I would suggest that as the manufacturer has said: stop using it! To do anything else is tempting the wrath of the divine stove Gods.... and their Lawyers. AR
FedExed the Nova off for repair/replacement today. I've been promised to have it back before a big Scout canoe trip. Curious to see the transmogrification. Pics to follow when it returns. AR
Good news! I still haven't heard back from Optimus about mine. Not happy with Optimus right now. Jeff
I got a little righteous with a smattering of indignation in the comment section for the recall. I co-lead a Scout Troop and will be going on a day trip next week. I let them know this and asked for either a temporary loner stove or a full refund citing the uncertain turn around time for repairs/replacement. I also sent copies of my sales receipt and previous emails concerning manufacturing defects. Not sure what got their attention(maybe a social network site geared toward stoves) but they seem to have me on a fast track. AR
Good Evening, Lads, I am bummed to hear all this bad news about Optimus. Makes me appreciate that Primus seems to be much more solidly behind their products, and that their products seem to be better made, now a days, than Optimus. I have never been behind the huge exodus to China for manufacturing, and think that this type of thinking on the part of the manufacturers is short-sighted in the extreme!! I am glad that both of my Nova stoves were made in Sweden, back when Optimus were still making quality products, and I will most certainly NOT be buying ANY new products from Optimus, until, and unless, they get their act together. Failing that, they are just another dead company that USED to be good...... Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
I can say in all honesty that if I had known that the Nova was produced in China that I would have favored a Dragonfly or XGK. I liked the reputation that the metal pump had(past tense). AR
John Ruskin, British industrialist, is quoted as saying "There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who only consider price are this man's lawful prey". The insult is the cheap labor in China does not translate into lower selling price.
All this bashing on Optimus and praise for Primus reminded me of my Primus Gravity MF. What a piece of crap!!! Won't even come close to burning kero cleanly. Burns white gas cleaner, but half the burner holes don't produce flames. You have to completely dismantle the stove to clean the jet. Sent then several messages about it, and they have yet to even respond. Any guesses why Primus production is in Estonia? I was unaware of Estonia's reputation for quality goods. As a matter of fact, this is the only item I can think of that's made there. I guess no reputation is better than a bad one. If Optimus doesn't get quality control fixed after this debacle, they deserve to go down in flames. I'm very interested how the "fixed" stoves work out, short and long term. Mike
Hi Just an observation. At least they're being recalled. How long have MSR being making self destructing pumps. [media=youtube]R-4g-5iEtO0[/media] Fair dos' maybe last longer than 5seconds just.
I just got home for the weekend and found my package from Optimus. Pictures tomorrow when its light and a full brew report too!
Optimus USA promised that I'd have the rebuilt stove by this weekend for a scout outing. Haven't seen it! Think I'll take the 123. AR
This is what I received: And this is what happened after one well-lubed insertion: So clearly the problem is NOT FIXED.
I am not really surprised. The main problem is the bayonet coupling itself, in my opinion it will never work reliably over time. I suggest stepping back to the old CEJN coupling, a proven design, used in medical applications for instance. The CEJN O-rings are inside and fixed, not outside and moving during connect/disconnect actions. For a Nova, just get an old fuel hose and a spare CEJN coupling for the pump side from Katadyn. Threading is the same. For a Nova+ it depends on whether you have one of the first bayonet versions or the latest version. The difference is in the locking nut at the burner side, ouside brass lock nut or inside silver lock nut. If you have the outside brass lock nut the old Nova+ hose with CEJN nipple connection works fine. If you have the newer inside lock nut version you have to replace the connecting nipple. Take it from an old fuel hose. And finally check the connection of the intake fuel hose to the pump. Sometimes they leak, letting the stove burn on even with the fuel bottle flipped over. Some epoxy around this point will fix it. juergen
...and it just failed the tea test. It was the fuel pickup filter in the replacement pump. I was getting very low power and classic fuel starvation symptoms but when I flipped he bottle over to give up the run and blow the hose clear it took off like a rocket. Flipped it back, power dropped again. It was okay pushing air through the filter but not fuel. I let it continue burning but eventually it went out all together. I shut off the valves, disassembled the stove and took out the filter from the end of the pickup. I tried blowing through the little brass thingy with the mouse tampon in it, it was barely passing air. I binned the filter and got the stove running again and it was back to full power, chugging like a steam train. This morning I also had the old chestnut of 'regulator valve stuck when left to cool fully open', which I had to clear with a strong prime and a couple of minutes of burn. If it had stuck closed I guess the only way to shift it would be to pour fuel from the bottle over the burner and hope you can get it hot enough to unstick the valve. What do you reckon my chances of getting a refund from Katadyn are?
pretty good i should think,is it the one you bought on ebay? seller louisluke35? if so they are a business seller so need to comply with UK trading standards they have sold you an item that is not fit for purpose and is subject to a recall 14 Implied terms about quality or fitness (1)Except as provided by this section and section 15 below and subject to any other enactment, there is no implied [F1term] about the quality or fitness for any particular purpose of goods supplied under a contract of sale. [F2(2)Where the seller sells goods in the course of a business, there is an implied term that the goods supplied under the contract are of satisfactory quality. (2A)For the purposes of this Act, goods are of satisfactory quality if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking account of any description of the goods, the price (if relevant) and all the other relevant circumstances. (2B)For the purposes of this Act, the quality of goods includes their state and condition and the following (among others) are in appropriate cases aspects of the quality of goods— (a)fitness for all the purposes for which goods of the kind in question are commonly supplied, (b)appearance and finish, (c)freedom from minor defects, (d)safety, and (e)durability. your stove doesn't comply with a,c,d or e Link to above cut n paste If it were me i'd be on the phone to ebay telling them that you bought it and it is in breach of trading standards regulations i reported another seller for selling Nova+'s and also told the seller that they were selling items that were subject to a product recall, the listings were pulled next day cut n paste from the ebay message i sent is below Dear outdoorvalue, hi there you might not be aware but the optimus Nova+ you are selling has been recalled as a fire hazard it is dangerous to use, and should be returned to the manufacturer here's a link to their website http://www.optimusstoves.com/en/ser...ltifuel-expedition-stoves-due-to-fire-hazard/ regards Bill read up on your legal rights as a consumer then as Duke Nukem says "it's time to chew gum and kick ass, and i'm all out of gum"
As a matter of interest, how are those using the Chinese copies of the Nova + getting on? (TK800s if i remember correctly?) From all the reports I've seen on CCS to date, they seem to be very happy with them. Do we now have a situation where a chinese copy, selling for a third of the price of the original, is better-made?
I still haven't heard from optimus. Sounds like they are having problems with the recall. Great!! The 111t is going camping I guess.
Same here. No response back from optimus. I took my M1942 and my Svea 123 a couple of days ago on a campout. sam
Optimus is helping Primus, Coleman, Brunton, and others sales for sure. I am sure they are working very hard at this. Might have a better idea to test out the recall or redesign the stove and offer a trade in or refund. Jeff
