# Recent safety recall on wire feed welder



## havasu (Jul 15, 2010)

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2010
Release #10-298  Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 386-0191
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908


Wire Feed Welders Recalled by Star Asia USA Due to Burn Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Wire feed welders

Units: About 9,000

Importer: Star Asia USA, LLC d.b.a Titan, of Kent, Wash.

Hazard: The wire welder's torch does not have a cold contactor as erroneously stated on the packaging and instruction manual. Without this feature, the welder generates an electrical arc immediately upon contact with the welding material, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None.

Description: The recall involves the Vaper 90 amp flux wire feed welders with model number 41181. The wire welders are red and black. "Vaper" and "90 amp flux wire welder" can be found on the product's operation panel. The model number can be found on the top right hand corner of the package and on the first page of the users manual.

Sold by: Pep Boys, Auto Zone and various other auto parts and tool centers nationwide from October 2006 through March 2010 for about $170.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumer should immediately stop using the wire welders and contact Star Asia to obtain a corrected instructions manual and packaging or for instructions on returning the product for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Customer Service at (800) 386-0191 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. PT.






---

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.


----------



## rustywrangler (Jul 18, 2010)

Talked with a welder friend of mine and he used one of these a year ago.  He got a good zap to the glove while cleaning the tip.   He just figured it was cheap.


----------



## havasu (Jul 18, 2010)

"Manufactured in: China"..............

Well, this explains about the whole situation! Make sure you don't lick it as well, you will probably get lead poisoning!


----------



## RobbieKnobbie (Jul 22, 2010)

wait a minute... did you read the remedy?!?

Remedy: Consumer should immediately stop using the wire welders and contact Star Asia to obtain a corrected instructions manual and packaging 

OK, so there's a safety issue with the equipment... what should we do? Hmmm, lets print a new box that says "this product is not safe" 

Brilliant!


----------

