SimpliSafe Doorbell Fire Hazard Issue

@worthing​ It's a fair question. I did call when I received the doorbell. Customer Service told me I needed a chime connector and that would fix the issue.

Our doorbell doesn't really get that much use, so it really hasn't been a huge issue until it was one. I partially blame myself for not being more adamant with customer service that it was a doorbell issue. Conflict avoidance doesn't always solve problems.

Hopefully Simplisafe will understand that this is a possible issue with their doorbells going forward and not just send chime connectors to fix the issue.

That's part of what I find concerning, @brettdyson.

The Chime Connector is a solution for regulating voltage, but that's got nothing to do with the doorbell button getting stuck. We should have replaced the whole component in the first place.

But with regard to the electrical issue that caused that damage, I do know that our Specialist team has already reached out. We're working with our engineering team to get this sorted!

Yep, SimpliSafe has been great regarding this situation. I've spoken with a representative and will be sending back the defective unit tomorrow. I received the replacement unit today and the button doesn't stick like the other one. So that's positive!

I don't want to scare anyone off from using SimpliSafe or the doorbell. Just be smarter than I was if you have a doorbell button that sticks. A chime connector won't fix it and the doorbell is very likely defective. Press for a new one if it's not freely offered up.

@brohym15​ Contact SimpliSafe. I assume they’ll be interested to have your unit for investigation and will send another. I never heard back from SimpliSafe about my faulty unit, but figure they don’t want to admit to a faulty product.

I guarantee your right. 

@davidwangc001​ Sorry to hear. Definitely reach out to SimpliSafe. The more these issues are reported, hopefully action will be taken to address the product issue.

Thanks @davidwangc001 . Better yet, I'm having a specialist give you a call so we can get you taken care of right away.

Yea when it happened to me they took care of it right away. 
Hopefully it wont happen again! Customer service was great  tho. 

@worthing​ 

8-24, mechanical chime, analog. Reading other install posts on here indicates that the doorbell button, when pressed, sends power to the chime which strikes the "high" tone. When the button is released the power triggers the "low" tone. I suppose that when the doorbell button gets stuck in the pressed position it sends non-stop power to strike the "high" tone causing the chime connector to severely overheat. 

That explanation makes perfect sense though it does make me wonder how/why buttons are sticking. That doesn't sound like something that should happen often unless the people ringing your doorbell tend to have gunk on their hands which ... shouldn't be often? (Halloween aside, I guess.) Are you in a super humid area by chance? Lots of insects? 

It is possible SS has a quality issue with the actual design of the doorbell. I have 6 WIFI switches from another mfg and I had one that the rocker switch stuck. When I called they immediately replaced it overnight at no charge. No issues since. No issues with the SS doorbell with a chime connector installed.

Using a 16v transformer. Chime is mechanical. The first doorbell I received seemed to stick from the beginning. I would typically have to press the button after someone pressed the doorbell as it stuck frequently. Problem is I'm not always home to do so. 

New one seems to work flawlessly. I do live in the south with high humidity, bugs, etc. Hoping this one will remain trouble free.

@switte29​ SimpliSafe should be aware of the issue. Their engineering department seemed very interested in receiving my faulty unit to explore the issue. Granted I never heard back from them as to what the problem was. I'm sure they'd rather not admit fault. Best of luck getting the issue resolved!

@DCS940​ 

What are you waiting for them to fix, exactly? To make sure that every single product they ship will always work flawlessly and without error no matter how the product is installed? Never going to happen. For any vendor. Also every vendor on the planet, no matter how good they are, ships faulty products and/or products that if installed incorrectly can malfunction in severe ways.

The reality is I think this is the only thread I recall where people have reported fire/melting and I've seen hundreds if not 1000+ complaints about a variety of SS products here and on the SS subreddit. Based on that it seems unlikely to me that this is a wide spread issue but you'll need to make your own decision about risk you're willing to assume. (But before you do, start Googling <every other vendor who makes a wired doorbell> and fire and you'll see SS isn't alone in this area.

@lance843​ No signs so far that the replacement is having the same trouble?

@davey_d​ sorry just saw this but the new one so far is OK but the old one fried to a crisp. 

@lance843​ ah, that's a little bit of good news. Let us know if you have trouble again!