Anker Recalls Several More Power Bank Models That Could Catch Fire
Back in mid-June, Anker recalled over 1.1 million PowerCore 1000 power banks because of potentially defective lithium-ion batteries that could overheat and catch fire. Obviously that is not something you want to happen. Now just over two weeks later, Anker is casting a wider net "out of an abundance of caution" by adding five more power bank models to the recall list.
It's the same verbiage Anker used the last time around, though don't take the recall lightly—Anker previously reported that it had fielded 19 reports of fires and explosions, two of which resulted in minor burn injuries (none serious, fortunately) and 11 reports of property damage tallying $60,700.
Anker hasn't disclosed any further reports of injuries or damages related to the expanded recall, but the risks remain.
"Earlier this year, Anker implemented a series of enhanced quality assurance protocols designed to detect manufacturing issues earlier in the production cycle. These safeguards—including expanded component-level audits and supplier testing—helped us identify a potential issue with common, lithium-ion battery cells from a single vendor," Anker explains.
Anker is deeming this a voluntary recall, adding that it is "proactively cooperating" with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). There is no official notice on the CPSC website yet for the expanded recall, though we suspect there will be soon.
In the meantime, Anker has confirmed that the following models are potentially affected...
- Anker Power Bank (10K, 22.5W) — Model A1257
- Anker Power Bank (20,000mAh, 22.5W, Built-In USB-C Cable) — Model A1647
- Anker MagGo Power Bank (10,000mAh, 7.5W) — Model A1652
- Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C and Lightning Cable) — Model A1681
- Anker Zolo Power Bank (20K, 30W, Built-In USB-C Cable) — Model A1689
If you own one of the power banks listed above, flip it over and look at the model number. If it matches any of those listed (A1257, A1647, A1652, A1681, A1689) then stop using it immediately and proceed with the recall process.
Anker has posted an online recall submission form that will ask you for the affected power bank's serial number, model name, and other details. Note that some characters can look similar, such as the number one (1) and the letter I, and the number 0 (zero) and the letter O, among others. According to Anker, none of the affected models will have the letters O or I in the serial number.
"After receiving confirmation from Anker that your unit qualifies for a replacement or gift card, please dispose of the affected unit at a certified facility that accepts recalled lithium-ion batteries.
Do not discard this recalled lithium-ion battery in the trash, general recycling streams (e.g., street-level or curbside recycling bins), or in used battery drop-off boxes commonly found at retail or home improvement stores. These drop-off points are not equipped to handle recalled lithium-ion products like power banks," Anker states on its recall page.
If you need help on how to recycle a recalled product with a potentially defective lithium-ion battery, you can visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) page, or go straight to the EPA's Damaged, Defective, Or Recalled Lithium Batteries document (PDF).
