force 10 acknowledges mine is not an isolated event). There must be a compatible valve with the appropriate temperature sensing bulb, safety shut down, and variable gas flow. I don't want to cobble together a Rube Goldberg solution given propane's dangers but I'd prefer to repair versus replace.

I have had similar problems with my 2000 3-burner Force 10. The burner tops disintegrated, and the thermocouples failed (which I got rather good at replacing), the ignitor failed, and of course the broiler broke and the oven control failed. And of course no parts for these were available. POS!

After buying what parts I could find I cobbled together a working stove. I would not call it a Force 10 any longer. For the oven I simply installed another burner and control like the top burners and control the temp manually. I did put in the new replacement top burners, and while that was not a plug and play job they do work. However, if I turn on the oven while using any top burners, the thermocouple gets confused and turns them off. But by jamming a knife in behind the oven latch I can hold the burner knobs in and keep them burning. Of course this is sort of dangerous.

I also modified the top so I can open it without removing the sides. This allows me to service the underside of the burners without removing the stove from the galley.

With the problems I have with Force10 and Magma, it seems to me that there is an opportunity for someone to make a decent marine cooking line and put Force10 out of business once and for all.