SMOKtech Groove Recall - Important Info for Our Customers

[dannoman]

Update from emails we are getting: There is a very real concern about putting the stainless or metal Grooves back into the mail. I mentioned to wrap it adequately in bubble wrap and place in the original packaging so as to protect it from heavy jostling in the mail system. You don't necessarily have to have the original box - just soemthing rigid would be good to give it that extra safe packaging measure. If this is wrapped well in bubble wrap it should be fine.

Some are suggesting to disable and remove the battery but this could actually cause more problems if someone isn't careful and know what they are doing.

This is a recall. This isn't like the Raven's where we were glad to refund everyone and let you keep the unit...but with this we have to be sure the recall is executed to make sure it is out of the hands of vapers where it has on one occassion we know of been demonstrated to be a potential saftey hazard.

We have had the Grooves apart and it utilizes a cell phone battery and we think what was reported was very unusual, its not something you usually see with a cell phone type of battery. There have been no other reports in all of the ones we have sold and used and not sure if any other vendor has either. But we want to err on the side of caution though and follow the recall to the full extent of even asking for the plastic- bodied Grooves back (those really shouldn't have the problem but since SMOKtech did not distinguish in thernotice, we won't either just to be safe).

 

[woody55]

Guys and Gals, as a long time Electronic tech wrapping these securely in bubble wrap and using a box like dannoman suggested to immobilize them should suffice on getting them safely to me for disposal. Like dannoman said we have to have these back to complete the recall and remove them from service.

 

[dannoman]

THANKS MAX- some more info:


We have heard back from SMOKtech and just received a new shipment of Grooves in the Gun Metal. They informed us they found the defect: The defect was they used pointy-ended screws to assemble the units. Some of these sharp points can pierce the NON-CONDUCTIVE outside wrapping the battery, andd pierce the battery itself and can cause a short. This is what happened with the unit that was reported. What We received today are the 'fixed' ones. I will send along to Max (woody55) and have him inspect to make sure and to verify with Max that these are indeed 'fixed' improved units that are safe to sell.

 

[dannoman]

Just FYI:

[6/8/2013 7:22:37 PM] SMOKTECH: ur grooved is improved version , nails have been cut down so it don't hurt the battery inside
[6/8/2013 7:23:08 PM] SMOKTECH: also the battery have added extra huge protection circuit

 

[yiddleboge6]

bump.....'cause this needs to be kept visible !!!

 

[bassmonster]

Bumpin this...can't believe I didn't see this before

 

[Doshima]

For the safety concerns I know that the usps asked me if it had a lithium ion battery in it, and when I said it did they marked it for "Special Care" or something like that.

 

[intervention]

I am a bit confused. Others (e.g. the vapeteam) are saying not to mail it back...safety first and all. My understanding is that smoktech is not requiring that your return the product to them for a refund, so why are you requiring me? It is on record in my account that I bought it from you, so why risk hurting a mail carrier and the reputation of the vaping community as well as all the time,extra work and expense for both of us? Or am I missing something here?

 

[keelalagirl55]

I am a bit confused. Others (e.g. the vapeteam) are saying not to mail it back...safety first and all. My understanding is that smoktech is not requiring that your return the product to them for a refund, so why are you requiring me? It is on record in my account that I bought it from you, so why risk hurting a mail carrier and the reputation of the vaping community as well as all the time,extra work and expense for both of us? Or am I missing something here?

Groove Recall

Please read this full page....they are requesting them to be returned so they can be destroyed...they don't want them left out in the hands of consumers.....the only way we can make sure they are destroyed (per recall instructions) is to have them shipped back to us. You are free to discharge till it no longer works per 1 option smoktech has given in that link I supplied and Danno supplied in the OP.

Also...please reread this post by our own Electronic Tech:

Guys and Gals, as a long time Electronic tech wrapping these securely in bubble wrap and using a box like dannoman suggested to immobilize them should suffice on getting them safely to me for disposal. Like dannoman said we have to have these back to complete the recall and remove them from service.

