Emerson thermostats

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No one hurt

   Made Nov 5, 2019 · , sent to the company Nov 26, 2019 · , published by CPSC Dec 11, 2019

   The product, in the report: Emerson thermostat, 1F86U-42WF, macid:346F92024863, date code:1515. Three buttons on the face under the LCD: Mode, Fan, Schedule. Three buttons on the right of the LCD: up arrow, down arrow, Menu. Emerson name and logo above the LCD.

   At approximately 10:30pm pst, a hallway smoke alarm located on the ceiling above the emerson unit, was triggered. Upon investigation the top of the emerson thermostat was on fire. The flame was about 4 to 5 inches high and burned a CO2 detector located above it. The wall has sustained some damage, mostly to the exterior.

   Model

   1F86U-42WF

   Where

   Los Angeles, California: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 55, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Emerson thermostat, made or sold by WHITE-RODGERS

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

2. No one hurt

   Made Jan 12, 2019 · , sent to the company Feb 26, 2019 · , published by CPSC Mar 13, 2019

   The product, in the report: I have an Emerson Sensi Wifi thermostat purchased in 2015. I received the following email: from: Sensi Support sensirecall@realtimeresults.net via [REDACTED] Thu, Dec 20, 2018, 10:24 AM IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE White-Rodgers Announces Voluntary Corrective Action on Emerson-Branded Sensi WiFi Thermostats December 12, 2018 Our records indicate you have an Emerson-branded Sensi Wi-Fi thermostat. In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, White-Rodgers is implementing a corrective action plan that affects a limited number of those thermostats. The affected thermostats are vulnerable to damage during service or replacement of your heating or cooling system. Accidental contact between the thermostat wires and line voltage by a service person can damage the thermostat and create a potential fire hazard, which can occur several days later. Identifying an affected Thermostat Potentially affected thermostats have “Emerson” printed on the front. Thermostats with “Sensi” printed on the front are not affected. This corrective action involves model 1F86U-42WF and UP500W thermostats that have date codes from 1416 to 1536 AND are powered by a wire connected to the C terminal on the thermostat base plate. Here’s a step-by-step guide to determine if your thermostat is affected. Step 1: Remove your thermostat from the wall by pulling the thermostat straight toward you; the back plate will remain attached to the wall. Step 2: Check the product label located in the upper left of the backside of the thermostat for the model number and date code. Model numbers 1F86U-42WF and UP500W with date codes from 1416 to 1536 might be impacted. o If the product label indicates a different model number or date code outside of this range, no further action is required. o If the product label indicates either of these model numbers AND a date code within this range, please proceed to the next step. Step 3: Check to see if you have a wire connected to the terminal labeled “C” on base plate on the wall. o If there is no wire connected to the terminal labeled “C”, no further action is required. o If there is a wire connected to the terminal labeled “C”, please proceed to the next step. Step 4: Register your thermostat with White-Rodgers by visiting www.recallrtr.com/emersonthermostat or by calling 1-888-847-8742 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday. Step 5: Locate the pin labeled C at the bottom right on the backside of the thermostat. Bend the pin down to a 90-degree angle. For additional guidance and a demo, please watch a video at [REDACTED]. Step 6: Place the thermostat back on the base plate on the wall and continue to use your thermostat. If you have any questions, please call 1-888-847-8742 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday. This completes the corrective action for most customers. In most installations, a connection to the C terminal is not necessary because your Sensi thermostat will still receive power from the heating/cooling system using the patented “power-sharing” feature in the Sensi. The function of your thermostat should not be impacted, and there is no need to reprogram it. If your thermostat is connected to Wi-Fi and your system has only heating or only cooling, or if you begin to experience shortened battery life, please contact White-Rodgers for assistance. This corrective action will disable the continuous backlight feature of the Sensi thermostat. If you use this feature and wish to continue doing so, please contact White-Rodgers for further information. To contact White-Rodgers, call 1-888-847-8742 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday or visit www.recallrtr.com/emersonthermostat. If you have already registered and completed the corrective action, no further action on your part is required ----------------------------- (end of email, pictures did not copy into this) ------- I performed the instructions. After bending the pin corresponding to the C-wire, the thermostat would no longer fire heat when called upon, after increasing the heat and waiting several minutes. I bent the pin back carefully and was able to restore functionality to the thermostat, but presumably whatever fire hazard was now a possibility. I wrote to the company, ending in a decision to buy another product, which is now installed and working, after the company could not explain what was happening, and would not reimburse me for the purchase from 2015. I wrote that I can not trust a company to give me another thermostat under the circumstances: the disclosed instructions rendered my thermostat inoperable. How can I trust anything this company puts out? I want reimbursement for the product. Someone from Emerson wrote that they would forward this request for reimbursement but never got back to me with information confirming that this would happen. At this point they are not responding to my email after a weeks passing.

