"search guard" chinese rechargable torch explodes!!

Submitted: Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:10

ThreadID: 53598 Views:4825 Replies:4 FollowUps:0

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Member - lyndon K (SA)

Hi all
Just come back from a month up north, will save the details. Just before xmas bought 2 torches from Jaycar(yellow chinese jobs),1 10million candle power,bought that one for a joke really,great light,worked for 3 hours now dead!
2nd torch 1 million candle power,yellow,cost $25.
In a very remote camp and have just charged of cig lighter, got in to bed. Have torch lying sideways on my stomach in bed in camper, switch on to give light for girlfriend to get inside BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SCREAM!!! two of my fingers feel like they have just been hit with a hammer, my stomach is burned(not serious,but 3 weeks to mend),i believe i recieved about 10 to 20% of the blast due to the way the torch was facing! Torch in pieces .
Had i had it facing the other way i believe the force of the blast was sufficent to have caused life threatening injuries!
Have yet to contact Jaycar.
If you have one of these you may wish to send it ti the tip.
Any course of action recomeneded?
cheers Lyndon & Bernadette

Now is the only time you own
Decide now what you will,
Place faith not in tomorrow
For the clock may then be still

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Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:22

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:22

You really should report this to Dept of Fair Trading and get the product recalled.

Someone could be blinded if another one explodes.

I have bought many Jaycar Products over many years and have been happy with 99% of them. I'm sure even Jaycar would want to know about this as soon as possible and study the cause of the explosion.

AnswerID: 282168

Reply By: stocky - Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:35

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:35

Overcharge "gassed" the battery (hydrogen) and spark from switch ignited it?

The ciggy lighter chargers are crude at best and you can over charge them easily.

Be interested to see what answer you get from Jaycar

AnswerID: 282169

Reply By: Footloose - Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:56

Thursday, Jan 17, 2008 at 22:56

Sorry to hear about it. Just goes to show how easily things can go pear shaped...remote camp, injury etc.
I'd have a work with the seller first, and also fire off any pix etc to consumer affairs.
As others have said, if that cheap Chinese junk isn't recalled, no telling how bad the next injury will be !

AnswerID: 282175