A (very) hot potato In case you're still using a CableMod 12VHPWR angled adapter (versions 1.0 and 1.1), here's another reminder why you should stop: the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued an official recall of the products due to their fire risks. The agency lists 25,300 total units that have been sold, which is a worryingly large number.
If this recall sounds familiar, that's because CableMod did announce a voluntary recall of its 12VHPWR angled adapters in December. Now, the CPSC has made it an official recall.
The recall covers all of CableMod's 90-degree and 180-degree v1.0 and v1.1 Angled Adapters purchased from the company or another retailer between February 2023 through December 2023.
CableMod said in December's notice that the male connectors on the adapters could become loose during cable management and system use. This can cause them to overheat and melt into the GPU, posing fire and burn risks.
The CPSC writes that there have been 272 reports of the adapters becoming loose, overheating, and melting into the GPU, with at least $74,500 in property damage claims in the United States. No injuries have been reported.
It's recommended that people stop using the recalled angled adapters immediately. The CPSC also suggested following CableMod's instructions on how to safely remove their adapter from the GPU. The company advises users not to touch an adapter while a system is running and to give a PC time to cool down before handling the product.
Owners of the affected adapters are eligible for a full refund (via PayPal), including the cost of shipping, or a $60 store credit for non-custom products that CableMod sells, with free standard shipping. Consumers will be asked to destroy the adapter and upload a photo of the destroyed product to CableMod's recall page as proof. It should then be discarded in accordance with local laws.
CableMod notes that the recall only applies to its 12VHPWR angled adapters and does not extend to the company's angled cables.
Nvidia said that the issues associated with the RTX 4090 power cable connector are due to users not plugging in the cables correctly, though some dispute this claim. CableMod's angled adapters proved popular because they stop the cables from pressing against the side of a case when plugged into these bulky cards.