The report:
First and foremost, E-klectix / Ionicsalts.com is in no way affiliated or associated with the named companies listed in the report. We have NEVER had a safety issue with our electrical cords, and this is because we fully test every single cord we ship as part of day-to-day order processing and fulfillment. Yes, it adds a little time to each shipment in getting it ready - but it's ready and there is no uncertainty about what's in the box we just packed and shipped; a return rate of less than 1% testifies to these practices.Lamps Recalled by LTD Commodities LLC, ABC Distributing and the Lakeside Collection Due to Fire Hazard
The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Ionic Salt Lamps
Units: About 25,800
Distributor: LTD Commodities LLC; ABC Distributing of Bannockburn, Ill., and Lakeside Collection, all of Bannockburn, Ill.
Manufacturer: Fashion Stitches & More, Inc., of Dayton, N.J.
Hazard: The lamps overheat causing the vinyl coating on the cord to burst and melt, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received eight reports of overheating, including two reports of hand burns.
Description: The recalled ionic salt lamp varies in color from light to dark red and is attached to a wood base. The lamp fixture comes with a 10 watt bulb and a black cord with an inline on/off switch. The UL file number E216832 will be printed on the cord and the UL file number E214389 on the plug.
Sold by: LTD Commodities, ABC Distributing, and Lakeside Collection catalogs, and on their Web sites from March 2009 through May 2009 for about $12.
Manufactured in: Pakistan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the product and contact either LTD Commodities, ABC Distributing or Lakeside Collection to receive a replacement cord set. All consumers who purchased the Ionic Salt Lamps were notified directly about the recall.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact either LTD Commodities or ABC Distributing toll free at (866) 736-3654, or Lakeside Collection toll-free at (866) 847-4327 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT, or logon to www.ltdcommodities.com, www.abcdistributing.com or www.lakeside.com
The usage of "Ionic Salt Lamps" is troubling because of natural search engine keywords as well as word association. Why say "ionic"? Is this what was printed on the box? Why the extra adjective to describe a salt lamp? What about "Himalayan", "beautiful", "natural", "rock", "electric", or "decorative"? We received an email recently, from someone who had shipped their recalled cord and wanted to know when to expect the receive the replacement. How are we supposed to know? It's not us! But, thanks to inadvertent usage of the word "ionic" in this US government report, the association was made...unsurprisingly and unfortunately.
Then, there is this little item:
Hazard: The lamps overheat causing the vinyl coating on the cord to burst and melt, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
From our own experience and knowledge with salt lamps for many years now, this statement is misworded at best. Someone explain to me how a 10-watt incandescent salt lamp bulb will heat a salt lamp to a temperature that cause vinyl coating on a cord to "burst and melt". Ten watt bulbs are not suitable for warming anything even lukewarm but the smallest of salt lamps, like 1-2 lbs, which relatively speaking is nothing more that one of our salt bath bars with a light inside. Our smallest salt lamps are 5-6 lbs. generally.
The better worded hazard conclusion: Cheap, poorly-made, UL-listed electrical cords burst and melt, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
The lamps are not likely to be overheating and melting plastic with a 10-watt bulb; nor are people likely getting burned by a salt lamp with a 10-watt bulb but with a poorly-wired and/or poorly-manufactured electrical cord.
This is what happens when bargain shopping rather than insisting on quality. That's just not us.
