321,360 Cameras. 6 Fires. Wyze’s Instructions Caused Both.

Wyze Labs has recalled approximately 321,360 Solar Cam Pan security cameras in the United States after incorrect installation instructions caused users to accidentally pierce the lithium-ion battery’s metal casing.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission confirmed the recall, citing 13 reports of overheating, 6 incidents involving explosions and fires, and 6 reports of minor burns. The recall applies to cameras purchased on or before April 3, 2026.

If you have a Wyze Solar Cam Pan sitting on your fence, your roofline, or your garage — stop using it today. Not “when you get a chance.” Today.

The hazard here is not subtle. When the battery casing is pierced, the lithium-ion cell can rapidly overheat in a process called thermal runaway. That’s the same mechanism behind hoverboard fires, e-bike fires, and the laptop recalls that made airline passengers nervous for years.

A punctured lithium-ion battery doesn’t smolder — it can ignite fast, and it can do it inside your home or attached to your house.

How a Screw Became a Fire Hazard

The cause of this recall is specific and worth understanding: Wyze’s installation instructions directed users to attach the solar panel bracket to the top of the camera using a long flat-head wood screw. That screw, driven in as instructed, could punch through the camera housing and directly into the lithium-ion battery’s metal casing.

This is a manufacturing and documentation failure, not user error. The people who followed the instructions exactly are the ones now sitting on a potential fire hazard. (Truly, a special kind of achievement.) The CPSC recall notice confirms that affected cameras carry the model number WYZESCPWH, printed on the back of the device.

The cameras were sold at a wide range of retailers:

• Home Depot
• Best Buy
• Amazon
• Temu
• Micro Center
• Wyze’s own website
• B2B Renew, Inc.
• ReturnPro

2,560 additional units were sold in Canada. If you bought a Wyze Solar Cam Pan anywhere before April 3, 2026, assume you’re affected until you verify otherwise.

The Gap Between ‘Recall Announced’ and ‘You Actually Hear About It’

Here’s the part that doesn’t make the press release: Recalls only work if the people who own the product find out about them. Wyze sold these cameras through eight different retail channels — many of them to buyers who created no account, registered no product, and will receive no direct notification.

The CPSC maintains a public recall database, and Wyze has set up a recall page. But the burden of discovery falls almost entirely on the consumer. If you bought this camera as a gift, if you bought it secondhand, if you bought it on Temu and never created an account — nobody is coming to tell you. The recall announcement goes out; the camera stays on your wall.

This gap is where injuries happen. The 6 burn reports already on file with the CPSC represent people who were using the camera before the recall was announced. The question is how many more are still using it right now because they haven’t seen the news.

Lithium-ion battery recalls have a documented pattern: The headline runs for a day or two, a fraction of owners respond, and the rest of the units stay in service.

Industry data on product recalls consistently shows response rates below 30% for consumer electronics — meaning with 321,360 cameras in circulation, more than 224,000 units may still be in use. That math is uncomfortable.

What to Do Right Now — Step by Step

Don’t wait for Wyze to contact you. Here’s the full process:

1. Check your camera’s model number. Look on the back of the device for WYZESCPWH. If that’s what you see, you have a recalled unit.
2. Stop using it immediately if you attached the solar panel bracket using the long flat-head wood screw. If you’re not sure which screw you used, Wyze has published a step-by-step identification guide. Select the screw identification link. Check it before doing anything else.
3. Do not just unplug it and put it in a drawer. A damaged lithium-ion battery can still be a fire risk even when the device is powered off. Wyze’s instructions require you to drain the battery fully before disposal, a process that takes up to 48 hours and involves downloading a specific firmware first.
4. Fill out the recall form. You’ll need to provide basic information to verify and process your claim. Wyze says you can participate even without a receipt.
5. Choose your remedy. Wyze is offering three options:  A free replacement camera with a solar panel accessory, a full refund, or a gift card for the original purchase price.
6. Dispose of the recalled camera according to your local and state regulations for lithium-ion batteries. Do not put it in the household trash.

One important note: Once you go through the recall process, Wyze will push firmware that permanently disables the camera, even if your unit happened to use the correct screw. That’s the tradeoff for participating. The camera becomes a brick, and you get a replacement or refund.

If You’ve Already Had a Problem

If your Wyze Solar Cam Pan has already overheated, smoked, caught fire, or caused property damage or injury, you have options beyond the recall replacement. A product recall does not extinguish your right to seek compensation for harm that already occurred. The CPSC recall notice and the documented incident reports create a paper trail that supports personal injury or property damage claims.

Report any incident to the CPSC directly at SaferProducts.gov. Document everything — photos of the damage, photos of the camera, your purchase records, any medical treatment. That documentation matters whether you pursue a claim independently or as part of any future litigation.

If you experienced property damage, get a written estimate from a contractor before any repairs — insurers and attorneys both require pre-repair documentation to establish loss value.

The recall is the minimum. It gets the dangerous product out of circulation and gets you a replacement. It doesn’t compensate you for a burned deck, a damaged roof, or a trip to urgent care. If that’s where you are, the recall form is step one — not the finish line.

If your Wyze Solar Cam Pan overheated, caught fire, or caused injury or property damage, report it to the CPSC or tell us what happened.

Written by: Companies Behaving Badly

The team behind it all.