12 Messages
Stripped Security Screw
Needed to reset the doorbell, and to do that one must push the button on the back, difficult to do if the security screw (that uses the small Torx driver) is stripped!
Reached out to Simplisafe by phone and e-mail and also to the forums and never got a workable answer. Perhaps they are concerned about liability and legal issues. The suggested solution was to go to Lowes and Home Depot and ask for help (and the folks I talked to there, although nice, didn't have a fix.)
I did find that this has happened to many others, and not only with the SImplisafe doorbell. I found these two answers on the RIng forums:
1) Knock it off with a rubber mallet and hope for the best.
2) Drill it out.
Not being mechanically inclined (a nice way of saying I'm sure there are more elegant ways of doing this!), I took a Dremel at 30Krpm and a 1/16" carbide tipped drill bit and just drilled straight up the stripped Torx screw from the bottom while it was mounted on the wall. USE EYE PROTECTION!!! I got lucky and the whole screw and casing just fell out, fixing the problem. (I didn't try a rubber mallet since I was pretty sure something would break.) (I tried rubber bands, larger drivers, and a bunch of other tips on the web for removing stripped screws and none worked prior to the Dremel.)
Lessons for the future:
1) Be EXTREMELY careful when using the Torx driver with your SImplisafe doorbell; the metal of the screw is very soft and strips easily.
2) Perhaps Simplisafe can task one of their mechanical engineers to sourcing a higher quality screw that is more resistant to stripping. I know nothing of metallurgy, but I doubt it would add that much to the cost.
Hope this helps someone!
Reached out to Simplisafe by phone and e-mail and also to the forums and never got a workable answer. Perhaps they are concerned about liability and legal issues. The suggested solution was to go to Lowes and Home Depot and ask for help (and the folks I talked to there, although nice, didn't have a fix.)
I did find that this has happened to many others, and not only with the SImplisafe doorbell. I found these two answers on the RIng forums:
1) Knock it off with a rubber mallet and hope for the best.
2) Drill it out.
Not being mechanically inclined (a nice way of saying I'm sure there are more elegant ways of doing this!), I took a Dremel at 30Krpm and a 1/16" carbide tipped drill bit and just drilled straight up the stripped Torx screw from the bottom while it was mounted on the wall. USE EYE PROTECTION!!! I got lucky and the whole screw and casing just fell out, fixing the problem. (I didn't try a rubber mallet since I was pretty sure something would break.) (I tried rubber bands, larger drivers, and a bunch of other tips on the web for removing stripped screws and none worked prior to the Dremel.)
Lessons for the future:
1) Be EXTREMELY careful when using the Torx driver with your SImplisafe doorbell; the metal of the screw is very soft and strips easily.
2) Perhaps Simplisafe can task one of their mechanical engineers to sourcing a higher quality screw that is more resistant to stripping. I know nothing of metallurgy, but I doubt it would add that much to the cost.
Hope this helps someone!
ldschult
1 Message
2 years ago
As helpful as this was... It wasn't haha. Thank you confirming my same problem, good luck everyone else with our same problem.
I got a new router and changed my wifi name and pass, but I'm seeing as the non breaking fix is to rename my router to the preloaded name and pass, so I don't need to remove, break, or damage the doorbell
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davidwillat
1 Message
2 years ago
@ldschult could you explain how to do this? I got a new wifi-a 2.4 and cannot seem to get the doorbell back online. The Simplisafe help person said that, unless the white light is flashing, there was nothing I could do.
Thanks
dave
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jissac
2 Messages
2 years ago
July 2022 and it's still a problem. Guess I'll go get myself a drill bit!!!
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jhdeleon
2 Messages
2 years ago
Is it getting power from the doorbell chime inside the house? The transformer might need to be replaced.
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arian_631783
2 Messages
2 years ago
Feb 2023, still a problem. Going to Home Depot to buy a Dremel. :smh:
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jhdeleon
2 Messages
2 years ago
It’s just supposed to be hand tightened.
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Nana
3 Messages
1 year ago
3 years later, same problem. Fortunately they sent me a replacement. Unfortunately the replacement's screw wouldn't go in and now they are sending another replacement. 😕
(edited)
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leanch823
6 Messages
6 months ago
Same issue here and they were not helpful at all.. big shock.. nothing has worked right with my system since buying it. Anyone else have the base reset all your settings all the time, but when trying to replace the base.. be told by simply safe that it's fine because they don't see any errors so I must be mistaken?
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jissac
2 Messages
6 months ago
My system hasn't worked since last July. Several calls to support and several "escalation" assistance with same results. Cameras no longer pair or connect and constantly receiving alerts from "obviously" someone else's account has left me with deleting the the app. Now my base serves only as an expensive door opener sound alert. I've considered buying a new base but maybe waiting until the next edition. Maybe forget about Simplisafe altogether. Loved it when it worked but disappointed that they couldn't figure out how to fix it.
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battle24
2 Messages
1 month ago
Having the same issue. Stripped screw, called in and was told nothing they can do accept send a screw. Read some where that another user used glue gun or superglue to get it out.
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dlpsr
1.2K Messages
1 month ago
Maybe a tiny squirt of Wd-40 in the hole at the threads before starting, try the t5 screwdriver again first.
Then if no luck;
Besides drilling it with a Dremel or something, you could try a t6 torx, counterclockwise and apply some upward force for bite.
Or a regular straight blade with a tip small enough to fit the torx stripped hole but not botton out, tap it tiny bit to help bite in and again applying some upward force try to get it moving out.
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