Fire hazard risk prompts recall of 'small number' of inverters

Anyone with certain units of a Gizzu 300Wh or 500Wh portable power station must immediately stop using it due to a battery manufacturing flaw, the National Consumer Commission said on Tuesday.

This comes after the importer and distributor, Syntech Distribution (Pty) Ltd, informed the commission of the precautionary recall of the products after reports of fire hazards.

The devices, imported from China, are stocked by major outlets including Takealot.com; Builders Warehouse, Makro, Incredible Connection and Hifi Corp.

Syntech Distribution said: “It has been detected that a small number of units in one particular batch ... may run the risk of overheating while charging, posing a potential fire risk.”

The commission said the "affected devices have a battery manufacturing flaw which presents a possibility of the product self-combusting and melting when it is charging."

"In cases where the product’s battery does self-combust, a non-toxic cloud of smoke is released, which may present a fire hazard to nearby furniture."

The commission advised consumers who own one of the units affected by the recall to return it to the store where it was purchased.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.