Gas Range problem

[Malibu Jim]

We recently remodeled our kitchen ourselves. We have a Frigidaire gas built-in range, in a new cabinet, although it's in the same place with just a slightly longer flex line from the s/o valve to the regulator at the range itself. The new cabinet has two large drawers for pots and pans, vs swinging doors on the old . The problem is, when the cooktop burners are on the lowest flame setting and you open and close the top drawer, it often blows the flame out. It seems the range top has an enclosure (box) under it, but the drawer must create a draft to blow the flame out when it is closed. Any suggestions ?

[Redwood]

I would complain to fridgidaire. Make them fix it.

[Malibu Jim]

The unit is probably 3-4 years old and worked fine in the old cabinet. Wondering if adjusting the flame up a little at its low setting would help?

[Redwood]

Sorry I just reread your post and realized it was cabinet drawers you were talking about. I was somehow thinking it was a drawer in the stove... genuine duh moment.
Any possibility of sealing between the cabinet and the stove?

[Mikey]

Is this a full range or just a cooktop? Sounds like a cooktop.

Sounds like the drawer and enclosure are acting like a piston & cylinder to pump a burst of air which affects the flame.

If a cooktop, some options:

1) Seal the cooktop off from the cavity containing the drawers;
2) Cut the top of the end of the drawer down a few inches to make it a lousy piston;
3) Cut holes in the sidewalls of the cabinet to make it a lousy cylinder;
4) Build a very sensitive, sensor-based, microprocessor-controlled system to regulate the pressure in the cabinet cavity, so that air would be pumped out (when closing the drawer) or in (when opening the drawer) to maintain constant pressure at all times. An interesting challenge here reminiscent of the "Star Trek door" problem.
5) Link the two drawers together, so that when one opens, the other closes. This will maintain a constant air volume in the cavity. There is an inherent flaw in this approach which can be addressed at the cost of 50% of the drawer space.
6) Open and close the drawer slowly. You could enforce this by adding a damping device to the drawer slides.

#1 is probably the best choice for several reasons, although #4 has some geeky engineering appeal, and #5 will really drive your wife nuts :D.