 

[veganvap]

"After some clarification, it seems there are two separate potential problems with the Grooves. The Groove itself has battery protection on the PCB, the battery itself does not. This type of setup is quite common with many e-cigs that do not take replaceable batteries but the size of the battery here is more of the issue. While your 510 280mah cell may smoke or fizzle out if it has a problem, it will do it a lot quicker than the 3800mah li-poly cell that the groove has.

smok looked at what could happen despite the pcb protection provided by the smart microcontroller logic board on the Groove and found that if something were to happen below the board level, at the battery level, there would be no protection to stop the battery from possibly discharging due to a short or other malfunction.

The other issue, an unfortunate design flaw in the metal grooves, allowed the battery to become loose and possibly have its outer soft shell pierced by the retaining screws for the Groove case. If the battery moved around or was shaken, it could be pierced by the very tiny point of the cover screws and cause a short in the battery."

"We will stop production of Groove since today" -SMOK's official website recall notice.

So how is gotvapes selling these 'new fixed ones" if SMOK said they stopped making them?

"[6/8/2013 7:22:37 PM] SMOKTECH: ur grooved is improved version , nails have been cut down so it don't hurt the battery inside
[6/8/2013 7:23:08 PM] SMOKTECH: also the battery have added extra huge protection circuit"

 

[badkolo]

they stopped selling the old ones and now ia new version with new screws and a new protection board has been made and they are tested and going up soon, cant be clearer then that

and when i mean tested, i mean truly tested , we sent them to be tested , opened, studied, and beat up. Smoktech has their engineers also testing them, they took this seriously and stood up to the plate, the groove is extremly popular, so much so they were asked to bring it back, so they fixed them and now they are coming back.

 

[veganvap]

They designed, developed and tested a new board with extra protection in just a day or two, and then packed and shipped an order?

Maybe Smok told vendors after the recall that they changed their mind and will remake Grooves. Since there would be so many other vendors selling these new Grooves and not just one that runs out and makes it obvious they weren't rebuilt by Smok, it wouldn't look like a scam to tinker with recalled ones. I.E if some middleman or something (not acusing you) wrapped something non-conductive around the batteries of the recalled ones, grinded down the screws that pierce the battery, and took the chance that the missing protection that smok forgot (purposly to save money?) to add in the first place wouldn't create any reports since there probably aren't even any 'added protection' problems claimed since the Groove came out.

This would take a lot of the first sales of everyone who sent back a Groove and wants a fixed one.

the groove is extremly popular, so much so they were asked to bring it back, so they fixed them and now they are coming back.

dannoman posted on the 10th that he has the new order already. Smoktech announced this the 9th:


Dear All Valued Customers,
Confirmed by laboratory of Smoktech,SMOKTECH GROOVE might have an potential safety hazard due to the design defects.
we deeply apologize for all the panic and inconvenience
After careful deliberation, to be responsible for customer satisfaction of normal use, to keep the brand integrity of SMOKTECH, we’ve made the decisions below:
1) As for the groove that are still at the warehouse of our distributors, pls try to destroy them at the purpose of environment protection and safety
2) as for the groove that are already sold to end users, please do a 100% recall instantly.
3) SMOKTECH distributors can choose any MOD in SMOKTECH current product line and we will send the quantity of equal value.
4) SMOKTECH will pay the shipping from factory to warehouse of our distributors.
5) We are attaching instructions on the best way to destroy the groove.
6) We will stop production of Groove since today.
At last ,thanks a lot for all your support during the past 3years. we appreciate all the advice and comments of the items from all the customers and distributors. SMOKTECH will supply the most updated ,best quality and safest products to the market in future.
Thanks.

Smoktech Marketing Department
June, 09, 2013

 

[badkolo]

Seems odd to me that you would already have improved versions of something that was just recalled and on the very recall notice it states that they were stopping production as of that day. They designed, developed and tested a new board with extra protection in just a day or two, and then packed and shipped an order? Seems a bit off to me.

