There is an FDA investigation going on re: Electri-cord medical power cords. From the picture, they look identical to the K machine power cords. Several other equipment manufacturers using this cord have already issued recalls. Info is at this link:

Corrected: FDA ADVISORY NOTICE

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dennis Todaro,

Click on the link and type in the search box electrical cords.

Yeppers, that definitly is a K-Mach power plug. I have problems with the terminals bending easily when the chairs are push into them. This doesn't surprise me one bit.

Yes I had a clinic I used to be in charge of that had 6KOS machines with these plugs. They got discolored and were pretty warm to the touch. The big F tried tell me it was the clinics wiring. After an electrician came out and said the recepticles were fine, I got Fresenius to send me new power cords that didn't have the black plastic insert.

I agree this appears to be the sasme power cord used on the 2008K machines. We have had trouble with a couple of them overheating in the past. I know there is an older message string regarding the overheating problem back about a year or so ago.

Sounds like these cords are not compliant with ohms Law.

So what is Fresenius sending out to replace these bad cords? I hate to think that they are sending the same thing and when the recall finally happens that we will all have to replace the cords again?

We have been reporting these discolored power plugs to FUSA since early this year, and sent them several samples which they forwarded to Electri-cord. We have 21 K's about 1-1/2 yrs. old, and they sent us 21 replacement cords, but they are the same type. We only replaced the ones that looked badly discolored. They still have not given us a definitive report from Electri-cords's analysis, but I was told I would get an answer by the end of the week, which is tomorrow.

Not sure what happened to the original link. Try this one:
http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevi...otices/ucm187078.htm

Recommended Action is to have a plan for patient take off, and to closely monitor your chords/plugs. Any discoloration or visual damage, take machine out of service until damaged equipment is repaired. The more people that report these FMC chords to the FDA (1800FDA1088) the better service from FMC we will get. Just my two cents.

For what it's worth I'm a hospital based Biomed. These are the same power cords that are on 600 of our IV Pumps (I won't mention the manufacturer). We received the alert several months ago and the manufacturer of the IV pumps is in the process of replacing all 600. What a logistical nightmare. I only have "H" machines so no problem there.

Here is a press release from Electri-Cord dated Aug. 19,2009, several days after the Hospira recall was announced. http://www.electri-cord/docs/ECMPosition.htm

Sounds like CYA from Electri-cord. All 21 of our K-machines have discoloration of the plugs. The ones that start looking charred inside or get noticably warm we replace. Only happens on cords with crimp connections inside.

I have seen two different numbers on the label that is on the cords. 441A is on the older cords from 2005, 2006, 2007, and ROHS is on newer cords made in 2008. Has anyone had a problem yet with cords that are labeled "ROHS"? And Hilo, what number is on the cords that Fresenius sent as replacements? Did Fresenius want you to replace the cords immediately, and did they bill you for the cords that you did not send back yet?