NZXT to replace PCIe riser of H1 enclosure due to fire hazard
NZXT will replace the PCIe riser of its H1 enclosures. In November last year it turned out that a short circuit could occur due to a design error. NZXT said that could previously be solved with plastic screws, but now comes with a permanent solution.
The CEO of NZXT apologizes and writes that the previously proposed solution with plastic screws was not a complete solution. “The screws didn’t address the root of the problem,” he says. “We did not consider scenarios where someone unknowingly replaces the plastic screws with metal screws. Our solution did not meet the quality that our community has come to expect from us”.
NZXT will stop selling the H1 enclosure and will send a newly designed PCIe riser to all customers who already own such an enclosure. The manufacturer also says it will help people with the installation, if necessary. Customers who have previously requested the replacement screws will automatically receive the new riser. H1 owners who have not requested screws can fill out a form to get the new riser.
The housing problems came to light last year. The compact tower housing contains a PCIe riser that must be used to mount a video card. Two screws securing the riser to the housing may cause a short circuit.
NZXT said it solved the problem last year by sending plastic screws to owners of the H1 housing. Gamers Nexus criticized that solution, because the fire hazard remains if users, possibly unknowingly, replace the plastic screws with metal ones. The tech site was in contact with NZXT, but the manufacturer was slow to respond. Last weekend Gamers Nexus put an extensive video online demonstrating that it is a real risk.
The announcement of NZXT’s replacement promotion is a direct response to that video. In his blog post, the CEO of the manufacturer Gamers Nexus thanks for bringing the issue to our attention.
H1 owners who purchased their housing from the manufacturer online can return it and get a refund if they wish. People who bought the housing from other stores can request their money back there and if that doesn’t work, contact NZXT. In the Benelux, the housing is no longer supplied to online stores by the distributor.
In the United States, NZXT also says it has been working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission since November to initiate a formal recall. That recall has yet to be announced by the CPSC.
The NZXT H1 Enclosure