Maybe Smok told some vendors that they changed their mind and will remake the Groove, so it wouldn't look like a scam because they'll be many other Grooves to follow if some middleman or something wrapped something non-conductive around the batteries of the recalled ones and grinded down the screws that pierce the battery and took the chance that the missing protection that smok forgot (?) to put it them in the first place won't create any reports since there might not be any protection reports so far.

This would take basically all the first sales of everyone who sent back a Groove and wants a new one.

Really not sure what your getting but there is no conspiracy and your only as informed as the people and not as the vendors behind the scene, as i said, the product has been fixed and improved with new circuit boards and screws , this has been going on for weeks not days.

 

[veganvap]

You said Smok remade them because they were asked to, which would have been after the recall when they said they stopped making them (around the 9th), but you got your order in on the 10th?

 

[badkolo]

oh i see, no actually this was going on behind the scenes for longer that. They were asked by vendors to bring it back, it seems as that was there intention all along and while dealing with the recall and info they had which happened before the news spread. They were on top of this faster then i thought they were which is a good thing. As i said, its improved and ready, i think once you see the innards youll all be happy, there is no rush job and the issues were found and resolved. thats all that should matter.

 

[veganvap]

ok, so you're saying:
Smoktech discovered the problems with them going thermal etc before the incident (June 7th http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/apv-discussion/427656-please-read.html) when an ECF member's groove went on fire in their house and Smok didn't announce the recall untill after the incident. (There are screen shots showing Smok changed the recall date of the recall from after to before said incident, but they obviously already knew there was a defect since you received upgraded ones only a few days after the incident and Smoktech's recall announcement).

"6) We will stop production of Groove since today." (1 day before your non-defected order was received)
was an error by smok, and what they meant to say was "6) We will stop production of the defective Groove since today and have already re designed and shipped to america non-defected units. We knew the problem existed for so long that we already rebuilt and shipped to America new units but didn't recall the defected ones for as long as re-designing and shipping them to America took - plus when you Google 'Smoktech groove', you see out product linked everywhere to a near-house-fire incident."

But you only knew about this on the 8th when it became aparent when Smok told you:
"[6/8/2013 7:22:37 PM] SMOKTECH: ur grooved is improved version , nails have been cut down so it don't hurt the battery inside
[6/8/2013 7:23:08 PM] SMOKTECH: also the battery have added extra huge protection circuit"

 

[dannoman]

As an update SMOKtech told us that the grooves we recently received as shipment were 'fixed'. I sent this 'fixed' version to our Electronics Tech (Max Wood or woody55) but then just yesterday my contact at SMOKtech who is the general manager there asked us to snap a picture of the inside of the unit to make sure we have the proper protection inside of the battery itself. So we are in the process of doing this to make sure the 'fixed' version did indeed have the proper protections in the battery itself besides the fix on the screws.

We'll keep everyone informed.

 

[badkolo]

this isnt interrogation wednesday. I answered you with what i know and can discuss. Have a great night.

 

[veganvap]

ok, I get it now, and dont think you/some middleman tinkered with defective ones to sell them off first. Sorry if I threw up on your thread, but I made a good point which is shame on smoktech for not announcing the recall earlier besides building them faulty to begin with.

 

[badkolo]

oh i agree with you, they should of been built properly, cant argue against that, especially something like this, and we and others have mentioned that to them. We do appreciate them stepping up and doing the full recall and handling pretty well.

Rest assured we would never do anything like that. If we say they are officially form smoktech and updated and fixed then they are or we will not sell them. Ive never given out info in 3 years that has been disputed, others claims to know, or scare people into buying form them or down play products in order to hurt others, we dont do that, we are as upstanding as you can get, so please feel free, stick around, we are hear to help as much as we can. its just been a little busy lately.