Issue Date:  -  Friday, 22 April 2005

Unsafe portable generators banned

Energy Safety has ordered that a portable generator be withdrawn from sale, hire or use.

Director of Energy Safety Albert Koenig issued a prohibition notice on the Honda EM500 generators and associated leads sold before 1981.

“Owners of these types of generators or similarly configured generators and battery charging leads must stop using them immediately,” Mr Koenig said.

The action stems from a recent death involving an early model Honda EM500 generator and an associated flexible lead that had a plug top that could be plugged into both the 12 Volt DC and the 240 Volt AC socket-outlets of the generator.

This model generator was sold before 1981 and incorporated both a 240 Volt AC socket-outlet and a 12 Volt DC socket-outlet (typically used for battery charging purposes) that has a similar configuration to a 240 Volt socket-outlet.

 “Any lead that has a plug that can be inserted into both the generator 12 Volt DC and the 240 Volt AC socket-outlet must be destroyed immediately,” Mr Koenig said.

Honda Australia is cooperating with Energy Safety and will either buy back the generator units or allow a favourable ‘trade up’ to owners.

For further information, persons should contact their local Honda service agent (Dealer Locator telephone 1800 241 173) or telephone Honda Australia Motorcycle & Power Equipment Pty Ltd on (03) 9270 1134.

Media contact: Albert Koenig on 9422 5201 or 0417 982939.

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