Curiously REI has the Gemini discounted and marked as discontinued and I had wondered why and decided to check if the Gemini was discontinued when this came up in the results: Katadyn North America Recalls Optimus Gemini Portable Gas Stoves Due to Fire Hazard Apparently there's a possibility of a leak from the gas regulator for that serial number range. Not sure if Optimus is going to replace them since it seems to have a remark about a refund. Edit: This Youtube video has more detail about a burr inside of the regular that possibly causes damage to the regulator seal. As there's no valve on the canister side then a fire coming out from the stove side would be a bit of an issue for the average user to react to.
Hummm.... I'll have to check ours and see if it's one of the recalled stoves. I hope not! Doc PS - Just checked, and ours is not one of Gemini stoves being recalled! Yay!!
I saw the recall information just now, thanks. I've a Gemini stove but never used yet... This is why I don't like to use the integrated-pressure-regulator LP stoves, the micro sized regulator part is too weak and delicate. The normal sized regulators are safe to use, IMO but very tiny sized micro regulators are not. Especially afaik Gemini accepts the higher gas pressure like Propane, and it's allowed to be connected from a LPG tank, but I was really not sure about the "reliability""safety" which means if mine is not applicable for a recall case, I still won't use this stove with Propane tank. Will check the S/N of mine, thank you!
Why would anyone want to I wonder? Surely the point of a micro-regulator is to maximise flame propagation from butane in cold conditions and to offset evaporative cooling of the fuel, both of which phenomenon don’t afflict propane so much.
Hello! Yes the regulator is a regulator. It regulates and normalizes the pressure level in case the input-gas is within the designed pressure limitation. So the stoves with Regulator means the stove can be called as Low-Pressure-Stove. So in case the Regulator is broken, especially the inside-diaphragm, I don't think it's a good event. e.g. teared diaphragm - high pressure directly drives to the jet orifice(a stove with a regulator has so heavy diameter jet orifice like my home LNG stove) - too much gas for air ratio - accident. I'm not the specialized man about the engineering, so I asked to my friend and he confirmed my safety concern is valid. But if wrong, it's glad to learn here, of course!! thanks!!
Yes, @Yun124 I’ve some years’ experience now of micro-regulator use in Soto stoves: Windmaster and ST-310 and more recently of the MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe. They have been very reliable. The suggestion in the Youtube video above is that a machining fault has been responsible for tearing a seal in the Gemini stove. That has echoes of torn O-rings in Katadyn-produced Optimus Nova stove fuel pump connectors. The failure is caused by a manufacturing fault and not the inherent unreliability of the micro-regulator concept therefore.
I agree with you, it was due to my poor English, I think so that the regulator itself doesn't make any own inherent unreliability. I meant if Gemini doesn't have any kind of regulator, this kind of recall should not happen, if all other conditions are the same. Btw, should I return this stove...? I used Fedex to have it, so the recall doesn't make any sense... So that my stove should be into the collection rack, not for actual using. What a poor! spent around usd250 for a piece of dummy, Great Katadyn...
@Yun124 , Hello, Channy! I have my fingers crossed that your Gemini stove is not one of those that is being recalled! Check your serial number, and see if it is listed. If you have not checked it, already, the serial number can be found on top of the valve that screws into the fuel cartridge. Best of luck to you, my friend, and please let me know the outcome, and if your stove is being recalled, or not. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Mark (Ye Olde Doc) "The recalled stoves have the following serial number range RG000001 through RG006788 and RG023004 through RG023323."
Dear Mr. Mark, I thank you for your warm comments, very glad to hear! I checked from the taken photo, unfortunately it is valid for a recall. It's pity but no big matter... Take care! a big hug, Yun
Sadly I'm in the camp of 500 people in Canada with recalled stoves. It's going to be a huge hassle to return as I got mine from across the country. I really wish there was a way to fix it, but it might be a long time before someone cracks it open and has a look inside. If there's a burr in there and it hasn't broken the seal, why can't it be deburred? I recall my copy of the stove had to be filed at the lindal valve end simply to seat correctly and it loved to blast gas far longer than any other canister stove. I don't know what Optimus is doing, but for a company that had the Nova leak fiasco after outsourcing, you'd think they'd be the first ones ensuring quality control wasn't letting gaskets rip from shoddy manufacturing. And yet, here we are.
