About 67,000 myCharge Powerbanks Recalled Due to Potential Overheating

About 67,000 myCharge Powerbanks Recalled Due to Potential Overheating

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently announced the recall of about 67,000 myCharge power banks. The lithium-ion battery in these products can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

CPSC Announces the Recall of myCharge Powerbanks for Possible Overheating

The recall involves seven models of the myCharge power banks used for powering and recharging electronic devices that have a USB interface. These may include tablets, cell phones, Bluetooth speakers, e-readers, and more.

The products have a metallic case that is blue, black, or gray. The word “myCharge” should be written on the front of the product case. The model can be found on the back of the product case and the bottom panel of the product packaging.

The date code is printed on the outer packaging and the product case, except for the Adventure Mega and the Adventure Mega C models where the date code is printed on the underside of a flap on the top of the product case.

The recalled power banks have the following model names, model numbers, and date codes:

• myCharge Adventure Mega: AVC20KG-A (2818, 3718, 4018, or 4518)
• myCharge Adventure Mega C: AVCQC20KG-A (2818)
• myCharge Razor Mega: RZ20KK-A (3818, 4118, 4418, 4918, or 1719)
• myCharge Razor Mega C: RZQC20KK-A (3818)
• myCharge Razor Super: RZ24NK-A (0319)
• myCharge Razor Super C: RZQC24NK-A (3319 or 3519)
• myCharge Razor Xtreme: RZPD26BK-A (2818, 3718, or 3918)

They were sold at Best Buy, Brainstorm, Hirsch Gifts, Hudson News, InMotion, Lapine, Power Sales, Projector World, and Target stores nationwide and online at amazon.com, mycharge.com, and target.com, and through the U.S. Marine Corps/Navy Exchange from August 2018 through December 2019 for between $70 and $100. They were manufactured in China and imported by RFA Brands LLC, d/b/a myCharge of Birmingham, Michigan.

Consumers Can Get a Full Refund on the Chargers

Before the recall, myCharge received 30 reports of the power banks overheating, resulting in seven injuries, including burns to the upper body, hands, legs, and/or feet of users, and/or property damage to household flooring, walls, and furniture.

Consumers with these products should immediately stop using them and contact myCharge for instructions on returning them for a refund in the form of an electronic voucher for the full purchase price plus a 25% bonus for redemption at www.mycharge.com.

You can also call myCharge toll-free at 888-251-2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at compliance@mycharge.com, or see the recall website for more information.

Why Would a Powerbank Overheat?

Most power banks are built using lithium-ion batteries. Sometimes, due to manufacturing shortcuts or errors, metal particles inside the battery may interact with other parts of the cell, causing an electrical short which can quickly increase the temperature. Those that are poorly designed, fail to meet safety standards, or are made cheaply are more at risk of overheating and exploding.