Lasko Fan Fires
© 2006-2012 Dr. Ray Franco, PhD., PE r.a.franco@ieee.org
In February 2006, the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with Lasko Products Inc. issued a recall of 5.6 Million Lasko Box and Pivoting Floor Fans: Recall Notice of Lasko Fans. The fans were sold under the names: Lasko, General Electric, Galaxy (Wal-Mart) and Air King. They were manufactured between January 1999 and July 2001 and sold through February 2004.
Model Numbers of Lasko Recalled Fans.
Exemplar Lasko Model 3733 - 20-Inch Box - Manufactured January 1999 - Meets the Criteria of CPSC Recall.
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Front of Lasko Model 3733 Exemplar Fan.
Back of Lasko Model 3733 Exemplar Fan.
Top of Lasko Model 3733 Exemplar Fan.
Bottom of Lasko Model 3733 Exemplar Fan.
Front of Motor Frame.
Back of Motor Frame - "Lasko" in Raised Letters.
Side of Motor Frame and Start/Run Capacitor
Lot No. BF-6, P/N. 2031232S.
Where the Capacitor and Speed Wires enter the Motor Frame.
Congested Area at the Back of the Motor Winding were the Speed Wires, Start/Run Capacitor and Thermal Fuse are connected to the Motor Winding.
Excess Motor Wires - A Potential for Wire Chafing.
Back View of Motor Winding.
Font View of Motor Winding.
Side View of Motor Winding.
Lasko Motor Thermal Fuse 115°C (239°F).
Composite View of 1999-00 Lasko Fan Motor.
Schematic of Lasko Fan 3733 Motor.
Resistances: Run = 71 Ω; Aux = 162 Ω; L1 = 43 Ω; L2 = 56 Ω.
Front Bearing of Lasko Motor.
Front Bearing with Retaining Cover removed.
The Bearing is lubricated by Cotton Felt soaked in Oil.
Composite View depicting all of the Pieces of the Bearing.
The Fan contains approximately 1.8 lbs. of Polypropylene Plastic.
This Fire was started with a Cigarette Lighter.
The Plastic burned for 30 Minutes.
To Prevent Fan Fires, Lasko Now Places a Fuse in the Power Cord Plug.
A Pigtail Power Cord with a Fuse is Added to the Recalled Fans.
The Inside of Lasko's Patented Fuse Plug.
The Fuse is Inline with the 120 Volt Conductor.
The Fuse Size is 2.5 Amps, 250 Volts.
Plugs with a Fuse have "A1" stamped into one of the Blades.
Case History: F06-029 - Lasko Model 3733 - 20-Inch Box Fan Fire - Manufactured January 2000 - Meets Criteria of CPSC Recall.
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Lasko Fan Fire - Joyce Crawford, 15061 Starlight Ave., Wilmer, AL 5/21/06.
Area of Origin.
Fan Identification: Model 3733, ECN 37, 2000-01.
Fan Frame and Motor.
Front of Motor.
Back of Motor - "Lasko" in Raised Letters.
Side of Motor.
Thermal Fuse 115°C (239°F).
Motor Winding.
Copper Beads and Electrical Cut Wires.
Microscope View of Two Copper Beads and Cut Wires.
Microscope View of the Two Copper Beads.
Rotor and Bearings.
The Front Bearing exhibited Rotational Scaring.
