Low Percentage Defect Found With Power Cables

Hi, everyone!

We found a small defect issue (so far it has impacted 8 out of 1,000,000 Wyze Cams). While this is a small percentage of our cameras, we understand that the symptoms of this problem can be startling so we wanted to make sure that you have access to information about it. :slight_smile:

There was a small number of Micro USB power cable connectors that had defective pins. These defects resulted in loose and inconsistent contact with the pins of the USB port in the Wyze Cams. When this occurs, the electronic resistance of the connector increases and so does the current going through the connector. As a result, excessive thermal energy is generated through the pins with the heat conducted onto the connector case and the USB port, potentially causing noticeable signs of browning and case material deformation like this:

As of 12/05/2018, 8 total Wyze Cam v1 and Wyze Cam v2 units were reported to have this overheating issue out of 1 million units shipped. Out of these 8 units, one unit was used outdoors with a non-Wyze provided cable. We do believe these are isolated cases and that the vast majority of Wyze Cam power cables do not have this problem.

Our manufacturer has implemented the following measures to address this issue:

  1. Notified the Micro USB connector manufacturer and is working with them to investigate improvement opportunities to reduce the pin defect rate.
  2. Added a 500v high voltage test to ensure the electronic resistance of the cable connector is in spec and that the cable is properly isolated (no electric shock hazard).

Other things you should know:

  1. The cable and Wyze Cam materials are flame retardant, so there will be no fire hazard in the event of overheating.
  2. There is a self-test method. You can verify the integrity of the cable yourself by plugging the Micro USB cable into the unit firmly and keeping the unit on. If the cable connects securely (no wiggling), there should be no potential overheating concern.
  3. Please make sure to use the original Wyze Micro USB cable and power adapter as we cannot guarantee the QC of other cables.
  4. Please restrict the use of Wyze Cam v2 strictly indoors.

We will continue to monitor this situation and will report back if we receive more information. If you perform the self-test and find that your power cable isn’t seating correctly, please let us know immediately so that we can report it to the manufacturer and replace your cable.

Best,

Wyze

7 Likes

Interesting. Thanks for the information. Good to see you stay on top of these things. Other companies may have just replaced the items for those affected and not mentioned it to anyone else.

4 Likes

Good to know. My Wyze cable seemed ok but the camera would become unresponsive after an hour or so. I kept resetting, plugging/unplugging, etc. Finally, I tried a different cable and it works flawlessly. Should I send the original cable back for replacement??

1 Like

You’re welcome! For most defects with this low of an impact rate we probably would have just replaced the products for those affected. But we understand that this is a special case and people would probably prefer to know about it and be able to test it in advance. :slight_smile:

1 Like

rum2coke, this is a defective cable but not the same issue. You should definitely contact us for a replacement. When you fill out the form please include the information you gave me, your shipping information, and the order number from your purchase. :slight_smile:

Done, sent, thanks!

I just had a camera fail and tracking down the issue i found the power adapter wasn’t giving power. I put another adapter in and working fine now. The plug on the adapter looks a little rusty. The adapter and camera are outside but under the roof of a porch. Thoughts?

Wyze Cams are not intended for outdoor use. The outdoor humidity certainly could have rusted the power supply. Not covered under warranty, unfortunately.

2 Likes

2 posts were split to a new topic: Replacement cables

I have a defective cable from a camera I bought at wyze.com 2 years ago. Can I get a replacement cable at no charge

Contact support and ask them about it.