HP Laptop Power Cord Safety Recall and Replacement

[Anak]

Some power cords for HP and Compaq and mini notebook computers sold from September 2010 through June 2012 may be part of voluntary recall and replacement program launched on August 26, 2014.
The impacted power cords have the potential to overheat, posing a fire, and burn hazard.

To see if your cord may be affected, look for a “LS-15” marking molded into the connector that plugs into the AC adapter.

Source: HP Laptop Power Cord Safety Recall and Replacement - HP Support Forum - 4393930

The dead links in the thread starter mentioned in the second post seem to have been fixed.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks Anak.
That information should help many.

 

[Anak]

Your welcome LaybackBear many is right, 6million or more if they hear about it.

I saw it on our late news, and when I checked here and didn't see it yet, I thought I should post it.

If anyone reads through the original thread there are some concerns about bulk users like companies having a better way to RMA the cords. Individual users should not have a problem although, the last poster Sherr1 was having one. She may have been having a problem with the CAPTCHA at the end of the process to validate.

At the end of the "Getting Started" section where it says "Does the molded mark include LS-15? YES NO" When you click on Yes the Validation section opens up where the CAPTCHA resides.

When you click on No all it says is "Your AC power cord is not affected".

Over the two years there's 5.5milion in the US, and 4.4thousand in Canada

U.S.:
Hewlett-Packard Recalls Notebook Computer AC Power Cords Due to Fire and Burn Hazards | CPSC.gov

Canada:
Hewlett-Packard recalls Notebook Computer AC Power Cords - Recalls & alerts - Healthy Canadians Website

HP recalls 6 million laptop cords over burn concerns | ZDNet

I haven't seen if any made it out of North America, but the country of origin was China.

 

[derekimo]

Thanks Steve, I was just checking to see if this was posted. Looks like the one for my laptop is affected, I had no problem navigating through the process, should be arriving in 3-5 business days.

 

[ThrashZone]

I'm surprised a bit it's not more wide spread throughout manufactures,
They often share venders for parts...

I looked I also have this ls-15 cord and it's a gateway :/

 

[Anak]

Your welcome Derek,

Mike, I would give it a few days. Other companies that have the LS-15 are probably scrambling and checking to see if their cords were made in the same batch that HP is having problems with.
You could contact Acer/Gateway, I found two #'s; Their Recall Hotline: (866) 695-2237, and 877-526-4466.

I'm suspicious that it may also be a problem with the power adapter sending higher intermittent voltages/ampreges, but HP hasn't alluded to that, yet. I used to have one of those triple tap cords for my HP AIO Printer, but I'd have to dig it out to see if it matched, I'm running a Cannon Pixma now that's a double tap.

Meanwhile the recall has started to go global: Australia included in HP charger recall

Steve

 

[ThrashZone]

My machines both of them are well before the date h-p is listing by about three years before so I doubt it's an issue,

On another note these types of cords I doubt were ever designed to be plugged in 24/ 7.. anyway these are laptops/ notebooks not desktops so people start using them like a desktop.. and I suppose anything can happen,

Just the batteries themselves aren't supposed to have constant power connected they need to power cycle drain.... or at least I've read ?
Cheers.

That's a good printer your using now

 

[Elljay]

Good grief! It just keeps getting better.
My CRASHED computer qualifies.
I just happened to be be browsing here while I wait for a response on my thread... and saw this thread.
What next...a fire? :shock:
How I feel right now, maybe that would be a good thing!:sarc:
(just kidding)
Thanks for the info. I have a new cord on the way. Yay!
However it's going to be useless if I can't get my computer running.

 

[Anak]

We have a good team of analysts that should be able to get you straightened out, just be patient and follow their instruction.

I wouldn't mind taking a look myself, do you have a link to your thread starter?

 

[spencer1]

Mine is a LS-14. I'm a day late and a number short, but that's a good thing, for a change.

 

[derekimo]

I'm suspicious that it may also be a problem with the power adapter sending (Or Drawing?) higher intermittent voltages/ampreges, but HP hasn't alluded to that, yet.
Steve

I'm kind of curious about this myself, but it is the cord from the wall to the adapter so I am thinking they may replace it with a larger gauge wire. Mine appears to be 18/3 so they will probably send out a 16/3.

We'll see when it get's here.

 

[Elljay]

@ ANAK
Thank you so much for wanting to help. I'm kinda getting frustrated and burnt out from this experience because it's going into the 2nd week.
Thread #1 seemed useless. It was hard to get help. It took days. I was told it is probably because I have a weak Title.
A break down of what I have done so far...
1. Made a System Repair disc 64 bit.
2. Read jamanji's Tutorial and made a Lucid Puppy Disc and rescued my files. Awesome.
3. Read gregrocker's Tutorial (and many others) on Windows 7 Reinstall.
4. Made a Kaspersky Rescue Disc on a CD-R.
Here is where I am stuck right now because I get a warning message from Kaspersky.... saying my computer was shut down incorrectly and if I continue I could do damage. It's crashed!

jamanji sent me to System Security. ICit2lol said he never saw this message before and gave me a link to Kaspersky's Forum.
Now I have joined this Forum just to ask what is going on.
(I really don't want to be on another Forum )
Then I decide this is getting to be too much for me and I put my System Repair Disc back in and want to just turn it back to Factory OEM WINDOWS 7 and the Links I click, DO NOT WORK.:huh:
It's getting too much for me because I'm not a 'TECHIE'.
(Although I do try and learn. )
Thanks for listening to me ramble...

