CPSC, General Electric Co. Announce Recall of Outlet Converters
General Electric Co.'s GE Lighting division of Cleveland, Ohio, is recalling about 50,000 outlet converters, also known as current taps. They convert a single electrical outlet into three outlets. The ground connector receptacles are oversized and can cause loose ground contacts. Without grounding, consumers are exposed to serious shock hazards.
GE has received one report of a loose ground plug. No injuries have been reported.
The outlet converters were sold as "GE Heavy-Duty Grounding Triple Taps." They are made of ivory, orange or green plastic and measure about 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. The GE logo is imprinted on one side of the converter and "15A-125V...CURRENT TAP...MADE IN CHINA" is imprinted on the other side of the converter. A silver UL label also appears on the converter.
Retail stores nationwide sold the converters from September 1997 through January 1998 for about $3 to $4.
Consumers should stop using the recalled converters immediately and call General Electric at (800) 729-4399 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. CDT Monday through Friday. Consumers will be instructed on how to return the product for a free replacement.
Recall Summary
Name of product:
i4 Series System Sensor combination carbon monoxide (CO)/smoke detectors
Hazard:
The detectors can fail to detect carbon monoxide gas in the home, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
What causes the sound of thunder?
Due to the electric current going through the air, the air is heated to 48,632 F°, (27,000 C°). The heated air is compressed from 10 to 100 times the normal atmospheric pressure, this causes the air to expand very fast which producing a shock wave of compressed particles in every direction, like an explosion, the rapidly expanding waves of compressed air creates a sonic bang. A couple of bangs one after the other is what we call thunder.