Product Recall (July 2007): Sportsman's Warehouse Xenon Flashlights

[sceva]

I was on the shotgun forum and saw this.

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2007
Release #07-237

Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 678-0010
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Sportsman's Warehouse Recalls Flashlights; Counterfeit Batteries Can
Overheat, Posing a Fire Hazard

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: Xenon Aluminum Flashlights

Units: About 4,400

Distributor: Sportsman's Warehouse, of Midvale, Utah

Hazard: The batteries packaged with the recalled flashlights are labeled
as "Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium" and have been determined by
Panasonic to be counterfeit. The counterfeit batteries can overheat and
rupture, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Sportsman's Warehouse has received two reports of
batteries overheating and flashlights igniting, with one consumer
receiving burns to his hands.

Description: The recall involves High Intensity Xenon Aluminum
Flashlights in 6-volt (Item No. 1139422), 9-volt (Item No. 1139423) and
12-volt (Item No. 1139424) models. The recalled flashlights are black
and have the Sportsman's Warehouse logo printed on the handle. The
recalled flashlights were packaged with two, three or four batteries
labeled as "Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium".

Sold at: Sportsman's Warehouse stores nationwide from October 2006
through May 2007 for between $30 and $40.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove and discontinue using the
batteries from the recalled flashlights. Consumers can return the
recalled flashlights and batteries to any Sportsman's Warehouse store
for a full refund or store credit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Sportsman's
Warehouse toll-free at (877) 678-0010 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. MT
Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at
www.sportsmanswarehouse.com (PDF)

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the
recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07237.html

 

[parnass]

Re: Flashlight recall

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

..... Distributor: Sportsman's Warehouse, of Midvale, Utah

Hazard: The batteries packaged with the recalled flashlights are labeled
as "Panasonic CR123A Industrial Lithium" and have been determined by
Panasonic to be counterfeit. The counterfeit batteries can overheat and
rupture, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. ....

Very interesting. Thanks for posting this.

 

[CLHC]

Re: Flashlight recall

Thanks for the heads up on this!

 

[dano]

Re: Flashlight recall

Stickied for a few days...

--dan

 

[zipplet]

Re: Flashlight recall

Just read about this on engadget, then I open CPF and see it stickied. You got the news way faster than engadget.. I guess I should not be surprised ^_^

 

[Archangel]

Re: Flashlight recall

Anyone have a pic of the actual batteries in question?

 

[Blindasabat]

Re: Flashlight recall

Please put who is issuing the recall in the Title of the thread.

 

[Size15's]

I've changed thread title.

 

[Beer]

Re: Flashlight recall

Just read about this on engadget, then I open CPF and see it stickied. You got the news way faster than engadget.. I guess I should not be surprised ^_^

LOL .... +1

 

[greenLED]

Re: Flashlight recall

:thinking: We gotta start being even more watchful about batteries with these counterfeits showing up...

 

[NA8]

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove and discontinue using the
batteries from the recalled flashlights. Consumers can return the
recalled flashlights and batteries to any Sportsman's Warehouse store
for a full refund or store credit.

Would it be correct to assume that there's nothing wrong with the flashlights, just the batteries ? That's a nasty bit of press for Sportsman's Warehouse.

 

[OzzieDoc]

Panasonic CR123 batteries are available on eBay from several HK sellers.

Anyone know if these are real or counterfeit?

 

[zipplet]

I would be wary of them. I've noticed that Energizer E2 CR123's are available from HK sellers on ebay too, but I have not heard of those being cloned yet. Who knows?

 

[lumenal]

I was in the local Sportsmans Warehouse a couple days ago and saw the recall notice at the "gift bar". I'm glad to see this warning is stickied.

I remember looking at these particular xenon lights when they were on sale around mid-March. Typical blister pack, light on one side, and the batteries on the other. I glanced at the Panasonic cells, and then hung the package back on the peg.

I then noticed the Sports. Ware. LED flashlights, checked them out, and bought the 2-stage 3 watt LED. It came packaged with 2 Panasonic Lithium CR123A cells.

They have long ago been used and disposed of, but I wonder if they were counterfeit?

I always check cells before use with a battery tester and DMM, so I didn't notice anything unusual.

IIRC, SW still has the single CR123A cell LED (1 watt) for sale. Next trip in, I'll take a look at the included cell...

 

[OzzieDoc]

I would be wary of them. I've noticed that Energizer E2 CR123's are available from HK sellers on ebay too, but I have not heard of those being cloned yet. Who knows?

I emailed 3 eBay sellers asking them if the Panasonic batteries they sell are genuine or cloned. Only one has replied so far and he claimed they are genuine. This particular seller has been around awhile with good feedback so probably at least a few of the batteries on eBay are genuine. At this rate that works out at a 1 in 3 chance only though. As for the Energizers I wouldn't be sure about that either. I saw fake Energizers listed on alibaba.com recently. Checked today and they have been pulled. That particular site is scary. It seems everything is being cloned.

 

[dano]

Just a thought:

Real Panasonic cells (and their private labeled cells) have a hexagonal seal surrounding the positive tip of the cell.

All of the Chinese manufactured cells I have seen, have a plus shaped configuration around the positive tip.

I wonder if these counterfeit Panasonic cells have the plus shaped or the hexagonal shaped seal?

Also, I have seen cells labeled "Universal" but have identical markings to Panasonic cells.

 

[Archangel]

I just checked mine. That's some good info that i'll bet few people know, dano.

 

[pirinst]

Came from another post. What is curious to me is why not just replace the batteries with SF batteries that are sold at Sportsmans? The counter lady told me the LED lights are recalls as well- no receipt needed.

The light is a great light IMO. The options (if I return it) are Cabelas
Xenon or maybe even the rechargeable super bright flashlight.

 

[zipplet]

A friend of mine ordered some panasonics from a HK seller on ebay a while ago and it just occured to me to ask him about them - seems they might be counterfeit and he describes the seal as being different to your observations, however there is a spelling error which isn't on legit cells.

I'll try to get some pics for you.

Edit: Here is the auction: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290117376844 - pics coming soon.

 

[DM51]

A friend of mine ordered some panasonics from a HK seller on ebay a while ago and it just occured to me to ask him about them - seems they might be counterfeit and he describes the seal as being different to your observations, however there is a spelling error which isn't on legit cells.

I'll try to get some pics for you.

Edit: Here is the auction: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290117376844 - pics coming soon.

In the meantime, tell him not to use them. They are fakes, and very likely to be dangerous.

Cells should always be bought from a reputable dealer. If you buy cheap cells from a random Chinese website found on eBay, you are just asking for trouble.