[Rhodes22-list] Stove Safety Recall

[Slim]

Dave,

Our boat came with an older Kenyon and we wound up throwing it away because
it was so dangerous.  The recall did not address the problem we had:  the
fuel canister didn't fit right into its socket and would leak fuel and
flames would come out from under the stove.  Pretty bad!  We're lucky we
didn't burn the boat to the water line!

We now use a Coleman Expedition two-burner that we wouldn't trade for
anything.  We use it either in the cabin or out on the cockpit table.
Available at Midwest Mountaineering or REI:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=400000
08000&productId=9320681&parent_category_rn=4500453&vcat=REI_SSHP_CAMPING_TOC

Slim

On 6/19/06 4:52 PM, "DCLewis1 at aol.com" <DCLewis1 at aol.com> wrote:

> 
> Folks,
> 
> The stove that came with our R22 is a Kenyon B23000. In checking around for
> operating instructions for that stove I discovered it was subject to a safety
> recall.  I posted that info on 5/19/06.  For information regarding the
> recall see:   
> 
> _www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01198.html_
> (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01198.html)
> _http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_ppro/is_200107/ai_1124042216_
> (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_ppro/is_200107/ai_1124042216)
> 
> 
> Rather than flirt with disaster, I contacted Kenyon to find out about  the
> recall.  The lady I spoke with @ Kenyon (Beth) told me that indeed  there was
> a 
> recall, the problem was that users would sometimes use the grill  that came
> with the B2300 upside down (i.e. as stored), and heat radiated from  that
> upside 
> down grill assembly radiated into the gas regulator assembly, things  got
> hot, gas leaked, and there had been fires, people had been hurt, etc.   The
> new 
> stove that they would send out in fulfillment of the recall had a grill  that
> could only be used one way and would solve that problem.
> 
> We returned our stove and promptly got back a new stove and carrying case  at
> no charge (of course we had to pay the postage to mail our stove back).   The
> point of this present post is to report general features of the new stove,
> Kenyon Express II model B23200.
> 
> The new stove came in a black plastic container that looks good, but in no
> more than 3 weeks of intermittent light handling has torn in one spot.  I
> think it¹s a bit flimsy, but serviceable, as a way to store and carry the
> stove.
> 
> The stove is labeled: "Not for household use.  Gas-fired portable cook  stove
> for outdoor and indoor commercial use only."  I'm not sure which  category we
> fit into if the stove is installed in a galley.
> 
> The gross form factor for the stove (length, width, height) is similar to
> the old stove, it¹s as deep and thick as the B23000 but may be 1/2" shorter
> (i.e. length parallel to the front edge of the counter-top).
> 
> The stove is black and gets pretty hot just sitting in sunlight.  It¹s
> awkward to touch and hold if it¹s been sitting in direct sunlight.  As I
> recall, 
> the B23000 was green and did not get as hot.  If you are going to  use the
> stove under the countertop, this is not an issue.  If you are going  to use it
> out 
> of doors, this may well be an issue.
> 
> The pot supports are indeed attached directly to the stove top in a way  that
> they cannot be removed and used upside down.  This means  when  installed in
> the galley the stove top will always protrude above the counter-top  by about
> 3/4".  The top of the previous stove could be flipped so that you  could have
> a smooth counter-top and so that a cutting board could fit over the  hole in
> the counter-top for the stove.  With the new stove you will have to  put a
> 3/4" 
> to 1" high border around  the cutting block, if you intend to  set it over
> the stove top, and the stove top will always be protruding above the
> countertop.
> 
> The hips on the 4 pot supports that come up from the top of the stove are
> spaced sufficiently far apart that the top will not pass freely through our
> counter top (i.e. straight up),  but it's close; by passing one side  through,
> and then the other, it is possible to get the stove top through the  counter
> cut-out.  The possible problem is that the pot supports are close  to, or
> bearing 
> against, the aluminum border that edges the stove cut-out of the
> counter-top.  I¹m concerned that heat from the pot supports will be  conducted
> to the 
> counter-top thus creating another type of fire  hazard.
> 
> I may try to install the stove just to see how it works, there are
> modifications that could be made (i.e. file the pot support fingers back so
> they  do 
> easily clear the cut-out space) that might allow for safer  operation.  But we
> may also just carry the stove as a separate item and use  it in the cockpit
> when we need a stove.  And I may look around to find  another safer stove that
> will fit in the available space better (if anyone knows  of a suitable stove,
> I 
> will appreciate their telling me of it).
> 
> Some people may be tempted to just try to operate their Kenyon B23000 stove  ³
> as is² being sure to flip the stove top as appropriate.  This would  respond
> to the issue identified by the lady at Kenyon.  I¹m concerned,  however, that
> she may have not fully understood the extent of risk and it¹s  origins.  If
> there were a simple, cheap fix to this problem, like  implementing a different
> grill structure so that the stove could only be used  one way, I think Kenyon
> would have gone for it in a heart beat.  I suspect  they¹ve had to change more
> than the stove top - they've issued a whole new  stove.
> 
> Dave
> 
> 
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