The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·15167·Announced 2015-06-19

PetSmart Recalls Top Fin Plastic Aquarium Heaters Due to Electrical Shock Hazard

PetSmart is recalling Top Fin plastic aquarium heaters due to an electrical problem that poses a risk of fire or electrical shock. Consumers should stop using the heaters and return them for a full refund.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk of fire and electrical shock, with reported incidents including property damage from fire and minor shocks, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating due to significant injury/property-damage reports.

Plain-English summary

PetSmart is recalling Top Fin brand plastic aquarium heaters due to an electrical problem that poses a risk of fire or electrical shock to consumers. The recall involves all 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, and 250-watt heaters with model numbers HT50, HT100, HT150, HT200, or HT250. These black, cylindrical heaters are approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 13 inches tall, with the model number and wattage printed near the top. The heaters were manufactured by Shenzhen Xing Risheng Industrial Co. Ltd. in China.

The company has received 13 reports of incidents related to the heaters, including four reports of minor shock, seven reports of water tanks overheating, and one report of property damage from an electrical short circuit resulting in fire. Approximately 112,200 units were sold in the United States and about 4,800 units in Canada. The heaters were sold at PetSmart stores nationwide from August 2014 to April 2015 for between $25 and $40.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heaters and return them to any PetSmart store for a full refund. For more information, consumers can contact PetSmart toll-free at (888) 839-9638 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the company's website and click on "Product Recalls" under the "Shop With Us" category.

The recalled product

Product
Top Fin Plastic Aquarium Heaters
Manufacturer
Shenzhen Xing Risheng Industrial Co. Ltd., of China
Category
Consumer Product — Aquarium Accessories
Hazard
Affected units
112,200

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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Same manufacturer · Shenzhen Xing Risheng Industrial Co. Ltd., of China

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