Remotely Disturbing

 

A few weeks ago the wife bought these electric candles that run on batteries. They work via a remote that allows her to turn them on and off, set a timer, etcetera. 

Earlier this week she told me in jest she thought our house was haunted. She claimed she candles were coming on at random. Behind her back I scoffed at the notion. 

Alas, I was plopped on one couch and noticed the candles were on. I did not turn them on. The wife was upstairs. WTH?

I turned the candlesticks off and went back to whatever nonsense I was watching on the television.  The next time I looked the candles were back on. 

Challenge accepted.  

I won't bore you with the details beyond confirming without a doubt there is no ghost. There is, however, a Vizio soundbar. Every time we turn down the TV, the candles go on. Volume up does nothing, only volume down. And yes, as confirmation the "on" button for the candles turns down the soundbar.  

I tried the remote that came with the speaker. It turns on the candles. I tried an old Comcast remote we used to use. You guessed it, down volume turns on the candlestick.  Short of scrapping the candles or buying a new soundbar (my vote since I'll convince the wife's a new soundbar can only work with a new TV), we are just going to have to turn off the candle every time we turn down the TV, otherwise we better buy stock in AAA batteries.