Iris motion sensor caught fire

Just purchased the Lowe’s Iris motion sensor yesterday 7/1 and sometime between then and now it caught fire. It charded the wall and melted the motion sensor and box. This is extremely unsettling as this product is meant to help keep me safe. These litium ion batteries are getting a bit out of hand.

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Wait what?! Geez where were you when this happened home/away? Did the smoke detector go off?

thanks for the pic - impressive. You activated it and put it back in the box? Sitting near a wall?

Kinda argues for quarantining a new device on a concrete floor, before installing in permanent location.

I would also like to know what happened.

I have least 5 of these in my home.

Yeah in the pic it looks like it’s in the box. Was the battery pulltab pulled?

I was not home when it was cooking, so can’t confirm if the smoke detector went off. I pulled the tab and realized I was out of command strips to mount it. So I threw it back in the box until I can get to the store to get more mounting it. I have about 10 of these in my house and it’s a but worrisome that this happened.

I did have a few that drained the battery really quick. More like a week for new battery. Thought it was the batteries but it turned out the sensors were faulty. I did raised a concern with lowes support but they ignored me because I am not using it with their hub. If your sensor is killing the battery. I would suggest replacing them. You can tell by the high temp in ST or just putting you hand on it. Didn’t know it would actually caused a burned like this. Thanks for posting.

Welcome. Ya I am going to def check them all out. I think it’s the battery though and not the sensor. All these litium ion batteries catching fire has got to make one think. Note 7, hoverboards, fidget spinner, etc…

And this is why I buy my batteries from reputable vendors so I don’t get some Chinese junk. Arrow or digikey. Maybe best to replace all new ones out of the box with some good Panasonic or Sony cells.

That’s like saying all car crashes are fault of the car because they all have to do with cars.

While it could be the battery, it is more likely there was a short in the device somewhere that caused the battery to heat up and go into thermal runaway. Going by what Ray also experienced, it seems this was probably the case. These devices must have poor quality control. I have one of these and now want to go home and make sure it isn’t warm.

Thanks for posting this. Curious to see what Lowes does about it.

Wow, I literally just got my first one of these sensors delivered today. I played with it for a few minutes and then put it on the coffee table but now just removed the battery until I get more info. Can you tell us what the battery was? (I know it was not necessarily a faulty battery, nor am I prone to freaking out, but like you the battery is my assumption, and I just bought mine as well so may have the same batch of batteries as you.)

As a data point, the one I just received had a powerone (by Varta) #6206 (https://www.amazon.com/Varta-Professional-Litium-Battery-6206/dp/B000EGSGV0)

I had one a while back try to do this, I suspect it was sensor issue that caused battery failure. If I remember right I was getting weird sensor readings, when I investigated the battery was VERY hot. I removed it and let the sensor sit. Later I put a new battery in and it has worked fine ever since.

I also have had ones that go through batteries quickly. I sent some back 2 others I have converted to USB power.

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It is the standard battery that came with it. Lowe’s is sending me a new one and I need to send this back. I bluntly asked what if this caused major property damage. They said I would have to go thru homeowners insurance. They said it was their TCs. Which I think is bull.

Fidget spinner? Lol

@Tvot84

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/fidget-spinners-exploding-of-course-they-are/

Oh, wow. I guess i was out of the loop on those. I thought all of them were just the cheapos i see at gas stations with 3 bearings in them. I couldn’t figure out how or why they would take batteries. Lol

Not just batteries. Apparently they are bluetooth too lol. Of all the useless ideas…