The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighCPSC·78095·Announced 1978-11-22

Fuel Sentry Thermostat Activator Units Recalled for Fire Hazard

Fuel Sentry is recalling specific Activator units from Automatic Day/Night Thermostat Controls due to a defective carbon resistor that poses a fire risk.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a fire hazard with reported minor fires, but no injuries or fatalities have been reported, fitting the criteria for a high-risk product where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

Fuel Sentry Corp. is voluntarily recalling the "Activator" component of approximately 20,000 Automatic Day/Night Thermostat Controls, model FS-5, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The recall is necessary because the Activator unit may contain a defective carbon resistor that could cause a fire if it fails. Since July 1977, there have been 12 reported failures, with minor fires occurring in ten instances. No injuries have been reported.

The affected units were sold nationwide for $20 to $25 and are designed to allow residential heating systems to be automatically set at lower operating temperatures. The recall covers Activators manufactured between September 1976 and August 1977, and between November 1977 and May 1978. These units bear specific date codes on the back, ranging from 396 through 526, 017 through 327, 437 through 527, and 018 through 218. Consumers can verify if their unit is affected by checking for brown resistors through the keyhole slot on the back of the unit; resistors of any other color are not subject to this recall.

Consumers with affected units should stop using them immediately. They should return only the "Activator" portion to Fuel Sentry Corp. at 435 E. Third Street, Mt. Vernon, N.Y. 10553, for repair, which includes a refund of postage costs. The company can be reached at (914) 699-6192. Consumers can also verify date codes and model numbers by calling CPSC's toll-free hotline at 800-638-2772.

The recalled product

Product
Automatic Day/Night Thermostat Controls
Manufacturer
Fuel Sentry
Category
Consumer Product — Thermostats
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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