The subsequent issues that come along power outages are unavoidable for every smart homeowner. There isn’t much you can do about it, but having complete knowledge about your devices and how they will perform when the power goes out is definitely helpful.
Relative to other smart devices, a thermostat is quite prominent and when not working can result in unbearably cold, sleepless nights or even worse. Imagine what would happen if negative temperatures outside and unexpectedly your power goes out? This could result in burst pipes or worse! Does the Nest connected thermostat still work with no power?
Yes, it will remain operational all thanks to the battery backup. The Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that keeps it functioning for one to two hours during power outages before it completely shuts down.
However, your Thermostat will no longer be “smart” or connected as long as it’s running on the low battery. There are more issues potentially associated with Nest thermostat that you may encounter; therefore, it’s better to investigate the possible workarounds before you actually need them, so you can tackle these problems without going crazy.
What happens to Nest Thermostat when there’s a power outage?
As mentioned earlier, power outages are inevitable and they can often leave you with little or no options. By being prepared and knowing what you can do to address the situation you can better prepare yourself for these unfortunate situations.
Knowing what all you can expect from a Nest thermostat in the event of power interruptions or outages, will help you have a clear answer of what needs to be done in the given situation.
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The 3rd generation Google Nest Learning Thermostat is a great device for smart home enthusiasts. Despite its advanced functions and overall stellar performance relative to other thermostats on the market, it is rendered useless when there is a power outage.
It does have a battery backup that kicks in when the thermostat loses power, but unfortunately that will not keep it running for very long. Moreover, when running on the backup battery the Nest thermostat gradually loses its smart functions and goes “dumb” eventually.
In simpler terms, these thermostats are only smart when they’re connected to the internet.
In order to prevent the battery from shutting down completely, Nest’s Thermostat program automatically makes certain changes to keep the charge up and running as long as possible. It will take the device offline by initially disabling WiFi connectivity as it quickly drains the battery by constantly looking for a network to connect to.
When the Nest’s power supply gets below 3.6V, it will disconnect the WiFi. You can check the power supply level by navigating to the Settings > Technical Info > Power. Notably, apart from you being not able to operate the thermostat remotely, pretty much all other functions of the thermostat are available. You will just need to operate them locally from the thermostat itself.
When low in charge the Nest Learning thermostat only makes use of the essential resources that are mandatory to keep its services and schedule operational. Ideally, during power outages, the Nest thermostat will only need to function for one to two hours on battery backup.
If you are new to this device and haven’t been in a situation where a thermostat has completely gone out of charge, then you should know that after power restoration it will typically take an hour to charge back up and get back to its proper working state. Once it has a sufficient charging the program will automatically reconnect to your router.
Nest Thermostat and C-wire
If you are aware of the Nest thermostat wiring, you will know what C wire is responsible for and why it’s crucial. But if not here is a quick rundown: a C-wire that is also called “common wire” is a power supply that is essential for a smart thermostat to work properly. It’s a dedicated wire that is responsible for delivering adequate, constant power to your thermostat.
In most cases, Nest thermostats are able to charge their built-in battery using the system’s heating and cooling wires. But if you’re experiencing odd heating or cooling behaviors after installing your Nest thermostat, you may need to connect a common wire that could possibly resolve the issues.
According to the manufacturer, since the power consumption of Google Nest thermostats is so low the C-wire is not necessary for them to stay charged.
However, having a common wire connected to your smart thermostat is usually useful for consistency. As modern thermostats have Wi-Fi activity sensors, backlit displays, and other more power-intensive features, a common wire will help in enabling the continuous flow of power to the thermostat.
If your HVAC system doesn’t have a C-wire, you would be needed to run a new cable from your furnace, A/C unit, or other main HVAC hub to your thermostat. Generally it is not recommended to take this on yourself and in most cases you should consult with or hire a professional electrician.
The good news is that Nest has built an online compatibility checker that you can use to get a better idea of what kind of installation you should expect for a Nest thermostat. This tool will tell you if you will need to install a C-wire.
Don’t solely rely on the battery
If you live in an area where power outages are frequent, or you are generally concerned about your Nest thermostat losing power, you should not rely on its battery life.
Since it can only operate for a short time on the built-in battery backups, usage on the battery backup is not meant for heavy or long-term use. If this is a large concern for you but you still want to have a smart thermostat in your home you should consider investing in an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) or generator that will ensure your peace of mind.
This is a viable and reliable option that’s worth considering if you are going to rely heavily on all the functionality of your smart thermostat. Again this is largely dependent on how frequently your smart home encounters power outages and how long they typically last.
FAQ on Nest Thermostat:
Q.1. Can you replace the battery in the Nest thermostat?
Yes, you can. But this is not recommended as the battery in your Nest thermostat is not officially user-replaceable and may void the warranty. The chances that you will need to replace the battery of your Nest thermostat are pretty slim.
However, if you need to replace the battery of your Nest thermostat, you need to ensure that you go through all of the troubleshooting with first Nest and confirm that the battery has to be replaced. Again keep in mind that doing this nullifies your warranty on the product and increases your chances of permanently damaging the product.
Q.2. Do you have to charge the Nest thermostat?
Under normal circumstances, you don’t have to bother with charging your Nest thermostat. This is because the Nest thermostat keeps its internal battery charged by drawing power from your cooling and heating system wires.
However, in some rare cases, your Nest thermostat’s battery may drain and need charging. If this happens, all you have to do is use the USB port on the back of the product to charge it up. This may take up to two hours to fully recharge.
This video shows how to charge a Nest Thermostat:
Q.3. Does Nest thermostat save money? How much?
Yes. The Nest thermostat can be a big money saver, which makes it an excellent product. In the US, the nest thermostat saves users approximately 15% on cooling bills and 10-12% on heating bills. This helps users save an average of $131 to $145 every year.
Q.4. Can you charge a Nest thermostat with USB?
Yes. If (in the rare case that) your Nest thermostat needs to be charged, then you can do so using USB. If you are using the Nest Thermostat E, 3rd generation Nest Learning Thermostat, or the 2nd generation Nest Learning Thermostat, you will need to use a micro-USB (Micro-B) to USB-A cable. However, if you use a 1st generation Nest Learning Thermostat, you will need to use a mini-USB (Mini-B) to USB-A cable to charge it up.
Conclusion
So it’s time to wrap up this guide, and I hope you’ve got your answer to what you came here looking for.
Any smart home gadget that has any kind of power backup will work in power outages for some time until the battery gets entirely drained. Most importantly, do not confuse the use of the device when running on a battery backup over normal usage when powered on.
Nest thermostats come with a battery backup that’s primarily for keeping its memory saved and preventing its programmed schedule from getting wiped. In emergency conditions, you can make use of the heating/cooling functions, but when not needed you shouldn’t drain its stored charge.
Summing it up, your Nest thermostats will work even when the power goes out. But as the battery gets drained, it will automatically start disconnecting some functionalities such as WiFi connectivity. You should know when smart thermostats lose their internet connection, they simply act like a normal thermostat.