   I have an Emerson Sensi Wifi thermostat purchased in 2015. I received the following email:

   from: Sensi Support sensirecall@realtimeresults.net via [REDACTED] Thu, Dec 20, 2018, 10:24 AM

   IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE

   White-Rodgers Announces Voluntary Corrective Action on Emerson-Branded Sensi WiFi Thermostats

   December 12, 2018

   Our records indicate you have an Emerson-branded Sensi Wi-Fi thermostat. In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, White-Rodgers is implementing a corrective action plan that affects a limited number of those thermostats.

   The affected thermostats are vulnerable to damage during service or replacement of your heating or cooling system. Accidental contact between the thermostat wires and line voltage by a service person can damage the thermostat and create a potential fire hazard, which can occur several days later.

   Identifying an affected Thermostat

   Potentially affected thermostats have “Emerson” printed on the front. Thermostats with “Sensi” printed on the front are not affected. This corrective action involves model 1F86U-42WF and UP500W thermostats that have date codes from 1416 to 1536 AND are powered by a wire connected to the C terminal on the thermostat base plate.

   Here’s a step-by-step guide to determine if your thermostat is affected.

   Step 1: Remove your thermostat from the wall by pulling the thermostat straight toward you; the back plate will remain attached to the wall.

   Step 2: Check the product label located in the upper left of the backside of the thermostat for the model number and date code. Model numbers 1F86U-42WF and UP500W with date codes from 1416 to 1536 might be impacted.

   o If the product label indicates a different model number or date code outside of this range, no further action is required.

   o If the product label indicates either of these model numbers AND a date code within this range, please proceed to the next step.

   Step 3: Check to see if you have a wire connected to the terminal labeled “C” on base plate on the wall.

   o If there is no wire connected to the terminal labeled “C”, no further action is required.

   o If there is a wire connected to the terminal labeled “C”, please proceed to the next step.

   Step 4: Register your thermostat with White-Rodgers by visiting www.recallrtr.com/emersonthermostat or by calling 1-888-847-8742 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday.

   Step 5: Locate the pin labeled C at the bottom right on the backside of the thermostat. Bend the pin down to a 90-degree angle. For additional guidance and a demo, please watch a video at [REDACTED].

   Step 6: Place the thermostat back on the base plate on the wall and continue to use your thermostat.

   If you have any questions, please call 1-888-847-8742 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday.

   This completes the corrective action for most customers. In most installations, a connection to the C terminal is not necessary because your Sensi thermostat will still receive power from the heating/cooling system using the patented “power-sharing” feature in the Sensi. The function of your thermostat should not be impacted, and there is no need to reprogram it.

   If your thermostat is connected to Wi-Fi and your system has only heating or only cooling, or if you begin to experience shortened battery life, please contact White-Rodgers for assistance.

   This corrective action will disable the continuous backlight feature of the Sensi thermostat. If you use this feature and wish to continue doing so, please contact White-Rodgers for further information.

   To contact White-Rodgers, call 1-888-847-8742 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday or visit www.recallrtr.com/emersonthermostat.

