A firefighter holds what is left of a charger for a handheld drill that caught fire in 2017 PHOTO Marcheta Fitzgerald/Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency

 Could your cheap USB charger harm you?

Health Canada has ordered a huge recall of some 1.5 million uncertified USB chargers.

The massive recall of at least 27 brands comes on the heels of a large sampling and testing programme following a number of reports of fires and electrical shocks from the uncertified devices.

A wireless drill was charging when it caught fire, damaging nearby stairs. Firefighters say the entire house could have been destroyed if the fire hadn’t been extinguished quickly. PHOTO: Marcheta Fitzgerald/Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency

The recall involves imported chargers that are inexpensive and widely available across Canada in budget stores, convenience stores and gas stations.

Health Canada says if you have one of these devices, you should stop using it immediately.

partial list of uncertified chargers- Health Canada

Chris Burns is a battery expert and president of Norvonix in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. His company sells equipment for testing the long-term performance of lithium ion batteries, common in most electronics toys and tools in recent years.

Quoted in a CBC story in 2017 he said expresse surprise that battery fires occur at about one per month in Halifax alone, “Most of the mainstream devices have much higher-quality batteries, and the safety and feedback rates of those are extremely good in today’s day and age”.

Health Canada says one should always check for these certification symbols on electrical or electronic device-

However he added, “When you use a secondary charger that’s not supplied with that device, depending on the device, you may be trying to put in more power than it can take. Or take the battery to a voltage that is unsafe”. He says this could cause the battery to overheat and cause a fire.

Another safety tip is to not leave devices in areas where they can overheat, such as in a closed car on a hot day where the interior temperature can rise significantly causing the battery to catch fire and or explode.

additional information-sources

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