THREAD#1
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/341755-error-0xc000000f.html
THREAD #2
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/343213-confused-what-type-disc-use.html
THREAD#3
http://www.sevenforums.com/system-s...out-error-error-error-time-go-back-paper.html

 

[derekimo]

I'm suspicious that it may also be a problem with the power adapter sending (Or Drawing?) higher intermittent voltages/ampreges, but HP hasn't alluded to that, yet.
Steve

I'm kind of curious about this myself, but it is the cord from the wall to the adapter so I am thinking they may replace it with a larger gauge wire. Mine appears to be 18/3 so they will probably send out a 16/3.

We'll see when it get's here.

Well, I got the new cord today and aside from having a more recent date code, it looks exactly the same. Same gauge wire, so I'll assume a manufacturing defect in the other cord was the problem.

 

[Anak]

Looking around some more, I found this:

IIRC the recall is because the cord can come out of the insulation near the charger and cause a fire. I've seen several LS-15 cords come out of the insulation. The recall is only for the cord, your power brick has nothing to do with it.

Source: VexingRaven comments on HP Laptop Power Cord Safety Recall and Replacement - Reddit

The connector in question is a C-5; [SIZE=-1]Couldn't find any specs on the HP LS-15, so [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]I found an example at a Tripp-Lite site, made with 18AWG wire. It is rated at 10A or Amps, best I can remember that's what the A stands for: http://www.tripplite.com/laptop-power-cord-nema-5-15p-to-iec-320-c5-6-ft~P013006/

So keep an eye on the end that plugs into the adapter. There must have been some problem in the molding process or HP's vendor used inferior plastic/vinyl or both.



[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]

 

[derekimo]

Good research Steve! I'll keep an eye on it, I never separated the cord from the brick anyway but good to know what to look out for.

Thanks!

BTW, your amp rating is spot on (10A) for that type of flexible cord, (SVT) From the 2011 NEC Table 400.5(A)(1)



*Column B applies because only two conductors are current carrying.

 

[Elljay]

Omg! Melt down!

Whoa! Oh My Gosh... I'm not 100 % sure because I'm not an electrician but I think I just realized something. Thought I would post it here.

I think I had a melt down.
I was unplugging my Net Book from my power bar a few months ago and got a shock. Prior to that, it was my cell phone charger.
The second time I got zapped, I went to my sister and told her, I get zapped when I unplug things from my power bar. What's up with that? I hate getting zapped...

I live in the suite downstairs. When I moved in, my brother-in-law explained to me how he wired this part of the house I reside in and don't do this when you're doing that; like use the microwave if I have the heater going... or I'll blow a fuse. LOL!
(He built onto and wired their house himself years ago)

Anyways... a month or so ago, I decided to change my living space around. I wanted to move my desk. I was afraid to touch the power bar.
So... I got a pair of those silicon oven mitt thingamajigs and pulled everything out of the bar.
LOL! I didn't get a shock.

After doing so, I noticed a melted area around one of the receptacle outlets...
Well now I'm ticked, so again go to my sister and I show her my power bar and I then blurted out that her husband is a lousy electrician and she ought to have this looked into before there is a fire!
That isn't normal. LOL!
My sister felt terrible and bought me a new power bar.

Now after finding this thread a few days ago, I now think it was my HP Laptop cord... although the cord isn't melted?? I had 4 things plugged in the bar.
My lamp, my HP Laptop, my Net Book and my cell phone charger.

So today I had coffee with my sister and apologized to her for calling her husband a lousy electrician.
I told her what I read here @ the Forum and I have a new cord coming.
She said that she had shown the power bar to Ben and he said... Holy Sh** !!
What does she have plugged in there? It takes a lot of heat to do that... My sister said... just her Laptop...
The end.

 

[Anak]

Whoa! Oh My Gosh... I'm not 100 % sure because I'm not an electrician but I think I just realized something. Thought I would post it here.

No harm in seeking additional insight.

I think I had a melt down.
I was unplugging my Net Book from my power bar a few months ago and got a shock. Prior to that, it was my cell phone charger.
The second time I got zapped, I went to my sister and told her, I get zapped when I unplug things from my power bar. What's up with that? I hate getting zapped...

Can you describe the power bar, also known as a power strip?

Was it one like this?

