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Dangerous charger with hoverboard, will anyone care?

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  • 26-12-2020 10:14pm
    #1
    Kencollins
    Registered Users Posts: 567 ✭✭✭


    Hello!

    I got my kids hoverboards for Christmas this year. I bought them from an Irish company that has a physical shop, but ordered online.

    The website states the lithium-ion battery is LG, and the hoverboard is CE marked.

    On plugging in the charger for the first time, there were sparks arcing from the 240V lead. The flex had pulled away from the jack and bare copper was exposed.

    The terrible quality adapter supplied by the company for converting the 2 pin to 3 pin plug also has no safety features. The live and neutral holes have no safety features, as required by regulation. It is very easy for the 2 pin plug to fall out as the fitting is very poor, leaving two holes just asking for little fingers to find.

    The battery inside the hoverboard is also "JETECH", not LG as advertised.

    Given how dangerous this is, is there any body to report the company to for selling dangerous products? I can't return the board as it was a Santa present, but I have made the charger safe with a properly rated 2 pin power connector.

    It just doesn't sit right that someones child could be injured or worse, all for the sake of this company making a few extra euro by selling dangerous rubbish.


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    #2
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,578 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    LG don’t make the batteries, but manufacturers make them using LG cells.

    https://www.streetsaw.com/products/hoverboard-battery-replacement


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    #3
    Kencollins
    Registered Users Posts: 567 ✭✭✭Kencollins


    Thanks for that! I'm fairly sure if I open the cell there wouldnt be an LG 18650 in sight!

    I don't really care too much about the battery not having decent cells, the kids don't care and they get charged in a garage so no house burning down risk!

    It's the charger lead supplied is annoying me, if the company cared they could have provided a British standard lead for about 2 euro more.


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    #4
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,578 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    There are probably a lot of those types of leads in the house, enjoy the hoverboards. We got them for the kids when they came out first, great fun, I loved them.


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    #5
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,538 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    The CE mark is self regulation but also many companies use a similar but “different “ mark called CE which means China Export.

    Contact https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/ that flex is clearly dangerous.


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    #6
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,538 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Dav010 wrote: »
    There are probably a lot of those types of leads in the house, enjoy the hoverboards. We got them for the kids when they came out first, great fun, I loved them.

    They are clearly a fire hazard. Don’t pawn it off


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    #7
    Choosehowevr.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Choosehowevr.


    Those adapters are deadly for a start

    Are they using 230v straight into the hoverboard, I wouldn't want a child plugging that figure 8 lead in and out either


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    #8
    Kencollins
    Registered Users Posts: 567 ✭✭✭Kencollins


    The figure 8 lead goes to an adapter brick, then a low voltage connection to the board itself.

    It's not on that the flex was so bad, and the converter has exposed terminals.

    I'll send the CCPC the info, I don't want anything like a refund, I just don't want it on my conscious if somebody else doesn't notice the defect and gets hurt


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    #9
    Choosehowevr.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Choosehowevr.


    Kencollins wrote: »
    The figure 8 lead goes to an adapter brick, then a low voltage connection to the board itself.

    It's not on that the flex was so bad, and the converter has exposed terminals.

    I'll send the CCPC the info, I don't want anything like a refund, I just don't want it on my conscious if somebody else doesn't notice the defect and gets hurt

    Ya should have figured that

    Hate to see those adapters, wouldn't let a child near them, I'm in the electrical industry a long time


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    #10
    Choosehowevr.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Choosehowevr.


    As the above poster said the Chinese seem to have their own version of CE


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    #11
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Choosehowevr. wrote: »
    Are they using 230v straight into the hoverboard, I wouldn't want a child plugging that figure 8 lead in and out either

    36-40ish v from the charger into the unit, the onboard BMS does the rest.


    The cells could be legit LG Chem going by takedowns but hard to know for sure. Theyll probably be fine but I'd leave them in a steel box when charging just in case.


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    #12
    Choosehowevr.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Choosehowevr.


    ED E wrote: »
    36-40ish v from the charger into the unit, the onboard BMS does the rest.


    The cells could be legit LG Chem going by takedowns but hard to know for sure. Theyll probably be fine but I'd leave them in a steel box when charging just in case.

    Me too


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    #13
    prinzeugen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    I am 99% sure I read somewhere that it is illegal to sell electrical goods that don't have pre-fitted 3 pin plug.
    I would contact the Director of Consumer Affairs also as that adapter looks dangerous as hell.

    The CE mark seems legitimate however.


