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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sta-Rite Recall Hotline: (800) 845-6541
April 24, 2000
CPSC Contact: Ken Giles
Release # 00-100
(301) 504-7052
CPSC, Sta-Rite Industries Inc. Announce Recall of Battery Chargers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC), Sta-Rite Industries Inc., of Delavan, Wis., is
voluntarily recalling about 29,000 battery chargers used in battery
back-up sump pump systems. The battery chargers can overheat and
ignite, melting the charger housing and posing a fire hazard.
Sta-Rite has received seven reports of battery chargers overheating or
catching fire. Four incidents have involved smoke or fire damage to
homes, confined to the immediate area of the charger. No injuries have
been reported.
The recalled battery chargers are used in the "Flotec" and "Sears" back-
up sump pump systems. The sump pump system is used to remove water from
homes that have basements. This recall involves the charger only, not
the sump pump. Consumers can identify whether the sump pumps battery
charger is being recalled by checking the sump pump system model number.
The Flotec system is model number FP2000DCC-02 or 2P667B and the Sears
system is model number 390.306062. The brand name and model number can
be found on the pump model plate located on the pump. The part number on
the charger is PS17-77 and can be found below the meter on the charger.
Sta-Rite will help consumers determine if the battery charger is part of
this recall.
Large and small home centers, auto parts and plumbing supply stores,
including Sears, W.W. Grainger, Advanced Auto Parts, Home Quarters, Home
Depot, and Hechinger sold the sump pump systems nationwide from December
1994 through September 1997 for about $200. The battery chargers also
were sold as a replacement part for the sump pump systems
for about $130.
Consumers should stop using the sump pumps with the recalled battery
charger immediately. Consumers can receive a free replacement battery
charger by calling the Sta-Rite Consumer Assistance Hotline toll-free at
(800) 845-6541 anytime.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, you can go to CPSC's forms page and use the first on-line form on that page. Or, you can call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054, or send the information to info@cpsc.gov. To order a press release through fax-on-demand, call (301) 504-0051 from the handset of your fax machine and enter the release number. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information from CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov or by calling the hotline or sending your request to info@cpsc.gov. You can also subscribe to CPSC's email subscription list which normally sends all press releases the day they are issued.
