By Sam Holland, co-founder of informal
Why this crossed our desks: We frequently work with clients who have high-tech products that need to be waterproof. Waterproofing a device that is wired and full of expensive electronics is no easy task, which is what motivated us to take a peek at the inner workings of the Wyze Video Doorbell.
We wanted to scope it out from a mechanical and electrical POV, to see what clever, interesting, or unusual design choices were made. Throughout this teardown, whenever we come across something cool, we ask: Why did they decide to do this? What are the pros and cons of this approach? Do we agree with their rationale?
For our fellow engineers and product designers reading along, we hope you find our approach insightful. Let us know what product you think we should teardown next!
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So far, nothing too fancy! Wyze uses white rubber plugs (1) to cover up the screw holes on the rear of the doorbell. This is good for both the appearance and IP rating of the device.
The rear housing has two snap hooks (2) that engage with the front housing, and six thread-forming screws (3) to hold it all together.
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OK, things start to get interesting here. Let’s dive in:
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Removing the black plastic cap reveals an opening (1). This geometry is designed to help hang the doorbell on a metal hook feature.
The ideal shape for this feature is shown in the second image (2), but it can’t be injection-molded.
Instead, they use a shutoff* and cover the gap on the top with a black plastic part, as seen in the third image (3). The black plastic part (4) seems to be cut from flat stock, so it’s cheap to make. Assembly issues causing water leaking here are a concern.
** A shutoff is an injection-molding technique used to prevent something called “undercuts,” features that can prevent the plastic part from being able to get removed from the injection mold.*
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On the bottom side of the rear housing, there are two metal inserts that are captured in the plastic (1). These metal inserts are threaded on the other side, and they screw into the wires for the doorbell (2).
There are two spring-loaded “pogo pins,” which are electrically conductive, soldered to the power PCBA (3). When assembled, these pogo pins make contact with the inserts and are compressed slightly (4).
This is a great way to electrically connect something and keep it waterproof and easy to assemble!
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The front housing of the device has a glossy label adhered to it, as well as a black camera housing (1). Let’s rip it apart! (You can see some damage and cuts from our teardown. Note to self: Take pictures first next time!)
The backside of the label is covered in black adhesive to prevent light leakage and adhere it to the front housing. The area around the Wyze logo (2) and bell icon (3) are missing this adhesive, allowing light to pass through from the LEDs on the power PCBA (4 and 5) Neat!
A rubber membrane creates a larger button area under the doorbell and helps with water sealing (6).
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The inside of the front housing is a standard issue mix of screw bosses (1), ribs (2), PCBA alignment pins (3), and holes with a few cool little treats.
The Wi-Fi antenna (4) is adhered to the side of the housing and plugs into the main PCBA. Antenna position is critical, and small alignment features on the housing ensure proper position. A flex PCB is used to create another antenna (5) for the Wyze chime doorbell, and connects to the power PCBA using a spring finger and an exposed metal surface.
A Gore-Tex mesh and rubber gasket (6) help seal the speaker from water ingress, and a lip around the perimeter of the housing (7) seals against the O-ring on the rear housing. Snap hooks (8) help hold the housings together.
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