Compaq Recalls Notebook AC Adapters

rotifer writes: "Compaq is recalling 1.4 million power adapters as fire hazards. I have one of these sitting on my living room floor right now. Compaq says in their FAQ on the subject "Compaq urges customers to discontinue use of the recalled AC adapter and to order a replacement adapter immediately." and that "We expect customers to receive their adapters within 5-10 days". Which means, of course, 5-10 days of not being able to use the computer. Has anyone had one of these things blow up on them? How dangerous is it to keep using it while waiting for the replacement part?" Only you can prevent notebook fires.

Comments

Other faulty hardware

[Kozz]

Where am I supposed to send the faulty keyboard that came with the laptop?

Similar problem

[MentlFlos]

I had a d-link switch once that had a major meltdown. The brick got so hot is discolored the powerstrip it was plugged into. Not to mention the funny smell in the room and slight haze from the switch itself :)

That was fun to explain to tech support....
Techie: "What do the lights do when it turns on"
Me: nothing, it won't turn on... all the smoke came out of it and I can't get it back in.

I guess I know why it was so cheap :)
(dss-5+ old style POS.. v2.0 is much better, smaller power brick and no fan in the unit)

-paul

I have one...

[banuaba]

I have an Armada E500s with the adaptor in question (mine says PPP003), and I have noticed that it gets really hot while I'm using it.

I think I'm going to keep using it until I get my new one in, tho. I'll just make sure the adaptor isn't sitting on my collection of oily rags.

AC

[ElDuque]

I think slashdot would be a better place if more AC's spontaneously combusted.
And what is Compaq writing in their notbooks about this? Why do they care?

Laptop Fires

[Mondrames]

If I recall from one of the myriad of articles, there have been 5 fires linked to those brands. While waiting for the replacement, I recommend only plugging in the power supply while you are present - that way you can notice the smoke/flame before it gets out of hand.

Does anyone actually read the link?

[MikeyNg]

Does anyone here actually read the link before they start yammering away about fires, etc.?

Compaq received 5 reports of fire that were contained to the cases of the AC adapters. None of these reported incidents involved personal injury. Compaq and its AC adapter manufacturer consider this a potential risk due to the possibility of fire, and are taking these proactive measures to ensure the safety of our customers.

5 cases of fire out of 1.4 million units, and none of them were really all that bad. So don't worry about the fire too much. If it really pains you to go without power to your laptop for several days, which is entirely probable, just don't return it. Then if it does catch fire, you're still pretty safe because Compaq already admitted to a defect.

(As an aside, I could almost have one of these, but it's not the correct series. Woo hoo!)

What does Compaq have against Anonymous Cowards?

[pmancini]

I mean, sure AC's can be annoying at times given their propensity to flame but please. Packing them in boxes and shipping them somewhere just isn't the answer.

Use a bucket of water

[drodver]

Until the new one arrives go ahead and use the one you have. As a precaution you'd better keep it submerged in a bucket of water, though. Then you won't have to worry about it bursting into flames! :-)

And if you keep the water cold you can store some brew in it for easy access while computing!

(He he)