Philips Hue issues recall for outdoor smart light power supplies
If you use Philips Hue's outdoor lights to light up the outside of your home, it's time to do a safety check.
- 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
The Philips Hue Lily Spotlight is one of several outdoor smart lights on the list of affected devices.
Signify, the lighting company responsible for the Philips Hue line of smart lights, is issuing a recall for the power supply units to several of its outdoor lights and fixtures, citing safety concerns.
"A small number of power supply units may, on occasion, fail due to water ingress, causing a short circuit," said a spokesperson for Philips Hue. "In very rare cases, this could pose a safety risk if touched in wet conditions."
The power supply unit is the brick in the middle here -- if yours was made prior to October of 2019, it might pose an electrocution risk.
The power supply units in question are the ones that came with the starter kits for the following lights, sold between 2018 and 2020:
- Philips Hue Lily spotlights
- Philips Hue Lily XL spotlights
- Philips Hue Calla pathlights
- Philips Hue Calla Large pathlights
- Philips Hue Impress pedestal lights
- Philips Hue Econic pedestal lights
Signify notes that the list does not include the power supply units for Philips Hue's Outdoor Lightstrips, so nothing to worry about if you're using those.
Check the labeling on your power supply unit to see if it's affected (US version on the left, European version on the right). If the "YYWW" number reads 1941 or lower, it's time to seek a replacement.
To find out if your power supply is affected and eligible for replacement, unplug the unit in question and then look for a four-digit production code on its front side. That code is formatted YYWW, with the first two digits representing the year the unit was made, and the second two digits representing the week. All units produced through week 41 of 2019 are affected by the flaw, so if the production code reads "1941" or lower, it's time to seek a replacement.
To do so, you'll need to fill out a form on the Philips Hue website, which you can find by clicking here. Signify will need you to provide that four-digit production code, along with the model number for your device and a picture of the label pictured above. If you need to replace more than three power supply units, Signify asks that you contact it directly.
All of that is obviously irritating, especially given that many people might have buried the power supply in their garden or yard while setting up their lights. A waterproofing failure for a product like that, where waterproofing is essential, is a clear embarrassment for Signify, but credit to the company for taking action to address the problem and prevent injuries.
