Acumen remote - batteries expanded, whole thing is distorted

[gmsmg]

Almost exactly a year ago, I replaced a fireplace remote with a new one by Acumen. It was professionally installed. I noted that it shuts itself down after 7 or 8 hours and discovered this was how it was intended to work. Recently, it has been shutting down after only a couple of hours, and then doing so twice and not turning back on. I called the installer who said to change the batteries. I didn't even look at it, because I know how it works when it needs new batteries, and this wasn't it. I stupidly continued to use it. Finally last night, it happened again and I decided to change the batteries, upon which I discovered that the batteries were bulging out of the back of the receiver, I couldn't open the battery compartment, and the whole thing looked distorted by heat. Pretty alarming! I was afraid to mess with it too much and had trouble disconnecting it from whatever the piece is that it is connected to, so I turned off the pilot light, because honestly I was afraid to go to sleep leaving it as it was.

I can't find any info about a warranty, and am going to call the store, but I suspect they will offer to charge me a couple hundred for a service call and for a new machine. Does anyone have contact info for Hearth, which apparently owns Acumen? I tried searching online, but got nowhere.

Final weird question: a few months ago, I noticed that all of the fake logs had moved. These things hadn't budged an inch in eight years. They sort of fell over. This fireplace is in a formerly working wood fireplace with a real chimney that is vented. Could it really be wind? Or was there something more ominous in terms of the gas going on? Thank you!

pics attached

 

[begreen]

Sounds like a warranty issue and a potential fire hazard. Get it to a very safe location where there are no combustibles nearby. A metal garbage can or bucket with sand in it would work.

 

[gmsmg]

Sounds like a warranty issue and a potential fire hazard. Get it to a very safe location where there are no combustibles nearby. A metal garbage can or bucket with sand in it would work.

I just got the service person and they are replacing it under warranty and said there are all kinds of safety fail safes. I would happily disconnect it and put it where ever, but it is plugged in at the bottom of the other piece, which is hard to lift up and it didn't come right out ... I'm afraid to force it. I did turn off the pilot light.