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Nest™ Learning Thermostats Home Page Nest™ Heating, Heat Pump, or Air Conditioning Thermostat Installation, Set-up, Use
POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about Nest™ Room Thermostats for Air Conditioners & Heating Systems or heat pumps: thermostat operation, wiring, adjustment & repair procedures
Nest Learning Thermostats used to control heating & cooling systems or whole house humidification systems:
Nest™ learning thermostat home page at InspectApedia.com. This article series describes the Nest™ learning thermostat product series, giving photo-illustrated detailed guides for the mounting, wiring, set-up and use of Nest thermostats.
This article series explains selection, installation, use, setting, and adjustment of Nest Learning Thermostats - heating or cooling system room thermostats or "wall thermostats".
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The Nest™ Learning Thermostat: features, installation, wiring, programming, home automation features
Nest Learning Thermostat Installation & Use Article Series
"The Nest Learning Thermostat" is an electronic device that can control room temperatures and possibly other components connected to or installed as part of a home automation system.
[Click to enlarge any image]
While the installation instructions included with Nest products, including the Nest learning thermostat are clear and easy to follow, and though Nest also provides a for-fee in-home concierge service that will send an expert to install your Nest thermostat for you, still we find that the additional Nest thermostat installation photographs and explanation given in this article series can help an average homeowner move quickly and confidently through the installation procedure.
We have installed three of these in our test building as well as installing Nest thermostats in New York, Chicago, and other cities. In addition to guiding you through Nest thermostat mounting, installation, wiring, and setup we report on ease of installation, programming, and use as well as using and adjusting the Nest thermostat remotely from your cellphone, computer, or tablet.
Photo: the Nest® Learning Thermostat on demonstration display at a Home Depot store in 2013. [Click to enlarge any image]
Adapting data from the Nest™ company's website:
Nest learns your schedule, programs itself and can be controlled from your phone. Teach it well and Nest can lower your heating and cooling bills up to 20%.
[The] Nest [smart room thermostat] works with 95% of 24V heating and cooling systems, including gas, electric, forced air, heat pump, radiant, hot water, solar, and geothermal
and includes these common thermostat control wire connections: Rc, Rh, W1, W2/AUX, Y1, Y2, G, O/B, Common “C”, and also Nest - a connector that can accept one of: W3, E, HUM or DEHUM. [2]
The Nest® Learning Thermostat also communicates wirelessly with Nest's Protect® shown at left, the company's carbon monoxide detector & smoke detector released in 2013 (CO DETECTION OPTIONS).
Really?: this smart thermostat is very appealing but in our OPINION it is a bit pricey at $250./ per thermostat plus $119 for concierge installation of one unit, more-so in buildings with multiple heating zones each of which requires control by an additional individual thermostat. The good news is that most consumers probably don't need to hire a concierge service to install the unit.
Photo above: the Nest Learning Thermostat in programming mode with a red display indicating a programmed temperature and time.
Using a Nest Learning Thermostat for building freeze protection & remote control of heating or cooling
There is no question that the Nest® learning thermostat is a beautiful and clever product.
We purchased the three Nest thermostats that would be required to test and review the product and to try controlling our three heating zoned building temperature by cellphone from another country. We have been testing the performance, reliability, and convenience of the Nest learning thermostat in our lab building since early in 2015 and have found the thermostat reliable, easy to control remotely by smartphone or computer, and an added source of peace of mind when a building is in a freezing climate.
More details about our experience in installing and using the Nest learning thermostat will be reported here. [Article in process]
Separately at NEST CAM INSTALLATION & USE we describe installing and using Nest cams (security cameras) or drop cams for both home security monitoring and for remote monitoring of a building for leaks, loss of heat, water or ice damage, or for intrusion or security issues.
What about the promised savings on home heating costs when a Nest learning thermostat is installed?
Needing three thermostats for the test building we felt that the more than $1100. price will be a stumbling block for some consumers. How long will it take to earn-back the cost of multiple costly thermostats by savings on heating fuel? In our OPINION the promise of a 20% reduction in heating costs is probably an up-to number that will only be reached if you are not already using a programmable room thermostat that permits night and weekend temperature setbacks.
The legal definition of up to in advertising law states roughly that 10% of any product or product installation (not just this one) using the term up to in advertising should meet the up to claim.
However we have found that the convenience of remote control as well as the convenience of making use of the "Away" feature to automagically put all of the building thermostats at their set-back position has indeed led to more consistent temperature set-backs in our building and thus some heating cost saving.
In addition, the ability to check on the building remotely to see what its actual indoor temperature is at any time allowed us to set the away-temperature or set-back temperature to a lower number (50 deg F) than we had courage to try previously.
