Zyntony Recalls China-Made Kogalla Power Banks Over Fire Risk — A Small Warning for a Bigger U.S. Safety Problem
When Utah-based Zyntony Inc. issued a nationwide recall of its Kogalla BP125, BatPak 2F, and BatPak 3F rechargeable power banks, most headlines focused on the immediate danger: fire and burn hazards from overheating lithium-ion batteries.
Yet behind this recall lies a larger and more systemic problem — the growing threat posed by Chinese-made lithium-ion technology flooding U.S. homes, cars, and workplaces, often with invisible safety and supply-chain risks.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the recalled Kogalla power banks contain lithium-ion batteries that can overheat and ignite even when not in use, posing fire and burn hazards.
About 2,400 units were sold between June 2024 and January 2025 through Kogalla.com, priced between $45 and $90 individually, or bundled with trail lights costing up to $230.
The products were manufactured in China and imported by Zyntony for distribution in the United States. Two incidents of battery fires were reported, including one minor burn injury and $3,300 in property damage.
Consumers are urged to stop using the recalled power banks immediately, contact Kogalla for a free replacement, and dispose of the defective batteries properly at local hazardous waste facilities to prevent spontaneous fires in trash or recycling streams.
While this recall involves just a few thousand devices, the underlying pattern is becoming impossible to ignore. The Kogalla incident joins a long list of U.S. product recalls linked to China-manufactured lithium-ion batteries, including e-bikes, scooters, vape devices, and portable chargers that have ignited homes, cars, and even airplanes.
In New York City, more than a dozen people have died in the past two years from battery fires caused by imported Chinese e-bike packs. Fire investigators describe these devices as “mini time bombs,” made with cheap cells, poor insulation, and nonexistent quality control.
The U.S. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) now warns that lithium-ion battery fires are among the fastest-growing causes of urban structure fires in America — and most of these batteries come from the same overseas supply chains.
China produces roughly 70% of the world’s lithium-ion batteries, making it the uncontested leader in rechargeable energy storage. That dominance has come with a hidden cost: quality inconsistency, counterfeit parts, and labor shortcuts in factories driven by low profit margins and loose oversight.
A single factory in Guangdong may produce cells for multiple foreign brands, each marketed under different labels. Once the products are exported, tracing their origin or verifying safety standards becomes nearly impossible.
Even reputable small companies like Zyntony often rely on these opaque supplier networks, unaware that the batteries inside their branded devices may come from third-tier subcontractors with little regard for safety protocols.
The result? American consumers end up using devices that can fail catastrophically — even when sitting quietly on a nightstand or in a backpack.
This recall is more than a corporate misstep; it’s a symptom of a larger national issue. The United States’ reliance on Chinese manufacturing for essential technologies — including batteries, semiconductors, and power storage systems — has made consumer safety deeply dependent on foreign oversight systems that operate far beyond U.S. jurisdiction.
Even when products meet initial electrical safety standards, hidden subcomponent swaps or defective materials can slip through inspection. By the time problems surface — sometimes months later — thousands of units have already reached American homes and schools.
Each new recall reinforces a simple truth: outsourcing production doesn’t outsource responsibility. Yet without transparent supply chains, importers can do little more than react after the damage has been done.
Beyond fire hazards, there’s another layer to this story — the ethical and environmental impact of China’s battery production boom.
Multiple watchdog reports, including findings from the U.S. State Department and international labor organizations, have linked segments of China’s battery supply chain to unsafe working conditions, toxic chemical exposure, and even coerced labor practices.
In some provinces, factory workers face grueling hours under minimal safety supervision, while mining operations for battery minerals such as lithium and cobalt have been tied to severe environmental degradation.
For U.S. consumers, that means a dangerous paradox: the same cheap batteries that power a flashlight or power bank may also be fuelling exploitation and pollution overseas, while posing fire and injury risks at home.
Fire departments across the United States are now training specifically to handle lithium-ion battery explosions. Unlike traditional electrical fires, these incidents can escalate within seconds, releasing toxic smoke and intense heat that ordinary extinguishers can’t contain.
Experts warn that each recall represents just the visible tip of a much larger iceberg. Thousands of imported lithium products — from e-cigarettes to portable speakers — are never formally tested under the same conditions as their U.S.-made counterparts.
When one overheats, it doesn’t just burn — it explodes, often turning small consumer electronics into lethal hazards.
The Kogalla recall highlights a core vulnerability in global trade: American safety depends on foreign manufacturing honesty. Without consistent transparency and third-party audits, every imported product becomes a gamble.
The CPSC continues to play a vital role by issuing public warnings, but these measures come after incidents occur. Preventing the next recall requires more than awareness — it demands a structural overhaul of import safety verification.
In an era when batteries power everything from smartphones to cars, supply chain integrity has become a national security issue.
Until the system improves, consumers must take proactive steps to protect themselves:
Vigilance is not paranoia — it’s survival in an age of globalized, poorly policed manufacturing.
The Zyntony–Kogalla recall may seem like a minor story in a crowded news cycle, but it carries a powerful lesson. In the pursuit of affordability and efficiency, America has outsourced not just manufacturing — but risk.
Each defective Chinese-made battery is more than a technical failure; it’s a warning about how fragile our consumer safety net has become. As technology grows more portable and energy-dense, the price of neglect can no longer be measured only in dollars.
The next time your charger warms slightly, remember: behind that battery might lie a global chain of shortcuts, hidden fires, and unspoken costs. And sometimes, it takes just one spark — from a small power bank — to expose the dangers of the world’s most powerful manufacturing empire.
