NEST - who's had it installed?

RickMoney

Hi,

I'm starting to see the email on NEST come through, some from a well known DIY chain too. Has anyone got this installed?

I was looking at a heating control system for our home as part of a renovation and NEST looks interesting. Mainly for what I imagine they can do with it in future. However, it doesn't look very fluid for use in various rooms such as Evohome from Honeywell.

I understand you can install hive's in each room but it seems very complicated for it.

Welcome anyones feedback on this, particularly if you have installed multiple ones.

Rick

page3

Installed it myself last week, to replace a Honeywell CM927 wireless thermostat. Took less than 30 minutes including setup, which was flawless.

Works in pretty much the same way as most wireless thermostats (base unit connects to timer/boiler and wirelessly connects to the thermostat). The Nest Thermo does need power (USB) so cannot just be plonked on the wall, unless it is replacing an old wired unit.

The thermostat itself is very well made. It really does feel like a premium product. This may, or may not be important to you - but I really like not having a square white piece of plastic on my wall.

Functionality is excellent. The screen really is fantastic and a real improvement on the usual LCD.

Learning of my schedule seems to be going well, although early days.

Phone App is good and allows control as you would expect.

I also have SkyLark App installed on my phone, which adds GeoFencing as per the Tado rival.

Also there is a Apache/PHP API if you are in to that sort of thing.

So far, so impressed.

m22kk56_2

Hi

I had mine installed today. I'm getting it un-installed and refunded tomorrow.

My home is two years old, with a Danfoss RET230P wall mounted thermostat connected to the mains. I wanted to replace this with the NEST system and paid for it through their website (including their installation)

Unfortunately after the installer had left I started getting low power warnings. I spent 2 hours on the phone to their support before we finally worked out that NEST is not compatible with the voltage. My Danfoss ran on 2.5 volts whereas NEST requires at least 12 volts.

So essentially the NEST system is not compatible as a replacement wall thermostat and this will be the case for a substantial proportion of homes in the UK. Very disappointing as it is a fabulous looking product....

page3

Do you mean the HeatLink or thermostat?

The HeatLink runs on mains voltage where as the thermostat runs either from the HeatLink (wired) or using the supplied USB power adapter.

I guess Nest support know what they are talking about, but sounds a bit odd.

m22kk56_2

Thermostat needs 12v if you want it to communicate wirelessly with Heatlink. I don't want a long cable run from heatlink to thermostat nor did I want to have it plugged in via USB with more visible cable.

I will not be alone in buying Nest to replace my mains connected thermostat only to find out it can't actually run the way it is advertised.

I would only suggest buying Nest if you are happy to have it permanently plugged in to mains socket via usb

page3

m22kk56 wrote: »

I would only suggest buying Nest if you are happy to have it permanently plugged in to mains socket via usb

This is how I have it, and how I expected it to be. I knew it couldn't run on batteries like my old Honeywell thermostat and I didn't have cabling to any old thermostat.

For me, it works really well as I prefer the thermostat to be in the living room, not the hallway. Especially as it's a good place for the motion detector to work well.

The advertising seems quite clear on this, to me at least.

Hope you get it returned and replaced with something better for you - I've heard Tado is good as is Hive, although the latter isn't as 'clever'

RickMoney

Would it not be possible to have an electrician wire something in the wall so it's like a USB to mains?

Obviously no good if your replacing a thermostat but if its a new build?

m22kk56_2

Yes an electrician could do that. Shame Nest certified installer can't (or won't)

What had annoyed me is how Nest do not do enough on their website to help inform customers on what is and what is not possible. I have referred them to ASA on the basis that I feel the info on the site is wrong or misleading. It doesn't state anywhere that a wireless link between thermostat and heat link may not be possible if choosing to replace a mains themostat.

MillicentBystander

Tado seems to be a far more advanced system but I guess the time Nest's founder spent at Apple taught him visuals are everything when it comes to sucking in the punters.....


http://www.tado.com/gb/

neothermic

I read the Nest website through before buying mine, as a result I wasn't shocked and appalled when it didn't do things it's not supposed to do.

It's my understanding that a VAST majority of UK heating systems are 230v switched at the thermostat. Their website and documentation clearly explain that it's not a drop in replacement - you add the heat link at the boiler/valve end of things, then either plug in the nest with it's supplied mains adapter (which comes with cable management stuff included) or use the old thermostat cables to run LV power to the Nest on the wall (power supplied by the heat link).
The same cables are also used for communication as a backup to the wireless network (which, by the way, is proprietary, invisible, and nothing to do with your own Wifi, before people start thinking it stops working if your internet goes down..)

It's not complicated, it's actually remarkably well thought through considering they could very easily have simply said "Your old cables are useless, Nest is wireless, plug it in". It also allows for much more flexibility - if your old thermostat was in a stupid place (I've seen them in airing cupboards, kitchens, conservatories..) You can move it, without any rewiring necessary. Just terminate the old one and don't use the wiring.

The learning is fast, and if taught well very intelligent. If you can't be bothered to teach it, program a schedule - there are about 4 different ways to do it and all of them are easy and simple.
Auto away is great for saving - the only con so far with this is that thermostats and protect alarms talk to each other to co-ordinate Away status. Personally I want particular zones to have their own Away/home statuses, and it doesn't work this way.(Chances are this is fine for most people anyway) No bother though, I can easily set the zone i'm avoiding to "OFF" instead. It's one push to turn it back on and the frost-stat function never turns off.

True radiant accurately learns the response time of my system for each zone, and 'pre-heats' to reach target temperatures on time (took a bit of effort to get into the habit of setting the schedule for when i wanted it, rather than pre-empting everything as you would with a 'dumb' thermostat)

The remote control via web app/mobile app can be a little temperamental, but overall it's fine and easy. Oh, and it even corrects the temperature if it detects it's in direct sunlight.

I installed my own (x3) with no problems, though I would obviously recommend a certified install even though there's not a lot for them to get wrong - Mains voltage deserves respect.

All in all, I find it very hard to fault it. It's expensive, but you get what you pay for in a clean neat package that anyone can use without instructions.

Jonesya

Before they launched I was all set to buy one as much for cosmetics as it would look cool mounted in the hall and the smart-phone control looked impressive.

Having found I can't mount it in place of the existing thermostat without rewiring the heating system, or channeling out the wall and that I still need to keep/set/adjust my existing programmer for the hot water, it simply isn't worth the hassle and cost for minimal benefit.

It needs hot water control adding to the heat-link box and the thermostat needs to run off 240V so you can mount it where the old thermostat went.