The Coleman Company Recalls The Powerstation II Rechargeable Battery Pack Due To Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, DC -- In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Coleman Company of Wichita, KS today announced the recall of its Model #5360A550 Nightsight PowerStation II Rechargeable Battery Pack because of a potential fire hazard.

According to Coleman, the 12-volt DC battery and output plug power cord could short circuit if the protective sleeve covering the positive battery terminal is exposed and contacts the metal ring of the output plug. This could occur, for example, when the battery pack is stored inside its carrying case. Of the more than 9,000 units sold from August, 1991 to mid November, 1991, all but 789 have been located and replaced.

In the company's report to CPSC, one short circuit incident occurred October 30, 1991, when a Coleman employee stored the battery pack inside its carrying case. The power cord running from the battery to the output plug overheated and melted. No fire or injury resulted. No incidents have been reported with units sold to consumers.

The PowerStation II provides portable 12-volt DC electric power to electric or electronic appliances such as TVs, radios, or spotlights. These appliances must be equipped with a connector that can be plugged into a standard motor vehicle cigarette lighter socket.

Consumers can identify affected units by checking the packing carton for the 5360A550 model number and the carton and black carrying case for the label "Coleman Nightsight PowerStation II 12V Rechargeable Battery Pack." In addition, the battery itself is labeled "Panasonic Rechargeable Battery LCR12V6.5PAD" or "Panasonic Rechargeable Battery LCR12V6.5P." Only the carton is labeled with the model number 5360A550. No other PowerStation II models, including models 5360B550 and 5360-550, are involved.

Consumers who have purchased a PowerStation II, Model #5360A550, should call Coleman's toll-free hotline at 1-800-835-3278 for instructions on returning the product to Coleman for free replacement. Consumers may return their unit free of charge to the following address via UPS Freight Collect (not C.O.D.) for prompt replacement: The Coleman Company, Inc., Product Returns Department, Northeast Plant, 3600 North Hydraulic, Wichita, KS 67219. Consumers should disregard this notice if their unit has already been replaced.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this recall as part of its mission to protect the public from the unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.