Dangerous chargers sold for games consoles could cause electrocution and overheating
21 Jul 2008
Trading Standards officers have warned that unsafe chargers designed for games consoles have "flooded" into the UK.
Officers are trying to recall the chargers, which can overheat or even electrocute users. The charger pins do not fit properly into UK power sockets, causing overheating, and wires can become detatched, leading to a risk of electric shock.
One type of charger, designed as a replacement charger for the Nintendo DS and Gameboy consoles, is marked with the code DE62347066.
Another, sold to charge the Nintendo DS Lite, carries no identifying code. It has a silver label marked "TRAVEL CHARGER".
Images of both can be found on our Windows Watch blog.
According to Trading Standards, the chargers, which have been imported from China, were being sold for around £5. It said that safe chargers that have been checked properly usually retail for around £15.
A statement advises anyone who has bought one of the chargers to contact their local branch of Trading Standards.
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