Vernier Circuit Board 2
CPSC Recall #18-746 — June 6, 2018
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 18-746 |
| Recall Date | June 6, 2018 |
| Remedy Type | Repair |
| Units Affected | About 4,200 |
| Manufacturer | Charles Assembly, of Aloha, Ore. |
| Manufactured In | United States |
Where It Was Sold
| Online directly to customers by Vernier Software & Technology |
| by phone |
| catalog and dealers from August 2015 through April 2018 for about $130. |
Product
Vernier Circuit Board 2
Description
This recall only involves the Vernier Circuit Board 2. It is a green-colored circuit board that is 10 inches wide by 6.5 inches in height and is used to teach students about the fundamentals of electrical circuits. The Vernier name, logo, product name (Vernier Circuit Board 2) and order code (VCB2) are printed in the upper right corner of the product. Recalled units were shipped between August 2015 through April 10, 2018 represented with the different revision mark codes of ‘VCB2 REV 1 PPRL 2015’ and ‘VCB2 REV 1A PPRL 2015’ printed below the pins 35, 30, and 31 on the lower section of the product.
Hazard
There are two switches on the VCB2 that can get stuck between positions causing the switches to short out and overheat. If the switches overheat, the metal case of the switch can become hot, posing a burn hazard.
Incidents & Injuries
The firm has received 10 reports of circuit board switches overheating. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled circuit boards and return them to the firm for a free repair. Instructions for returning the units are available on the firm’s website. Vernier is contacting known customers directly.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Repair) at no cost to you.
If the product caused a fire or burn injury, document the incident with photos and preserve the product if it is safe to do so. Report the incident to the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov and to your local fire department. Contact the manufacturer to inform them of the incident — they are required to track and report injuries to CPSC. You may also want to consult a personal injury attorney, as fire and burn injuries caused by defective products can be grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.