By watching the actual range of indoor temperature across days of little sun and of very low temperature we can fine-tune the set-back temperature while worrying less about frozen-burst pipes.
If you want to use building temperature sensing or time of day to automagically control additional building components such as programmable LED lighting, the value of the Nest® is increased accordingly.
THERMOSTAT WIRE CONNECTIONS - how to wire up all types and brands of heating & cooling thermostats- how to wire up all types and brands of heating & cooling thermostats
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In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
[1] Proliphix Corporate Headquarters [Website: proliphix.com] , 3 LAN Drive Suite #100, Westford, MA 01886 Phone: +1.978.692.3375 Toll Free (U.S.): 866-IP-LIVING (866.475.4846) Fax: +1.978.692.3378 - Sales: sales@proliphix.com Marketing: marketing@proliphix.com Customer support: support@proliphix.com http://www.proliphix.com/ - quoting from the company's website: All Proliphix Network Thermostats come with our free Uniphy Remote Management Service. This unique offering lets you monitor and control your HVAC systems by simply pointing your Browser to our secure Proliphix Web Site. Enjoy the convenience of programming a thermostat from any location, using a simple graphical interface. No computer equipment or software is required. And since Proliphix takes care of the network configuration for you, you’ll be up and running in no time. We’ll even proactively monitor your thermostats and send you an immediate email or SMS message when an HVAC problem is detected.
[2] "The Nest Learning Thermostat", Nest Thermostat, 900 Hansen Way
Palo Alto, CA 94304, Tel: 855-4MY-NEST, Email: info@nest.com, website http://www.nest.com/, retrieved 1/24/2013.
[3] Honeywell Controls, the company wants you to use their contact form at this web page: http://www51.honeywell.com/honeywell/contact-support/contact-us.html
Honeywell Consumer Products,
39 Old Ridgebury Road Danbury, CT 06810-5110 - (203) 830-7800
World Headquarters, Honeywell International Inc.,
101 Columbia Road,
Morristown, NJ 07962,
Phone: (973) 455-2000,
Fax: (973) 455-4807 1-800-328-5111
[3a] Honeywell Tradeline T87T Universal Thermostat Installation Instructions for the Trained Service Technician", Honeywell International Inc. Honeywell Limited—Honeywell Limitée
1985 Douglas Drive North 35 Dynamic Drive
Golden Valley, MN 55422 Scarborough, Ontario M1V 4Z9, 60-0830—4 G.H. Rev. 8-02, retrieved 12/1/2013 Website: www.honeywell.com
[4] White Rodgers Thermostats and HVAC controls,
Homeowner information: http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/brands/white_rodgers/Pages/wr-homeowner-info.aspx
Contractor information: http://www.emersonclimate.com/en-US/brands/white_rodgers/wr_contractor_info/Pages/white-rodgers-contractor-info.aspx
White Rodgers Product Catalog (don't misspell the company's name as White Rogers Thermostats) -
http://www.emersonclimate.com/Documents/thermostats.pdf - Thermostat Catalog
[5] Domestic Central Heating Wiring Systems and Controls, 2d Ed., Raymond Ward, Newnes, ISBN-10: 0750664363, ISBN-13: 978-0750664363, Quoting from Amazon.com:
This unique A-Z guide to central heating wiring systems provides a comprehensive reference manual for hundreds of items of heating and control equipment, making it an indispensable handbook for electricians and installers across the country. The book provides comprehensive coverage of wiring and technical specifications, and now includes increased coverage of combination boilers, recently developed control features and SEDBUK (Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK) boilers ratings, where known.
In addition to providing concise details of nearly 500 different boilers fuelled by electric, gas, oil and solid fuel, and over 400 programmers and time switches, this invaluable resource also features numerous easy-to-understand wiring diagrams with notes on all definitive systems. Brief component descriptions are provided, along with updated contact and website details for most major manufacturers.
[6] "Automatic Oil Burner Controls - Thermostats", Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, 3rd Ed., Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill, 1969 (and later editions), ASIN B0000EG4Y8
Hunter Fan
2500 Frisco Ave.
Memphis, TN 38114
888-830-1326
www.hunterfan.com
[8] Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
[9] National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
[10] The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
[11] Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
[12] The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
[14] "Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
[15] "Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
[16] Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
[17] Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
[18] Installation Guide for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems
[19] Installation Guide #200, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
[20] The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
[21] Trane TCONT800 Series Touch Screen Programmable Comfort Control Ownes Guide, American Standard, Inc., Troup Highway, Tyler TX 75711, January 2005, Telephone: Customer Service: 1-877-3381, website: www.trane.com
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Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.