December 5, 1996 11:00 AM ET

Compaq recalls Armada notebook AC adapters
By Mark Moore

Citing a defect that could pose a potential electrical shock hazard, Compaq Computer Corp. today announced a worldwide recall of the AC adapters for its Armada 4100 notebooks. The Houston PC giant is conducting a voluntary recall of Armada 4100 AC adapters that were sold worldwide from Sept. 23 to Nov. 20. The adapters have the serial number 217984-001 on the bar code label and three hollow connector pins in the recessed male connector, Compaq officials said. The AC adapters may have defective connector pins and could potentially pose an electrical shock hazard, officials said. The officials added that no reports of injuries due to the AC adapters had been received and that the action was taken as a preventive measure. Compaq reported the problem to the Consumer Product Safety Commission after identifying the possible hazard during internal testing, officials said. Compaq is urging Armada 4100 users to stop using the affected AC adapters and to contact Compaq for a replacement. Users also should disconnect the power cord from the wall outlet before inspecting the problem. Compaq officials said the company will ship replacements for the recalled AC adapters to users at no charge. While more than 75,000 Armada 4100 AC adapters worldwide may be affected, Compaq officials believe the actual number of defective units is much smaller than that. The officials said they anticipate no financial impact on the company due to the recall. Compaq has set up a special group of technical support personnel to field calls regarding the defective connectors on the AC adapters. This is the first time that Compaq has had to replace AC adapters, the officials said. Owners of the affected AC adapters who have questions about the recall or need help in identifying whether their AC adapter is part of the recall should call Compaq at (800) 322-9515. Copyright(c) 1996 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company is prohibited. PC Week and the PC Week logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. PC Week Online and the PC Week Online logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. Send mail to PC Week