How long Can Nest Thermostat’s Battery Last?

The Nest thermostat is an exceptional Wi-Fi-enabled smart home device that can help you sustain the internal temperature of your residence. Being an electronic device, this thermostat has one limiting factor: battery life.

So, how long can Nest thermostat’s battery last? What’s the indication of it emptying, and what should you do if it goes bad? Let’s get into the article to clarify all your queries!

What is the battery life of the Nest thermostat?

Nest thermostat’s battery life is more than 10 years. Nest thermostat uses a standard lithium-ion battery which is famous for an extended lifespan when not exposed to harsh conditions such as direct sunlight or water. However, the battery’s capacity is calculated to last 2 hours in case you have a power breakdown.

How long can your Nest thermostat’s battery last in case of a power outage?

Your Nest thermostat’s battery can last for around an hour or two in case of a power outage. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery in your Nest keeps it operational for around 2 hours before the device completely switches off when your power is out.

Keep in mind that your Nest thermostat will no longer be connected to Wi-Fi when it runs out of charging or runs on low battery levels.

How often do you need to charge your Nest thermostat’s battery?

You hardly need to charge your Nest thermostat’s battery, considering that it is wired to your house. The battery keeps charging itself as long as it receives an uninterrupted power supply. In case of a power outage, your Nest thermostat’s battery can stay operational for up to two hours.

How to charge your Nest thermostat’s battery?

Although your Nest thermostat’s battery is being continually charged by the electricity running through your house, at times, you will face low battery issues and will have to charge your Nest thermostat.

I have listed some steps below that will guide you regarding charging your Nest thermostat and determining if there’s any charging issue.

1.     Assess your main power switch

A large number of people have often thought that their Nest thermostat has ceased working while it was their main power switch that caused the real problem.

Either your HVAC system has some operational issues, or it has been accidentally switched off, or maybe a child has fidgeted with it, causing hindrance to its working.

To ensure proper working of your electrical system, look for the power light switch beside your HVAC system; make sure it’s turned on if it was turned off before.

There is also a chance that you’re the 3AMP fuse in your HVAC unit has blown. This could also result in your thermostat not charging.

2.     Withdraw and charge your Nest Thermostat

If your Nest thermostat does not seem to be charging properly on its own or you can’t figure out what is possibly wrong, the best way to revive your thermostat, in this case, is to bring it down from the wall and charge it manually.

To charge your Nest thermostat, all you need to do is to plug in a micro cable in the Nest thermostat’s charging port and plug the charger into your circuit.

3.     Utilize a common wire for Nest thermostat

If you have already checked the power and manually charged your Nest thermostat’s battery by plugging it into the switch, it’s time for you to put your HVAC system to the test.

Place your Nest thermostat back on the wall and look at what happens. If your Nest thermostat reads low power, it means that you need to insert a common wire transformer.

A common wire transformer will efficiently provide electricity to your Nest thermostat if your power supply is not offering enough.

How to insert a common wire transformer in your Nest thermostat

A common wire, also known as C wire, can be easily inserted into your Nest thermostat to provide stable power. I will teach you the easy steps to insert this common wire transformer.

• Open up your Nest thermostat. You will observe 10 different terminals.
• Take your common wire transformer and plug one of the white wires (it doesn’t matter which one) into the RH terminal.
• Take the next white wire and plug it into the C terminal.
• Plug the following wires in these terminals (if you have these wires):
  • Heating wire – W1
  • Cooling wire – Y1
  • Fan wire – G
• Put the thermostat’s cover back on.
• Plug the transformer into a switch.
• Your Nest thermostat will start blinking, indicating charging.

4.     Change your Nest thermostat’s battery

If you have run every single check and still your Nest thermostat’s battery is not charging well, you might need to replace its current battery with a brand new one.

You can easily get a replacement battery from Amazon.

Do Nest thermostat batteries go bad?

No, Nest thermostat batteries do not randomly go bad. However, they might need replacement after 2 years due to constant usage.

The general lifespan of Nest thermostat’s battery is calculated to be around 5-10 years.

How to know if Nest thermostat is fully charged?

The blinking light at the top of your Nest thermostat, which indicates charging, will stop blinking once your thermostat has fully charged. The color of the light tells the level of charging. Nest thermostat takes about 2 hours to fully charge.

How can I check my Nest thermostat’s battery level?

For Nest thermostat

Open up the “Menu” and navigate to “Settings”. Then, select “Battery”. The battery icon will show the charge level.

If you get the status “Very low”, you need to replace your batteries.

For Nest thermostat E or Nest Learning thermostat

Open up “Quick View Menu”, then go to “Settings”. Select “Technical Info”, then select “Power”. You need to then search the number that is labeled “Battery”.  If the battery is 3.6V or lower, then there’s a power issue with your thermostat. Get help at this link.

Related FAQs

Why does my Nest battery keep dying?

Your Nest thermostat’s battery is probably dying due to the absence of a C-wire. There might also be a problem with the HVAC unit’s RH or RC wire. You need to check if your HVAC unit is receiving power or if its fuse has blown out. If so, fix them to solve this issue.

What to do when Nest thermostat says low battery?

If your Nest thermostat says low battery, you need to charge it. If charging doesn’t do the trick, then you need to replace the batteries. Use AAA alkaline batteries.

Can Nest thermostat battery be replaced?

Yes, Nest thermostat’s batteries can easily be replaced.

How do you replace a Nest thermostat’s battery?

You can effortlessly replace your Nest thermostat’s battery by following the steps below:

• Bring the Nest thermostat down from the wall.
• Remove the battery cover.
• Insert the new AAA alkaline batteries.
• Put the thermostat’s battery cover back on after it’s in place.

Wrapping up my thoughts on how long can Nest thermostat’s battery last!

Nest thermostat charges automatically due to being hooked up to the power. However, it might stop charging due to certain issues, as mentioned above. Just keep in mind to go through all the steps to confirm whether the charging issue is with your thermostat, the main power, or the HVAC system.