When a fryer control or hi-limit fails, the replacement is found by part number, not by description — and a wrong cross-reference costs a second site visit, or worse, a safety device that behaves differently from the original. This page maps the Robertshaw numbers our customers send us most often — the 5300-series millivolt controls and the 5225-series hi-limits — to their verified V.Crown equivalents, and sets out the checks that make a cross-reference safe.
How to read the original part number
On the 5300-series controls, the tail of the number is the capillary length in inches: RX-1-36 carries a 36″ capillary, RX-2-24 and RX-10-24 a 24″ one — and the gland differs between them, which is why the same series needs two different equivalents below. The 5225 hi-limit numbers below are fixed-trip devices: the specification that matters — reset type, 450°F (232°C) trip, 30″ capillary — is a property of the part number itself. Read the number, then verify it against the tables.
5300 series — millivolt fryer controls
The 5300 series switches the thermopile (millivolt) circuit that holds the gas valve open: 5 VDC max, 0.67A max, no line voltage. All three numbers below share the 200–400°F (93–204°C) range; they differ in capillary length and gland thread.
| Original part | Original specification | V.Crown equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Robertshaw RX-1-36 | Millivolt control · 200–400°F · 36″ capillary · 1/4″ gland | ARB-33-204U |
| Robertshaw RX-2-24 | Millivolt control · 200–400°F · 24″ capillary · 3/8″-18 NPT gland | ARB-33-204Q |
| Robertshaw RX-10-24 | Millivolt control · 200–400°F · 24″ capillary · 3/8″-18 NPT gland | ARB-33-204Q |
The ARB-33 millivolt thermostat is built to the same envelope — OFF to 93–204°C (200–400°F), 5 VDC / 0.67A max, Ø9.5 × 125mm bulb — with the capillary made to the inch length in the original number and the gland to match: 204U for the 1/4″ version, 204Q for 3/8″-18 NPT. The ARB-33 is a UL Recognized Component (file E491946) and CE certified.
5225 series — safety limiters (hi-limits)
The 5225 numbers below are the hi-limits that sit in series with those controls. Both trip at a fixed 450°F (232°C) on a 30″ capillary; the difference between them is the one that matters most on a safety device — how they reset.
| Original part | Original specification | V.Crown equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Robertshaw LCHM050300000 | Manual reset · fixed 450°F (232°C) trip · 30″ capillary | VL-S-232A |
| Robertshaw LCCM200300000 | Automatic reset · fixed 450°F (232°C) trip · 30″ capillary | VL-Z-232A |
A manual-reset hi-limit stays open until a technician resets it; an automatic-reset one re-closes as the equipment cools. Never substitute one reset type for the other to make a cross-reference fit. The VL-S safety limit thermostat matches the LCHM on trip point (232 ± 8°C), SPDT contact and 3/8″-18 NPT gland, with the capillary made to the original 30″; it is covered by UL file E491946 and is CE certified. Its automatic-reset counterpart is the VL-Z-232A.
Robertshaw® is a trademark of Robertshaw Controls Company. HengTherm parts are replacement equivalents manufactured by Guangzhou V.Crown Thermostat Co., Ltd.; we are not affiliated with Robertshaw, and part numbers are used for cross-reference identification only. Verify the equivalent against the original specification before installation.
The five checks before you order
- Function and reset type — a control is adjustable and cycles; a limiter is fixed-trip. On limiters, manual reset and automatic reset are different safety behaviours, not options.
- Trip point or range — 450°F (232°C) fixed for the hi-limits above; 200–400°F adjustable for the 5300-series controls. A near-enough temperature is not a match.
- Capillary length — read it from the part-number tail (24″ / 30″ / 36″) or measure the original along its routing. Too short will not reach the well; excess length must not coil against hot surfaces.
- Gland thread — the gland seals the bulb into the frypot — 1/4″ and 3/8″-18 NPT are not interchangeable, and a mismatch leaks oil.
- Bulb size — the bulb must seat correctly in the existing thermowell (ARB-33: Ø9.5 × 125mm; VL-S: Ø6.5 × 114mm).
Send us the part number you are replacing — or a photo of its rating label — and we run all five checks in writing before quoting, so the equivalent arrives as a fit, not a project.
Certification: one file, verifiable
The ARB-33, VL-S and VL-Z are all UL Recognized Components under a single file, E491946 (UL 60730-1 / UL 60730-2-9, US and Canada), verifiable on UL Product iQ. The VL-S series is also CE certified (EN 60730-1 / EN IEC 60730-2-9 test report, 2024). When an alternative supplier quotes a safety device, ask for the file number — not a logo — and check it before the part goes into certified equipment.
Samples and trial orders
Free samples of the ARB-33 and VL-S are available for bench testing — you only cover the courier, and the freight is credited against your first order. Trial orders start from 200 pcs, with models mixed in one shipment, and mechanical customization (capillary length, gland, dial printing, trip points) is developed free of charge. Send us the Robertshaw number you currently buy and we will map it.
Related reading: Commercial Fryer Thermostats: Selection and Replacement Guide · Gas Thermostat Guide: Millivolt Control, Modulation and Safety · Safety Temperature Limiter Guide: Trip Points, Reset Types and Selection · Capillary Thermostat Installation Guide: Length, Bulb Placement and Routing · E.G.O. Thermostat Cross-Reference: 55-Series Controls & 56-Series Safety Limiters · Cotherm Thermostat Cross-Reference: GTL Controls & Safety Limiters