100-watt bendable solar panels
CPSC Recall #16-725 — January 28, 2016
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 16-725 |
| Recall Date | January 28, 2016 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 1,500 (in addition, about 20 solar panels were sold in Canada) |
| Importer | RNG Group Inc., of Ontario, Calif. |
| Manufactured In | Thailand |
Where It Was Sold
| Online at Amazon.com |
| eBay.com and Renogy-store.com from May 2015 through October 2015 for about $300. |
Product
100-watt bendable solar panels
Description
The solar panels can overheat, posing a risk of fire.
Hazard
The solar panels can overheat, posing a risk of fire.
Incidents & Injuries
The firm has received 11 reports of the solar panels overheating, including three reports of property damage. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled solar panels and return them to RNG for free replacements.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace 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 (Replace) 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.