Controversies

Vanward Electric Water Heater Fails Shanghai Quality Inspection, Involving Energy Efficiency and Abnormal Grounding Protection

In a quality spot check of electric water heaters by Shanghai quality supervision authorities, the Vanward WD45-GHF electric water heater was found non-compliant; the non-compliant items involved safety items such as energy efficiency and emergency protection against abnormal grounding. Other brands failing the same batch included Ferroli and Vatti. Earlier, after the China Consumers Association issued a safety warning in 2005 about hazards of direct-discharge gas water heaters, Vanward launched a campaign to recycle scrapped direct-discharge gas water heaters. Impact and handling: other media reported a case in which a user died from electric shock while showering with a Vanward water heater; the company denied product quality problems, and the relevant outcome was civil compensation rather than administrative punishment. Progress: regulatory notice. Entity involved: Guangdong Vanward New Electric Co., Ltd. Scope: the inspected batch of Vanward WD45-GHF electric water heaters.