CPSC, SmartSpark Energy Systems Recalls Battery Equalizers Due to Fire Hazard

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Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Summary Statement

A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announcement concerning a voluntary recall of BattEQ Battery Equalizers. The recalled equalizers can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
June 18, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2009
Release # 09-249

Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 905-6137
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: BattEQ Battery Equalizers

Units: About 800

Manufacturer: SmartSpark Energy Systems Inc., of Champaign, Ill.

Hazard: The recalled equalizers can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received one report of an equalizer that overheated which resulted in fire that caused damage to the equalizer and batteries. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled battery equalizers are charge balancing devices designed to increase the performance and longevity of rechargeable batteries.

Sold at: Authorized distributors and retailers from July 2006 through March 2009 for about $300.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these recalled battery equalizers and contact SmartSpark for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact SmartSpark at (800) 905-6137 anytime Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.batteq.com

SmartSpark Energy Systems Battery Equalizer

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/

Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.