Nest Blinking Green Light (What does it mean?)
If your Nest Thermostat has a blinking green light
at the top of the device, this means it is updating the software.
Any smart thermostat like the Nest requires frequent software updates
to keep device updated. Google is has be frequently improving its products and
patching any security flaws.
If your thermostat has been flashing green for more than 15
minutes, you could have an issue that requires a fix.
The Nest Thermostat Blinking Green Light:
If your Nest Thermostat has a blinking green
light it is updating the software. This typically takes just a couple of
minutes but could take as much as 15 minutes. If the green light blinks for
more than 15 minutes your device is likely frozen and will need to be
restarted.
Table of Contents
1 Nest
Thermostat Blinking Green Light.
2 Fix #1:
Restart your Nest Thermostat
3 Option 1:
Restart the Nest Thermostat
4 Option 2:
Remove the display from the base and replace it
5 Fix #2:
Check your Wi-Fi Connection and Signal Strength
8 Fix #3:
Charge your Thermostat using the USB port
9 Fix #4:
Check the Power Levels
10 Fix #5:
Factory Reset the Thermostat
12 Nest
Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat
Fixed1: Restart your Nest Thermostat
The first way to troubleshoot a Nest Thermostat that froze during
a software update is a soft reboot or reboot.
I would recommend first confirming which Nest
Thermostat you own. There are different troubleshooting steps for each model of the
Google Nest Thermostat.
There are two options to be
unfreeze and restart your Nest
Thermostat:
Option 1: Restart the Nest
Thermostat
For the Nest Learning Thermostat or Thermostat E
follow these directions:
1. Click and hold
the center button for 10 seconds until the screen shuts down then release it.
1. Click and
release the display again. It should now restart.
Since your
screen is likely already off hold it for longer than 10 seconds.
It may
have to download the update again but it should then restart without a problem.
For the
Nest Thermostat, follow these directions:
1. Pull the
thermostat off the base
2. Remove
the batteries from the battery compartment
3. Replace
both AAA batteries with new batteries or if you don’t have any, a set that you
know is working
1. Reattach the
thermostat to the base and allow it to restart
Option 2:
Remove the display from the base and replace it
1. Gently pull
the display off the base
2. Reconnect the
display to the base
This will force the device to restart. It may have to download the
update again but it should then restart without a problem.
Make sure the thermostat is properly connected to the base.
Sometimes these thermostats will have power issues because they are not
properly seated on the base.
Fix #2: Check your Wi-Fi Connection and
Signal Strength
Nest Thermostats rely on stable Wi-Fi and the internet to connect to the Google Home app or Google Nest App. If it doesn’t have a stable connection, you will run into multiple issues, including trouble with firmware updates.
Check
your Wi-Fi Connection
Check if you are having Wi-Fi connection issues in other parts of
your home, but most importantly next to your thermostat.
Standing next to the thermostat, do a speed test on
your phone or laptop to check the speed of your internet connection. This will
give you an idea of any other issues
going on.
If your Wi-Fi seems slow power-cycle your router and modem.
It’s good practice to do this
occasionally anyway.
Check your Signal Strength
Having a strong Wi-Fi signal is important for any device that
relies on it. The more obstacles in the
way and distance from the router the worse your signal strength will get.
Consider any other devices that could be interfering or concrete
walls that separate the device from the router.
You can use a Wi-Fi speed test in different parts of
your home to see if you have any dead spots. Your Nest Thermostat might just be
in the wrong place.
Fix #3: Charge your Thermostat using the
USB port
If you pulled your Nest off the wall, you might have noticed a USB port on the back.
If your Thermostat is blank with a flashing green light, you can
use this port to charge the device. You can also move it closer to your Wi-Fi
router to ensure it has a good signal.
As it’s charging, it should update the software. If that doesn’t
fix the issue, charging t should give the thermostat the energy to power the
screen.
For the 2nd & 3rd
generation Nest Learning Thermostat or the Nest Thermostat E- use a micro-USB
cable.
If you don’t have a micro-USB or don’t know what they look like,
here’s one from
For the 1st generation Nest Learning Thermostat use a mini-USB cable.
This is not applicable to the
Nest Thermostat (the latest model to be
released)
Here are the steps to charge using the USB Port:
1. Pull your
Thermostat off the wall.
2. Plug the
charger into the Nest. Then, plug the other end into a USB wall charger. Do not use a computer or USB port from another
device.
3. You might see
a blinking red light. This confirms it is charging.
4. Charging could
take several minutes or up to an hour. If it takes longer than an hour, you
might have another issue.
5. Once the
device has enough charge, the display screen will light up with a message to
reconnect to the base. Reconnect it to the wall base to complete the fix.
Once the device charges enough and you’ve put it back on the base
go to the next fix to check the power levels. It might point to a bigger issue.
Fix
#4: Check the Power Levels
When your Nest Thermostat does not finish a software update or
freezes it’s worth it to check the power readings. This could be the reason why
your stuck with Nest blinking green light.
You’ll
only be able to do this if you have power and your thermostat is not blank.
Follow
these instructions to check the power.
1. Click
down on your Nest Thermostat.
2. Turn and
scroll to the gear icon. It will say Settings in the middle of
the device once you’ve reached the gear. Click on the Settings icon.
3. Scroll to
the right towards the end to Technical Info and select.
4. Select Power (It
should be the top option).
5. You
should now see four metrics: Battery Voc , Vin , and lin.
The
metric we’ll focus on is Battery. The
battery should be greater than 3.7V (volts)
This is the voltage of the device’s internal rechargeable battery.
If the device does not receive enough power to recharge the thermostat battery,
it will shut off certain features to conserve power, like Wi-Fi or the display
screen. That’s when you’ll get a low battery message or no power.
Below 3.6V, the thermostat could be out of battery and have a
blank screen.
Another important metric is lin
which is measured in milliAmps. The lin should be greater than 20.
If lin is at or below 20, you could face some of the same issues
even if your battery appears to be charged.
If your device
does not appear to have enough power, I’d recommend checking
the wiring. Many of the Nest thermostat issues start with ring.
You are likely missing the C or common wire, which is necessary to
provide continuous power to the device.
Fix #5: Factory Reset the Thermostat
Sometimes the best option is to start with a clean slate and
factory reset a device so the software updates and you no longer have a
blinking green light. You’ll lose many of your settings by taking these steps
and will need to go through the entire setup process.
Nest Thermostat
1.
Select Settings
2. Select Factory Reset
Nest Thermostat E or Nest Learning Thermostat
1.
Press your thermostat ring
1. Select
Settings
2. Turn
the ring to Reset and
press down
3. Select
All Settings
Again this will erase all of your settings so prepare to
set your thermostat up like you did the
first time. Be sure you have your Wi-Fi password.
Once you reconnect to Wi-Fi, the thermostat will need to update the
software. Let’s cross our fingers and hope it goes well this time
Conclusion
Nest Thermostats are a great smart home product, but they
sometimes run into issues. A Nest blinking green light is one of those issues unfortunately.
The steps in this guide will help you hopefully get your thermostat back to
functioning properly.
1.
Restart your Nest Thermostat
2.
Check your Wi-Fi Connection and Signal Strength
3.
Charge your Thermostat using the USB port
4. Check the
Power Levels
. Check the
Wiring
5. Factory
Reset the Thermostat
If they
don’t be sure to check the wiring. Most Nest Thermostat issues can be fixed by
installing a C or common wire.
I hope
this solved your Nest green blinking light and thanks for reading.
Comments
Post a Comment