Description of Event or Problem · 1
HUMIDIFIER HAS BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THIS IS THE SECOND UNIT, AS THE FIRST ONE JUST STOPPED WORKING ONE DAY AND WAS REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARD TO THE REPLACEMENT UNIT. THE HUMIDIFIER WAS PLACED IN MY DAUGHTER'S ROOM ((B)(6) OLD). IT WAS REFILLED AND TURNED ON IN THE EVENING AT BED TIME. IN THE MORNING, THE ROOM SMELLED OF BURNT ELECTRONICS. THE HUMIDIFIER WAS QUICKLY DETERMINED TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL, ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS EXTERNAL INDICATIONS OF DAMAGE. THE WATER TANK AND CHIMNEY WERE REMOVED AND THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS CLEANED. WHEN THE TANK WAS REPLACED AND THE UNIT PLUGGED IN AND POWERED ON, A FAINT CRACKLING SOUND COULD BE HEARD FROM THE BASE. I IMMEDIATELY UNPLUGGED THE UNIT AND LEFT IT TO SIT FOR A FEW HOURS. I THEN USED A SCREWDRIVER TO REMOVE THE BASE PLATE. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS BUILD UP OF SOME SUBSTANCE ON THE WIRES LEADING TO CIRCUIT BOARD UNDER THE HEATING ELEMENT. AFTER CLEANING OFF THE CRUSTY MATERIAL, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE WIRING WERE BLACKENED AND BEGINNING TO MELT. HAD WE LEFT THIS HUMIDIFIER PLUGGED IN AND TURNED ON, IT WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE. THIS EASILY COULD HAVE HAPPENED OVERNIGHT WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS SLEEPING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE INSIDE OF THE HUMIDIFIER. THE SMELL HAS NOW PERMEATED THE ENTIRE HOUSE AND I WORRY ABOUT MY FAMILY'S EXPOSURE TO ANY TOXIC FUMES FROM THE SMOLDERING CIRCUITRY. PRODUCT CATEGORY: BABY. PRODUCT TYPE: NURSERY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES. MANUFACTURER ADDRESS: (B)(4). MANUFACTURER WEBSITE URL: (B)(4). RETAILER: (B)(6). PURCHASE DATE: (B)(6) 2014. I STILL HAVE THE PRODUCT IN MY POSSESSION: YES. THE PRODUCT WAS NOT DAMAGED BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE PRODUCT WAS NOT MODIFIED BEFORE THE INCIDENT. EXPLANATION: I STILL HAVE THE PRODUCT, AND I PLAN TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. MAY WE INCLUDE YOUR REPORT, INCLUDING ANY DOCUMENTS OR PHOTOGRAPHS THAT YOU HAVE ATTACHED TO YOUR REPORT, BUT WITHOUT YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION, IN CPSC'S PUBLIC DATABASE: YES, YOU MAY INCLUDE MY REPORT WITH ANY ATTACHMENTS ON SAFERPRODUCTS.GOV. MAY WE RELEASE YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER/IMPORTER/PRIVATE LABELER IDENTIFIED IN YOUR REPORT: YES, YOU MAY RELEASE MY NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER/IMPORTER/PRIVATE LABELER. DOCUMENT: (B)(4). REPORT NUMBER: (B)(4). REPORT SUBMITTED DATE: 03/09/2017.