Wasted $150 on a cheap wireless panel last month

Installed a no-name wireless alarm panel from Amazon in a client's house, and the battery backup died after just 3 months. Had to tear it out and put in a proper wired panel for free since I felt bad. Anyone else get burned by cheap gear that looked too good to be true?

2 comments

2 Comments

hayden1441mo ago

Those Amazon panels are basically glorified doorbells with a siren slapped on. The cheap lithium cells they cram in there are notorious for swelling up and dying within months, especially if the house has any humidity swings.

alice_hart1mo ago

One of my buddies had that exact same thing happen with a panel he got off some random site. The battery puffed up so bad it popped the casing right off the back and he had to scrape out this gooey mess from the wall. Cheap lithium cells are a nightmare, especially when the house gets damp or hot.