14 DAY TRIAL // Sometimes device manufactures end up putting on the market products that turn out to have a potential to hurt owners of the devices.
It’s the case of Panasonic, which is currently recalling more than 300,000 rechargeable battery packs used for tablets and laptops in Japan and overseas due to concerns related to fire hazards.
Panasonic worries that some tablet/laptop battery packs could catch fire
As part of the recall, Panasonic is targeting 107,000 rechargeable battery packs for tablet PCs that were sold to customers overseas. On top of that, an additional 208,000 packs for its “Let’s Note” laptop computers are also being recalled.
Panasonic says this is more of a precautionary method, but the company wishes to be safe rather than sorry. It mentions that the possibility of the batteries overheating or igniting due to a manufacturing condition is quite “rare.”
NDTV reports that since August Panasonic had to deal with four different cases of fire which had its battery packs at its center. These occurrences were reported in Japan and the UK.
In one of the instances registered in Tokyo, a person actually sustained some mild injuries. So Panasonic has been forced to take action against these issues to prevent something like that from ever happening again.
Initially, the company only issues a recall for 43,000 battery packs for its “Let’s Note” laptop back in May, but since then more products have been added to the blacklist and the numbers have been going up.
Panasonic's international recall includes the CF-H2 tablet
Panasonic has extended the callback to include its CF-H2 tablet, because the slate uses the same rechargeable packs as the “Let’s Note” line of laptops.
The company says that the affected battery packs will be replaced free of charge. The model number of the battery pack is CF-VSU53AW and affected batteries can be identified by lot number which is printed on the battery. This includes B, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C93, C94, C96, C9C, C9J and C9K.
Panasonic says that if you too are the owner of the CF-H2 tablet, then you should immediately turn off the slate, remove the battery pack (there’s two per tablet). You can continue using the computer, but you’ll need to power it through the AC adaptor, until the battery gets replaced.
The company says that affected users should get in contact with their local Panasonic representatives and request a free battery pack.
Panasonic’s Toughbook CF-H2 launched as one of the device’s makers rugged products, coming with IP65 certification and MIL-STD-810G compliance, meaning it is capable of operating in extreme temperatures and withstand multiple free drops to concrete.
