Nest Thread

[schocker]

In on nest thread. Update came out today for Nest on both Android & iOS. Allows you to know have up to 10 accounts tied to the same equipment which is what I always wanted as up until now you had to share accounts. Also the nest is able to use your phones for home and away and you just input your address and also they have tweaked how the sensors work to detect auto-away.

https://nest.com/blog/2016/03/10/introducing-family-accounts-and-home-away-assist/

I think this is pretty cool so now I am hoping home/away will work a bit better so I don't have to set it when I leave.

On a side note, I am looking to switch out my smoke detectors for nest protects. Has anyone used the 2nd gen?

[TYMSMNY]

Yeah, i've got the nest protect installed couple weeks ago. links up with the account with history and etc. Has a "night light" effect as well with different brightness. easy to install (hardwire, DIY).

[killramos]

So will it turn on/off the cameras with auto away now?

That would be a killer app for me but as it is the only way to do it is manually setting to away.

Aside from that Auto Away has always worked super well for me so :dunno:

edit: seems like that is now a feature. Cool no longer have to abide by stupid schedules.

[schocker]

Originally posted by killramos
So will it turn on/off the cameras with auto away now?

That would be a killer app for me but as it is the only way to do it is manually setting to away.

Aside from that Auto Away has always worked super well for me so :dunno:

edit: seems like that is now a feature. Cool no longer have to abide by stupid schedules.
Hasn't the cam always turned on if the nest is away? I am pretty sure mine has always done that. I have had issues with auto away when I am upstairs though and the nest thinks no one is home and turns off the AC.

[killramos]

Away yes, auto-away no. So if you manually set the nest to away with the ring or the app it would turn on the cameras. But if you just left the house for the day it wouldn't.

Had to resort to schedules to turn the cams on during the day and off when I am home. Otherwise you get notifications every 10 minutes which annoyed me and the wife to no end the first time I set them up. But schedules obviously have holes and exceptions which was irritating.

Edit:

Holy shit. I also checked out the works with nest website and found these puppies:

http://keenhome.io/smart-vent

Vents that allow you to dynamically redirect airflow from your HVAC system to different rooms based on how they heat and cool?

So my bedroom which is always to hot in summer and cold in winter? Boom Keen vents to increase airflow to those rooms rather than the main floor which tends to be more comfortable.

Where can I buy 20...

[schocker]

Weird, not sure if I ever noticed that or not. I suppose I usually do it from my phone to begin with so that is probably why.

[rage2]

I've been following the Keen Smart Vents for a while. They're not that great according to cnet, and everything is out of stock for a while now.

http://www.cnet.com/products/keen-home-smart-vent/

I ended up with Ecobee over Nest, mostly because nest cam left a sour taste in my mouth, and google not supporting homekit with nest. Ecobee has been awesome, 1 day after installing it (with 3 remote room sensors) the house heats/cools perfectly and I haven't touched the thermostat since. Works so well I stopped caring about smart vents for the time being.


The final problem is an underwhelming integration with Nest. At this point, the app just feels like another command center for the Nest Thermostat -- the Nest and Keen devices don't cooperate to accomplish anything truly new. The data sharing that Keen says is happening between the devices will only materialize for users in the spring, when room-by-room temperature control is expected to become possible.
So yea, it doesn't even do anything yet. If they had developed their a hub to pair to homekit, I could control it right now as homekit has access to each individual room's temperature through ecobee.

[killramos]

^ Yea I hadn't moved passed the "that's a cool concept" phase.

at 80 dollars a unit i would be looking at over 1k for implementation not including my basement which they are not compatible with ( not a huge deal as my basement has always been fairly comfortable and are more of a seasonal open or shut anyways) as my vents are circular.

My problem is my living space and 3 floors is pushing it for 1 heating source according to everyone I talk to.

Lutron shades similar to what you are demoing are going to help me a ton in the "bedroom is too hot scenario" caused by my west facing skylights.

DIY home automation is way to fun.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Just installed 2 nest thermostats on Saturday, so this update comes at a good time.

[rage2]

So I played with this setup for my nest cams to set home/away for recording (instead of recording 24/7 and eating 140gb/cam a month). It does work, but it's not exactly fast. There's a 10-20 min gap before it actually sets it which would work for a thermostat but not ideal for cameras. Another problem is if you have people over and leave the house (ie babysitter), it would set the system to away, which would be good for cameras and bad for thermostat/babysitter/kids.

Not exactly a good solution at all. It needs to tie into an alarm for it to work well, and really the only integration for nest right now is nest protect, and you need that everywhere.

[schocker]

Ouch
https://www.reddit.com/r/Nest/comments/4dbbgh/is_anyone_concerned_about_the_future_of_nest/

Still very happy with my setup, but I will hold off any additional products for now. The auto-away with geo fencing is working awesome for me now.

[stealth]

I went with the Ecobee and I like it so far.

[rage2]

Yea, my Ecobee has been amazing. It did take a few days to truly understand our room occupancy and usage, after some tweaks to sensor participation rules in the schedule the temperature is perfect everywhere with 3 sensors, one on each floor, any time of day. I haven't touched the thermostat since. Once I get my shades installed it should work even better as the living room shouldn't deviate by 7 degrees everyday.