I live in the suite downstairs. When I moved in, my brother-in-law explained to me how he wired this part of the house I reside in and don't do this when you're doing that; like use the microwave if I have the heater going... or I'll blow a fuse. LOL!
(He built onto and wired their house himself years ago)

That's not a laughing matter. Using or working with electricity can be deadly.
Your in-law either from lack of experience or frugality found out the hard way that he didn't re-wire the suite properly whether using undersized wire, undersized fuses or breakers, crossing circuits, not adding extra circuits or all four.

Anyways a month or so ago, I decided to change my living space around. I wanted to move my desk. I was afraid to touch the power bar.
So... I got a pair of those silicon oven mitt thingamajigs and pulled everything out of the bar.
LOL! I didn't get a shock.

Good choice when there's nothing else around, but silicon can be formulated to either conduct or insulate electricity. Next time, even with mitts on, test the energized plug or surface with the back of your hand.

Here's why, electricity causes your muscles to contract and if you test a surface with the palm side of your hand, and the surface is energized your hand will contract and grip the surface; If you use the back of your hand it will still contract, but away from the surface.

After doing so, I noticed a melted area around one of the receptacle outlets...
Well now I'm ticked, so again go to my sister and I show her my power bar and I then blurted out that her husband is a lousy electrician and she ought to have this looked into before there is a fire!
That isn't normal. LOL!
My sister felt terrible and bought me a new power bar.

I don't blame you, I'd be ticked also, and have the same impression of my in-law.

A melted area would indicate something's wrong. The current draw for a lamp (using an incandescent bulb, a CFL would be lower), Laptop, Netbook and a cell phone charger all on at the same time.

The watts are maxed here, but reasonable assumptions:


2.55amps isn't much, I would go with the reasons given above. Did your in-law use 2 or 3 prong receptacles? Shocks can indicate a bad or missing ground. He may have also used a short cut by connecting the ground (bare) wire to the neutral or white wire busbar in the main service panel.

Now after finding this thread a few days ago, I now think it was my HP Laptop cord... although the cord isn't melted?? I had 4 things plugged in the bar.
My lamp, my HP Laptop, my Net Book and my cell phone charger.

There might be a slim chance, but the cord isn't melted, had you checked to see if the HP cord got hot? Even if your sister bought you a power strip like the one above it should be rated around 10 to 15amps and you were only pulling 2.55.

So today I had coffee with my sister and apologized to her for calling her husband a lousy electrician.
I told her what I read here @ the Forum and I have a new cord coming.
She said that she had shown the power bar to Ben and he said... Holy Sh** !!
What does she have plugged in there? It takes a lot of heat to do that... My sister said... just her Laptop...
The end.

It's was noble of you to apologize. I don't want to sound harsh, but Ben's being penny wise and pound foolish and I don't think I would have apologized until he fixes the problem.

Hopefully this will cause him to look elsewhere for the problem and quickly, your sister may have grown accustom to his wiring, but it is an accident waiting to happen, and if the insurance company investigates and finds it was due to faulty wiring, they may not pay the claim.

 

[Elljay]

Was it one like this?
View attachment 332065
That's not a laughing matter. Using or working with electricity can be deadly.
Your in-law either from lack of experience or frugality found out the hard way that he didn't re-wire the suite properly whether using undersized wire, undersized fuses or breakers, crossing circuits, not adding extra circuits or all four.

Yes Anak, it is like that one.
It was a 125V 15A 60Hz. The new one is too.
The receptacles are 3 prong.
No I never thought to check my cord at the time.
I didn't know that about silicon. Good to know.
I will remember this tip about using the back of your hand, Anak.
Thank you for all the info.
I am going to show my sister this thread.


I had those 4 items plugged into the bar but usually it is only my HP Laptop and my lamp.
I only plug my Net Book in to transfer photos. I use it for storage and the charger is usually in a different outlet.

Yes I know it is not a laughing matter. The LOL is sarcasm.
I am afraid of electricity, so to speak.

... and yes my brother-in-law is very frugal, except when it comes to his boats.
He is supposed to be an engineer. He can build things, take things apart and put anything back together again and on and on. He does many things for other people but when it comes to his own place, it's like oh well. He is talented...but he leaves things unfinished (for years) and cuts corners.
The way my sister explained it to me...he will do the 'large' work but he hates doing the little details...
Yes my sister has learned to live with it, but she gets ticked. Seems he will only finish something when she threatens to hire someone. He's afraid it will cost more money then he will do it or say he will do it...and she waits. Me, I'd just hire someone and teach him a lesson. I am not as patient as she is. He's really strange that way.

This is what I mean by unfinished. Looked like that for years.
I have an electric scooter.
Shortly after I moved in, I plugged it in there and when I unplugged it I saw sparks. So I never plugged my bike in there again.
The second image is above my entrance way.
It's not that it is an ugly house because actually they have a nice house.
It's just that he won't finish or fix things to make it nicer...

 

[King Arthur]

Honestly, and with no offense intended, that looks like something that goes past the realm of laziness/frugal and well into the lands of negligence.

 

[ThrashZone]

One piece of advice,
get Fire Insurance
Second,
Keep pictures of obvious issues like these as evidence in another location other than the fire trap your referring to