(Credit: Anker)
If you've bought an Anker power bank or external battery in the past few years, it's worth checking online to see whether it's been recalled.
Anker has published a notice recalling three more of its products "due to certain manufacturing conditions."
- Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K), Model: A1642
- Anker Power Bank (20,000mAh, 22.5W, Built-In USB-C Cable), Model: A1647
- Anker MagGo Power Bank (10,000mAh, 7.5W, Stand), Model: A1652
Entering the serial number of your device on Anker's recall page can also help you determine if your charging device is a part of the recall.
The three products could spontaneously light on fire "due to a manufacturing defect," Anker explains. "The lithium-ion battery in the affected power banks can overheat, potentially causing melting of plastic components, smoke and fire hazards."
Only "some" or "a small number" of the recalled devices may actually overheat or combust, but Anker is recalling all of the aforementioned models due to these safety concerns.
The company is also warning users not to try to return the recalled power banks, so don't toss yours in the mail or send them back to UPS or Amazon. Don't throw them out in your garbage or recycling, either, and don't dump them in standard battery recycling bins. Instead, Anker wants owners of the recalled items to store them in "a safe location" and ultimately take the recalled products to a battery disposal location that specifically handles lithium-ion batteries.
In June, Anker recalled its 321 Power Bank (PowerCore 5k, Model Number A1112), citing a similar fire risk. Last year, it also recalled its Anker 535 Power Bank (PowerCore 20K) A1366 after one was presumed the "most probable house" of a Maryland house fire.
If you have any of these recalled devices, stop using them immediately.