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    #14
    Choosehowevr.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Choosehowevr.


    prinzeugen wrote: »
    I am 99% sure I read somewhere that it is illegal to sell electrical goods that don't have pre-fitted 3 pin plug.
    I would contact the Director of Consumer Affairs also as that adapter looks dangerous as hell.

    The Chinese send all their fones in with them from AliExpress and them places

    They are not safe near a child


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    #15
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,538 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    ED E wrote: »
    36-40ish v from the charger into the unit, the onboard BMS does the rest.


    The cells could be legit LG Chem going by takedowns but hard to know for sure. Theyll probably be fine but I'd leave them in a steel box when charging just in case.
    Why steel ? Hard plastic , non conductive

    I used to design batteries for Motorola. We often had pouch cells lying around wiry tabs hanging off them before we connected them to our PCBs it’s amazing how many fires we nearly started in the lab. S small shirt and the cells would be glowing white (flame)


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    #16
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,538 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    prinzeugen wrote: »

    The CE mark seems legitimate however.

    Seems...

    https://starfishmedical.com/blog/conformite-europeenne-mark-vs-a-china-export-mark/


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    #17
    Choosehowevr.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭Choosehowevr.


    ted1 wrote: »
    Why steel ? Hard plastic , non conductive

    I used to design batteries for Motorola. We often had pouch cells lying around wiry tabs hanging off them before we connected them to our PCBs it’s amazing how many fires we nearly started in the lab. S small shirt and the cells would be glowing white (flame)

    Look at electrical distribution boards

    New regulations changing them from plastic to steel

    There is the conductive issue there which I did notice but chose to overlook, not expecting anyone to literally use a steel box, prob leave it charge in an outbuilding


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    #18
    prinzeugen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    ted1 wrote: »
    Why steel ? Hard plastic , non conductive

    Fire resistance. My landlord has banned hover boards, e scooters etc from the building because of the risk of them going up in smoke.

    The CE mark appears to meet the specs and isn't the China Export mark.


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    #19
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,012 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    prinzeugen wrote: »
    Fire resistance. My landlord has banned hover boards, e scooters etc from the building because of the risk of them going up in smoke.

    The CE mark appears to meet the specs and isn't the China Export mark.

    The China Export thing is a myth - its rather easy to fake a CE mark and plenty are; but a minor error by some really poor quality fakers has lead to this "China Export" thing. People keep repeating it as if there's any truth to it but there is absolutely and utterly none - badly written blog posts are not evidence.

    There is no such mark. Do not trust a CE mark on anything to be real no matter if its spaced properly or not.


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    #20
    prinzeugen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    L1011 wrote: »
    The China Export thing is a myth - its rather easy to fake a CE mark and plenty are; but a minor error by some really poor quality fakers has lead to this "China Export" thing. People keep repeating it as if there's any truth to it but there is absolutely and utterly none - badly written blog posts are not evidence.

    There is no such mark. Do not trust a CE mark on anything to be real no matter if its spaced properly or not.

    To be honest I have never heard of the China Export thing until it was mentioned earlier.

    The fact it didn't come with a 3 pin plug would set alarm bells off for me.


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    #21
    Dunfyy
    Site Banned Posts: 113 ✭✭Dunfyy


    A lot of ce marks are fake
    It's easy to buy a new cable about 2 or 3 euros
    The adapter is crap
    For any use it just gets loose
    Your new cable will have a plug put 1amp fuse in it
    Chargers don't really go on fire its the batteries
    For any bike scooter or hover board don't charge when you sleep
    Have a smoke detector and fire extinguisher even expensive ones go on fire


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    #22
    fritzelly
    Registered Users Posts: 17,531 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    Sounds very much like a Chinese import that possibly hasn't gone thru any proper checks

    I would be checking online for reviews and if there has ever been any issues with it in regards to exploding


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    #23
    AutoTuning
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭AutoTuning


    Wire colours in the exposed figure of 8 cable are also the wrong ones for Europe. Seems unlikely it would be in compliance with EU safety standards if something that basic is wrong?

    What 2 pin plug is on it? A continental European one? Or a Chinese one? Chinese plugs are usually two flat blades, similar to American 2 pin plugs. They’re not safe to handle as they don’t protect fingers and would be illegal in Europe.

    The adapter is also very dangerous and complies with no known European or IEC standards. Serious shock hasard - throw it away.


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    #24
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    prinzeugen wrote: »
    Fire resistance. My landlord has banned hover boards, e scooters etc from the building because of the risk of them going up in smoke.

    This. If they go they'll leave the garage smelling like crap for months but at least you won't have flame damage or allow the fire to spread.


    Anyone using lipo packs industrially has a fireproof safe for any failed pack. It's not scaremongering.


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