The Chinese company Anker Innovations has announced an extensive recall of several power banks due to safety risks. After the last recall a few weeks ago concerned a product for the US market, the new case is more far-reaching and includes various models.

Several power bank models affected

The new wave of recalls is spilling over from China to Germany with some delay. The manufacturer had already announced problems with various models of its power banks on June 20 due to safety risks.

The manufacturer is recalling a total of four models and asking owners to stop using the power banks. According to Anker's official announcement, the following models are potentially affected:

• Anker Powerbank (10.000mAh, 22.5W) – model number A1257
• Anker Powerbank (20.000mAh, 22.5W, integrated USB-C cable) – Model number A1647
• Anker Zolo Powerbank (20.000mAh, 30W, integrated USB-C and Lightning cable) – Model number A1681
• Anker Zolo Powerbank (20.000mAh, 30W, integrated USB-C cable) – Model number A1689

Owners of corresponding models can use the serial number to identify whether their model is being recalled. Step-by-step instructions and the recall form can be found in the Anker message linked above.

According to Anker, some battery batches had unauthorized changes to the raw materials from a supplier. This could lead to a failure of the membrane insulation in the battery cells, which could result in safety risks due to overheating and even combustion.

Anker has published a separate website with further information on the recall. On this website, the company describes how the affected models can be identified. Users should look out for model and serial numbers and enter the serial number on the corresponding recall page to request a replacement model or a voucher.

Under no circumstances should the defective power banks be disposed of with household waste, but rather at facilities that accept lithium batteries, such as recycling centers or retailers that sell batteries.

Anker with new battery supplier

Almost at the same time as Anker's second recall of over one million products, the accessory manufacturer has brought a new supplier of battery cells on board. As the South China Morning Post reports, Anker has parted ways with its previous supplier Apex Wuxi, a subsidiary of the American battery manufacturer Amprius Technologies and the Wuxi Industrial Development Group. When asked by the newspaper, Anker would not confirm that Apex batteries were the cause of the problem, but explained that it had stopped working with the company.

The new partner is Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), which supplies Apple and Samsung with battery cells. As Anker writes on its own website, the manufacturer intends to purchase an initial batch of 45 million lithium-ion batteries with high-energy density from ATL.

(afl)