   If you have already registered and completed the corrective action, no further action on your part is required ----------------------------- (end of email, pictures did not copy into this) -------

   I performed the instructions. After bending the pin corresponding to the C-wire, the thermostat would no longer fire heat when called upon, after increasing the heat and waiting several minutes. I bent the pin back carefully and was able to restore functionality to the thermostat, but presumably whatever fire hazard was now a possibility. I wrote to the company, ending in a decision to buy another product, which is now installed and working, after the company could not explain what was happening, and would not reimburse me for the purchase from 2015.

   I wrote that I can not trust a company to give me another thermostat under the circumstances: the disclosed instructions rendered my thermostat inoperable. How can I trust anything this company puts out? I want reimbursement for the product.

   Someone from Emerson wrote that they would forward this request for reimbursement but never got back to me with information confirming that this would happen.

   At this point they are not responding to my email after a weeks passing.

   Model

   UP500W

   Serial number

   346F92029F5B

   Bought from

   Home Depot, Wisconsin

   Bought

   Dec 15, 2015, about then

   Where

   MADISON, Wisconsin: Mobile/Manufactured Home

   Who was involved

   Unknown

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Unspecified

   As this report names them

   Brand Emerson Sensi, made or sold by WHITE-RODGERS

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

3. No incident, no one hurt

   Made Dec 12, 2018 · , sent to the company Dec 20, 2018 · , published by CPSC Feb 7, 2019

   The product, in the report: Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat 1F86U-42WF for Smart Home, Works with [REDACTED]

   Contact between the thermostat wires and household line voltage can damage the thermostat, posing a fire hazard.

   Model

   Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat 1F86U-42WF for Smart Home, Wo

   UPC

   B00HHE60CE

   Serial number

   42wfb111z02136

   Bought from

   Amazon

   Bought

   Jun 3, 2016

   Where

   North Fort Myers, Florida: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Unknown

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Unspecified

   As this report names them

   Brand Emerson, made or sold by WHITE-RODGERS

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   No Incident, No Injury

4. No one hurt

   Made Oct 17, 2017 · , sent to the company Feb 22, 2018 · , published by CPSC Mar 15, 2018

   The product, in the report: Emerson heating/cooling thermostat

   We have had an Emerson heating/cooling thermostat in our home for several years. On Sunday, Oct.15, we came home after dinner at a restaurant and noticed an odd smell in the house. My husband checked the thermostat & it seemed to be working fine in the heating mode. About 40 minutes later, our smoke detector went off. I didn’t have the oven on and when I went into the dining room I saw fire/flames shooting up the wall from the thermostat. I grabbed a kitchen towel off the stove & smothered the flames & my husband pulled the thermostat off the wall. We called the local fire department to come out & check for fire in the wall & everything was OK. They took a picture of the thermostat and they called us later to say they had found a recall notice for it. We never registered our thermostat so we didn’t get a recall notice. I have included a picture of the thermostat. We had a new Honeywell thermostat installed today after spending a chilly night in the house.

   Model

   Unable to determine

   UPC

   see above

   Serial number

   see above

   Bought from

   Installed by AC installer, Michigan

   Bought

   May 17, 2010, about then

   Where

   Muskegon, Michigan: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 70, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Emerson, made or sold by EMERSON ELECTRIC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

5. No one hurt

   Made Apr 19, 2012 · , sent to the company Apr 27, 2012 · , published by CPSC May 11, 2012

   The product, in the report: Emerson thermostat model 1A65-604 (ELV-165)

   Emerson thermostat, model 1A65-604 (ELV-165) in our home caught fire. Fortunately we were at home and this occurred in the middle of the day. We smelled the smoke and were able to cut the power to the defective unit promptly before the situation got worse. We have replaced it and the other identical units in our home with another brand of thermostats.

   Model

   Emerson thermostat 1A65-604 (ELV-165)

   Bought from

   ?

   Bought

   Jan 1, 1992, about then

   Where

   Big Horn, Wyoming: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 64, Female

   The reporter’s relation to them

   My Spouse

   As this report names them

   Brand Emerson, made or sold by EMERSON ELECTRIC

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources