IGNITION Air System Recall Notice

[knightlord]

IGNITION Air Systems - Product Recall Notice August 25, 2005

In 2004 and 2005, IGNITION Air Systems, distributed by ARCHON Paintball Inc., were assembled using GCI (Global Composites International) carbon fiber bottles. These bottles were manufactured in the USA by GCI and supplied to ARCHON with correct DOT specification and certification. However, it has just been determined by the US DOT (Department of Transportation) that these bottles are unsafe and could cause serious injury or death. Do not use under any circumstances.

ARCHON Paintball Inc. is therefore issuing an immediate product recall of all IGNITION Air Systems with DOT- E 12695 certification.

The Department of Transportation recommends that anyone possessing one of these cylinders take it to a qualified refilling station to have the pressure relieved. These cylinders should NOT be refilled and will NOT be re-qualified for service. You can view this Safety Advisory Notice on the DOT website at:

http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/sa/70fr-47273.htm

Product Return Procedure

1. Call ARCHON Paintball Inc. at 1-864-675-0228 to register for product return / replacement authorization.

2. Have a qualified refilling station relieve the pressure from the tank.

3. Return the complete IGNITION Air System to ARCHON using the prepaid UPS ticket provided to you by ARCHON.

4. Enclose a check for $40.00 USD payable to ARCHON Paintball Inc. to have the tank replaced and the complete air system returned to you.

This product recall notice pertains to IGNITION Air Systems only. For all other air systems using GCI manufactured tanks, please contact the manufacturer. Thank you for your assistance. We look forward to providing you with high quality products and exceptional service.

Sincerely,

Doug Brown
Vice President
ARCHON Paintball Inc.

[rkjunior303]

IGNITION Air Systems - Product Recall Notice August 25, 2005

In 2004 and 2005, IGNITION Air Systems, distributed by ARCHON Paintball Inc., were assembled using GCI (Global Composites International) carbon fiber bottles. These bottles were manufactured in the USA by GCI and supplied to ARCHON with correct DOT specification and certification. However, it has just been determined by the US DOT (Department of Transportation) that these bottles are unsafe and could cause serious injury or death. Do not use under any circumstances.

ARCHON Paintball Inc. is therefore issuing an immediate product recall of all IGNITION Air Systems with DOT- E 12695 certification.

The Department of Transportation recommends that anyone possessing one of these cylinders take it to a qualified refilling station to have the pressure relieved. These cylinders should NOT be refilled and will NOT be re-qualified for service. You can view this Safety Advisory Notice on the DOT website at:

http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/sa/70fr-47273.htm

Product Return Procedure

1. Call ARCHON Paintball Inc. at 1-864-675-0228 to register for product return / replacement authorization.

2. Have a qualified refilling station relieve the pressure from the tank.

3. Return the complete IGNITION Air System to ARCHON using the prepaid UPS ticket provided to you by ARCHON.

4. Enclose a check for $40.00 USD payable to ARCHON Paintball Inc. to have the tank replaced and the complete air system returned to you.

This product recall notice pertains to IGNITION Air Systems only. For all other air systems using GCI manufactured tanks, please contact the manufacturer. Thank you for your assistance. We look forward to providing you with high quality products and exceptional service.

Sincerely,

Doug Brown
Vice President
ARCHON Paintball Inc.

Huh? Pay $40 because the manufacturer screwed up and made a tank that was not safe?

Doesn't make sense to me.

*edit* oops, i said a bad word (had to fix it)

[viper_ssc]

It wasn't Archon's fault they were using faulty tanks. They had no way of knowing that they weren't safe. Would you rather pay the whole $200 for another tank? Archon is losing heavily because of it. So be grateful you only have to pay $40 and not the full $200 again.

[Hexis]

So it's the customer's fault? ARCHON should recoup their losses from GCI, not their customers.

[viper_ssc]

No, it's not the customers fault, it was GCI's fault. They knew they weren't wrapped enough but lied to everyone and said they were, so Archon had no idea they were using faulty tanks til a few days ago.

[Hexis]

So clearly there is a party at fault, and it's not the end user/customer. Why should the individual customer have to pay for GCI's issue? I know if AGD (or other company) did the same type of recall onmy flatline and charged me because they (through no fault of their own) sold me something that was not what it was supposed to be, I would never buy from them again.

[warbeak2099]

Yea, Archon should have GCI pay for the fix. They have every legal right to do so too. However, it seems they are choosing to just let the customer pay for the problem. They also shouldn't have released their product (reg) onto the market on a tank that they had no clue about. At the very least they should have the customer paying only the shipping charge. And that's even outrageous to me. They are just plain lazy for not having GCI pay for the problem. They're being unprofessional shiesters and I'd never buy from them.

[electriceel125]

Yea, Archon should have GCI pay for the fix. They have every legal right to do so too. However, it seems they are choosing to just let the customer pay for the problem. They also shouldn't have released their product (reg) onto the market on a tank that they had no clue about. At the very least they should have the customer paying only the shipping charge. And that's even outrageous to me. They are just plain lazy for not having GCI pay for the problem. They're being unprofessional shiesters and I'd never buy from them.

This is just what ive head, so take it lightly. I hear that the boys from GCI took off to another country once their tanks were found to be faulty. Mac Dev also used GCI tanks up untill march so they have the same problem going on. http://www.macdev.net/us/gci.htm


that link has the Mac Dev info.

[Lohman446]

GCI has a bigger problem than staying in business and mkaing customers happy - and that is staying out of jail. Archon is caught in the middle, and $40 for a new tank is not that bad of a price. Is it right? Debatable. But remember that $40 includes shipping both ways (they are sending a UPS call tag).

[hockeynoodles020]

I guess thats why Archon said they had the lightest tanks

[gc82000]

Wow there are couple boys on Guam with those tanks. I hope they get this notice if not I wil post it up on the local forum.

[atm743]

heres an other link about this

also check your macdev tanks

http://www.macdev.net/us/gci.htm

[RRfireblade]

Hmmm....

Sold a defective tank and then charge a large fee for a life threatening warranty situation?

You deal with the supplier, the supplier deals with the manufacturer...that's the cost of doing business...it IS an Archon branded tank so they're not really just 'The Middleman" .

What do you think it's going to cost Archon when one of those tanks blow up and kill someone? Hope there puttimg that $40 in an investment opportunity to prepare for getting sued out of this world.

[Lohman446]

Hmmm....

Sold a defective tank and then charge a large fee for a life threatening warranty situation?

You deal with the supplier, the supplier deals with the manufacturer...that's the cost of doing business...it IS an Archon branded tank so they're not really just 'The Middleman" .

What do you think it's going to cost Archon when one of those tanks blow up and kill someone? Hope there puttimg that $40 in an investment opportunity to prepare for getting sued out of this world.

I didn't realize that Archon offered a lifetime warranty on there products.

That being said you are right about it - if you sell a certified product you are as responsible for that certification as the person who certified it legally. You may be able to go back and sue them, but anyone downstream (the consumer in this case) in the chain may take action against you. You do have a pretty good point on it. That being said, if you knowingly use a product with a fault in it, then you take some of the responsibility for anything that might happen from your use. In todays screwed up tort system though you can almost always go up the chain.

You know, I started disagreeing with you, and the more I think about it the more you are right in it. Arhcon holds a legal liability for anything that happens with a certified item they sold (regardless if they certified it or not). They may be best off issueing a public free recall along with an "order" to quit using immediatly to shield themselves from any responsibility.

[RRfireblade]

I didn't realize that Archon offered a lifetime warranty on there products.

Not talking lifetime...these are tanks manufactured in the last year....with a defect...that will likely kill someone on the event of a failure.Sounds like there shouldn be no expense spared to get them off the street.

IMO.