Hewlett Packard has recalled AC power cords for about 6 million notebooks in Canada and the United States, due to risk of burn and fire hazard. There were dozens of reports that power cords could overheat, causing charring and melting. This has caused 13 minor property damage claims and two incidences of minor burn. The LS-15 AC power cords are used for a variety of Compaq and HP mini notebook and notebook computers. These accessories were produced in China with “LS-15” model number molded on the cord. Customers will be eligible for replacements at no cost.
Power cord is needed to convert the alternating current from the mains to direct current with specific characteristics. Direct current is more appropriate for delicate electronic equipments, such as laptop because it provides a steady flow of electrical charge at specific direction.
Connecting alternating current to laptops will be damaging, due to the varying direction and amplitude of the current. This could result in failures. Other than converting the AC voltage to DC voltage through the rectification process, power cords also reduce any voltage ripple to provide further stability and longevity. Unfortunately, faulty design and unsuitable material could cause components to overheat when exposed with electrical current for specific duration of time.
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