Samsonite electric wiring

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Oct 30, 2017 · , sent to the company Mar 5, 2018 · , published by CPSC Mar 19, 2018

   The product, in the report: • Engineered for global travel. • Compact power management kit includes: 1600 watt converter to transform 220V electricity to 110V - the standard in the U.S, Canada, and Mexico • 4 country-coded adapter plugs corresponding to top foreign destinations: the UK, Europe. Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and North and South America. • Replacement fuses and travel pouch included. • Application: 50-1600 watt travel applications including most travel irons, hair dryers, and garment steamers. • Weight: 0.75 lbs. Body Dimensions: 7.0” x 2.5” x 7.5”

   I purchased two SAMSONITE CONVERTER/ADAPTER PLUG KIT WITH POUCH (Item NO.: 495591073, http://shop.samsonite.com/exclusion-list-additional-sam25/samsonite-converter-adapter-plug-kit-with-pouch/495591073.html) on August 6th 2017 at Best Buy.

   I lived in the US for three years and moved back to Germany in September 2017. I bought the converts to use it for some appliances I had purchased in the US. The product description states, that the adpater works with most travel products up to 1600 Watt.

   I first used the adapter for an Air Bed (Insta-Bed Raised Air Mattress with Never Flat Pump). It ifrst worked fine and I was able to inflate the bed fully and also was able to add some air a few times. Also the built in never flat pump worked properly. But at some point there was a funny electric smell and the air bed pump stopped working. There is a fuse inside the samsonite adapter, but that one was perfectly OK. The indicator light on the adapter also still worked, but the air bed did not work at all anymore. To check if somehting is wrong with the converter I used it for my US shaver. The shaver basically blew up in my hand within a few seconds. I was not hurt, but I could clearly feel the impact. The fuse of the samsonite converter was still OK. I then checked the output of the converter with a Voltmeter and it showed about 230 Volts. This clearly indicated that the converter was broken as it should convert to 110 Volts. To compare it, I unpacked the second converter I had purchased and measured the output at that one. It gave me around 110 Volts.

   I read some reviews on the Samsonite Homepage and there were customers that had similar issues. The converter simply does not work and can be dangerous in regards to fire or getting an electric shock.

   Last week I sent a complaint E-Mail to costomer service at samsonite. No answer. Today I called them and the only thing they told me was, that I need to claim the product at Best Buy and there are no refunds for broken appliances that the converter was used for. I recommended them to take the product off the market, as it does not work and is dangerous. They want to get back to me within 48 hours. I already told them that I am very angry and will also file this saftey complaint.

   Model

   SAMSONITE CONVERTER/ADAPTER PLUG KIT WITH POUCH

   Serial number

   Item NO.: 495591073

   Bought from

   Best Buy, New Jersey

   Bought

   Aug 6, 2017

   Where

   Munich, Germany: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 40, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Samsonite, made or sold by Samsonite LLC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

2. No one hurt

   Made Oct 8, 2015 · , sent to the company Oct 19, 2015 · , published by CPSC Nov 2, 2015

   The product, in the report: Operate 110/120V AC heating appliance (1600 Watts max) from 220/240V AC. Use for hair dryers, steamers, electric curlers, immersion heaters, lamps and food bottle warmers, contact lens sterilizers, etc.

   I plugged the converter into a European wall outlet (240VAC). I then plugged a USA surge-suppressor power strip into the converter’s 110VAC outlet. (Note: As the converter’s outlet was for 2-pronged plugs, I put a plug adaptor on the power strip’s 3-prong, grounded plug.) Immediately after I flipped the power strip’s switch to “on” there was a bright blue flash and a “poof” sound. The circuit breaker protecting that European outlet had tripped, apparently by my actions. The converter’s internal fuse was not blown. I suspected that the power strip had been damaged, so I discarded it.

   I acknowledge possible user-error. However, Samsonite should provide warnings to preclude such configurations. In my opinion, the converter’s internal fuse should have blown first, preventing possible harm to the user/equipment/electrical supply. That the circuit breaker tripped first seems to indicate existence of some electrical sneak path that effectively shorted the outlet.

   Model

   SA1610R

   Where

   Germany: Other

   Who was involved

   Age 68, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   made or sold by Samsonite LLC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

3. First aid

   Made Jul 11, 2015 · , sent to the company Jul 20, 2015 · , published by CPSC Aug 10, 2015

   The product, in the report: Samsonite Dual-Wattage Converter - Travel

   While traveling abroad we used our Samsonite Dual-Wattage Converter (used to convert from US power to other countries like Italy, Spain, France) in our hotel room. The product began to burn on fire, smoked, and melted down while attached to a wall outlet. We were forced to evacuate the hotel room until the circuit breaker was tripped. We then re-entered the room to noxious smoke and a smoldering converter stuck to the wall that was too hot to remove and touch. Eventually the unit cooled and was removed. We suffered hand burns when trying to originally remove it from the wall. The unit is patently unsafe it seems. We purchased a different unit from another brand while at the same hotel and used the same outlet and it worked without incident

   Upon returning to the US we searched the internet for and explanation and found that all of these units had been recalled. The number listed on the website for the recall is constantly busy and is never answered. Being persistent we called the Customer Service for Samsonite where they representatives denied there being a recall, denied that I was entitled to remuneration, I asked for a refund which they refused. The unit is 4-5 years old from what I can recall and it has no labeling or serial number or model number. Then Samsonite said I was not eligible for a refund because it was purchased at Best Buy, then they tried to say they would replace it but I have no trust in the product as the fire and smoke was enough to tell me I should never buy or use another Samsonite product ever. Next, after I explained to them that I am a lawyer and that consumer protection is something I take very seriously, they then wanted to open up a case and required much personal information I am not willing to give to such a poorly run company who put my life at risk and produced and put into the consumer chain such a dangerous product --- and then denies it.

   I want resolution and I want a refund. The unit cost approximately $40 plus tax. I also want them to be investigated and reprimanded for not servicing, under federal or state law mandates, the recall of a known hazardous product and denying claims. They will never learn if there is no enforcement. Please do what you can to protect us and families from these bad actors.

   Model

   Samsonite Dual-Wattage Converter - Travel

   UPC

   NONE

   Serial number

   NONE

   Bought from

   Best Buy

   Where

   Rome, Italy: Other Public Property/Office

   Who was involved

   Age 14, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Child

   As this report names them

   Brand Samsonite, made or sold by Samsonite LLC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Injury, First Aid Received by Non-Medical Professional

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources