HP has asked 15,700 customers around the world to send back their HP- or Compaq-branded notebook batteries or risk the potentially faulty power packs overheating and catching fire. The recall comes six months after the company made a similar request for the return of certain laptop batteries.

This time round, the recall affects buyers of HP Pavilion notebooks with model numbers starting 'DV1' and 'ZE2'; Compaq Presarios with model numbers starting 'V2' and 'M2'; and HP Compaq kit with model numbers commencing 'NX48'.

The recall follows the receipt of 20 complaints of batteries overheating. HP said it had received 11 reports of property damages and one of a minor burn injury relating the the overly hot batteries.

HP did not say which company had made the batteries.

HP said it doesn't believe the recall is related to any of the many other notebook battery recalls it and other vendors have made over the last few years. The batteries containing the defect were made between 1 January 2005 and 10 January 2005.

They all have a barcode number starting 'L3', though not all L3 batteries contain the defect, so it's important to cross-check the notebook model number. HP will replace batteries that meet the correct identification criteria free of charge. You can find full details here. ®