Victory Innovations Recalls Electrostatic Sprayers
The lithium-ion battery pack can overheat and melt, resulting in a fire or an explosion
Victory Innovations has recalled about 405,000 backpack sprayers because the lithium-ion battery, which powers the sprayer, can overheat and melt, potentially causing a fire or an explosion. The sprayers are designed to be used with liquid cleaning or disinfecting solutions, and are often worn by janitorial workers, pest management specialists, and landscapers. They were sold at chemical and cleaning supply distributors, as well as on Amazon and Staples.com.
Victory Innovations, which also sold the product under the Protexus brand name, has received 37 reports of the battery overheating and either catching fire or exploding. There are some reports of property damage but no reports of injury, according to a press release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The sprayer recall applies to four models: the VP-20A and VP-20B, sold under the Victory Innovations brand name, and the PX20A and PX20B, sold under the Protexus brand name. Consumer Reports doesn't test liquid sprayers and hasn't reviewed any of the recalled models.
Details of the Sprayer Recall
The recall: About 405,000 Victory Innovations sprayers. The recall involves four models of electrostatic sprayers. The VP-20A and VP-20B, which are sold under the Victory Innovations brand name, are green and white, and feature a Victory Innovations logo. The PX20A and PX20B models, sold under the Protexus brand name, are black and white, and feature the Protexus logo. You can find the model numbers on the battery pack.
The risk: The battery pack can overheat and melt, potentially catching fire or exploding.
Incidents/injuries: Multiple instances of property damage have been reported, but no injuries.
Where and when sold: Chemical and cleaning supply distributors nationwide, as well as Amazon, Staples.com, and SupplyWorks.com (now called The Home Depot Pro Institutional), from January 2016 through November 2020 for $100 to $150.
The remedy: If you have one of these sprayers, stop using it immediately, dispose of the lithium-ion battery in accordance with local recycling regulations, and contact Victory Innovations for a free replacement battery pack.
Contact information: Call Victory Innovations at 888-674-2482, send email to sprayerbatteryrecall@stericycle.com, or go to its website recall page.
Report a defective product: Call the CPSC hotline at 800-638-2772 or go to saferproducts.gov.
