Southwire Branded 12/2 Gauge Coiled, Pre-Cut Red Electrical Wire Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

November 30, 2020 – This recall involves Southwire branded coiled, pre-cut red electrical wire sold in shrink wrap which features a red, white and blue repeating banner reading “Romex SIMpull” at the top and indicating in larger print the wire gauge measurement of 12/2 and wire length of 30 metres (98.4 feet). This product is used primarily for wiring baseboard heaters and water heaters.

The model number of the product is 47230831, the UPC number is 032886002069 and the batch numbers are 608187 and 608177.

The cord itself is stamped with the following: “LL90458 F CSA 14 AWG CU 2 CDRS RED-BLACK NMD90 NYLON ROMEX{R} BRAND SIMpull{TM} (-25{D}C) 300 VOLTS FT1 PAT www.patentSW.com”.

Hazard Identified: The product’s shrink wrap features a red, white and blue repeating banner reading “Romex SIMpull” and indicating in larger print a wire gauge measurement of 12/2 (12-gauge), which is inaccurate. The product’s shrink wrap should read a wire gauge measurement of 14/2 (14-gauge). While the 14-gauge cord does have sufficient overhead capacity to handle the amperage associated with the 12-gauge wire indicated on the packaging, it lacks the additional overhead capacity of a 12-gauge wire to deal with potential surges or overloads. In the event that the 14-gauge wire is used in a 12-gauge application and is subjected to an overload point and all circuit protections fail, there is a risk of failure or overheating, possibly including a risk of fire.

As of November 13, 2020, the company has received no reports of incidents or injuries in Canada.

Number sold: The company reported that 1421 units of the affected product were sold in Canada.

Time period sold: The affected product was sold from August 2020 to September 2020.

Place of Origin: Manufactured in USA

Companies:

Manufacturer
Southwire Canada Company
Mississauga, Ontario

What You Should Do: Consumers should check their cord to make sure they received the correct gauge. The stamps on the cord will identify whether the cord is 12-gauge or 14-gauge (see product photos). If a consumer purchased a 12-gauge cable but received one stamped with a "14" instead of a "12", they should immediately stop using it and return it to the place of purchase to receive a free replacement or full refund for any unused product still in the package.

Consumers with any questions can also call Southwire Canada's toll-free support line at 1-800-827-8081, from Monday through Friday, 8AM to 7PM EST, for assistance in English or French.

Please note that the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act prohibits recalled products from being redistributed, sold or even given away in Canada.

Health Canada would like to remind Canadians to report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product or any other consumer product or cosmetic by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.

This recall is also posted on the OECD Global Portal on Product Recalls website. You can visit this site for more information on other international consumer product recalls.

Click HERE to view Health Canada Product Safety Alert.