Pelican Power Brick Battery Charger
CPSC Recall #06-120 — March 27, 2006
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 06-120 |
| Recall Date | March 27, 2006 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 231,000 |
| Importer | Electro Source LLC, of Vernon, Calif. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Electronics and discount department stores nationwide |
| catalogs |
| and various Web sites from April 2005 through March 2006 for about $20 when sold alone |
| and for between $40 and $50 when sold as part of certain kits packaged by Electro Source LLC. |
Product
Pelican Power Brick Battery Charger
Description
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Electro Source LLC, of Vernon, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 231,000 Pelican Power Brick Battery Chargers. The battery charger's circuit board can overheat and cause its plastic cover to melt which poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.Name of Product: Pelican Power Brick Battery ChargerUnits: About 231,000Distributor/Importer: Electro Source LLC, of Vernon, Calif.Hazard: The battery charger's circuit board can overheat and cause its plastic cover to melt which poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.Incidents/Injuries: Electro Source LLC has received 143 reports of the recalled battery charger overheating including one report of fire damage. No injuries have been reported.Description: The recalled Pelican Power Brick is an external recharging battery pack that sells as a separate accessory to be used with the Sony PSP™ (PlayStation Portable). The Pelican Power Brick consists of two lithium-ion battery cells connected via a circuit board and mounted in a small plastic housing. The battery cells are charged when plugged into an electrical outlet using the PSP™ AC adaptor. Once charged, it is used to recharge the PSP™. The model number for the battery charger, PL-6018, can be found on the back of the unit. The battery charger was sold alone and also as part of several kits containing other accessories by Electro Source LLC. Sony neither manufactured nor distributed the Pelican Power Brick. Only the Pelican Power Brick is included in this recall.Sold at: Electronics and discount department stores nationwide, catalogs, and various Web sites from April 2005 through March 2006 for about $20 when sold alone, and for between $40 and $50 when sold as part of certain kits packaged by Electro Source LLC.Manufactured in: ChinaRemedy: Consumers should stop using the battery charger immediately and contact Electro Source LLC to receive a choice of several replacement products.Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Electro Source at (800) 263-1156 anytime, or visit the firm's Web site at www.powerbrickrecall.net.Please do not contact Sony or any official PSP™ Web site concerning this recall.
Hazard
The battery charger's circuit board can overheat and cause its plastic cover to melt which poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents & Injuries
Electro Source LLC has received 143 reports of the recalled battery charger overheating including one report of fire damage. No injuries have been reported.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should stop using the battery charger immediately and contact Electro Source LLC to receive a choice of several replacement products.
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.