[schocker]

Nest is sticking around with their new CEO. Glad Tony is out
http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/8/11886896/nest-not-for-sale-google-alphabet-tony-fadell

Nest cams $50 off ($199) until June 19th!!!

Apparently outdoor cam coming soon and new products in 2017!

[schocker]

Finally the announce another product. Nest Cam Outdoor
https://store.nest.com/ca/product/outdoor-security-camera/

Basically the same camera but made for outdoors so waterproof (ip65) and good for -20 °C to 40 °C and at the samne $249 price. This also includes a much longer power cord (25') with I believe the sameusb plug in type power adapter.

[killramos]

I like the outdoor product a lot actually, I think i might pick up one for unheated garage and the front door eventually.

That puts me at 5 cameras all on wifi though... Which imo is pushing it for a wireless system and I definitely can't be recording at any decent quality with my upload speed with more than couple cameras. Fortunately the cameras are all disabled while I'm at home using away assist but still.

Kind of wish Nest offered a high quality PoE solution along side the standard cameras for this reason.

[rage2]

They really need to optimize their recording a lot better. The bandwidth usage for multiple cameras is such a killer. Even a better record on motion option that records only for x minutes option would really save on bandwidth. 500gb a month for a couple of cameras really kills usage, especially when there isn't THAT much motion. I keep wanting to switch to something else but the Nest cams really have the best 1080p quality.

[phreezee]

Originally posted by schocker
Finally the announce another product. Nest Cam Outdoor
https://store.nest.com/ca/product/outdoor-security-camera/

Basically the same camera but made for outdoors so waterproof (ip65) and good for -20 °C to 40 °C and at the samne $249 price. This also includes a much longer power cord (25') with I believe the sameusb plug in type power adapter.

That cable, WTF? Nest is going out of business with designs like that.

[killramos]

Originally posted by rage2
They really need to optimize their recording a lot better. The bandwidth usage for multiple cameras is such a killer. Even a better record on motion option that records only for x minutes option would really save on bandwidth. 500gb a month for a couple of cameras really kills usage, especially when there isn't THAT much motion. I keep wanting to switch to something else but the Nest cams really have the best 1080p quality.

Personally I just don't have them all on nest aware to record. Still get alerts and motion detection and the ability to check in. But I only record on one of them which I have in the the best overall view of the house for entry, fires, general etc.

[schocker]

Originally posted by phreezee
That cable, WTF? Nest is going out of business with designs like that.
How else are you going to get power :dunno:
I will just run mine through my garage and then under the soffitt. The cable and power adapter can be painted aswell.

[drtoohotty1]

:hijack: In somewhat of the same topic is anyone using a smart video doorbell like ring or august? The wife wants one and im not sure which one to go with.

[phreezee]

Originally posted by schocker

How else are you going to get power :dunno:
I will just run mine through my garage and then under the soffitt. The cable and power adapter can be painted aswell.


Wired through the mount where someone couldn't just walk up and cut it? The only ones that have exposed wires are meant for high placement where people can't get to them. The picture on Nest's website is just by the door.

If you want a door camera, get the 2016 Ring, Skybell, etc.

[schocker]

Originally posted by phreezee
Wired through the mount where someone couldn't just walk up and cut it? The only ones that have exposed wires are meant for high placement where people can't get to them. The picture on Nest's website is just by the door.

If you want a door camera, get the 2016 Ring, Skybell, etc.
Nothing is stopping someone from running the wire themselves, just need to run it into an outlet at the end. This is meant to be easy to just buy and setup and people don't want to do a complicated setup with drilling through and hiding the wire. Indoor cam is the same way and you need to hide the wire as well otherwise it is just dangling.

[phreezee]

Originally posted by schocker

Nothing is stopping someone from running the wire themselves, just need to run it into an outlet at the end. This is meant to be easy to just buy and setup and people don't want to do a complicated setup with drilling through and hiding the wire. Indoor cam is the same way and you need to hide the wire as well otherwise it is just dangling.

The wire will still run down the bottom and not a gooseneck mount and into the wall.
Beyond the wiring, a thief could just steal the entire camera. The mount uses freaking magnets?!?! :rofl:

http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/14/12157504/new-nest-camera-outdoor-home-security-waterproof

You gotta be some kind of fanboy to buy this. Not to mention it's only rated for -20C which makes it unsuitable for Canada.

[schocker]

The person would still be on camera walking up to grab/cut it. Not everyone wants to take hours to run cables and setup a camera when I would be able to have this up and running in 20mins. I am guessing it can operate outside of that range to begin with and how many days do we have colder than -20 °C. I like the nest ecosystem and had been looking at getting an indoor cam to point outdoors and this is a much better solution.

[phreezee]

Originally posted by schocker
Not everyone wants to take hours to run cables and setup a camera when I would be able to have this up and running in 20mins.

15 minute setup using existing wiring with cheaper cloud recording.

buLLhZhgA3U

[rage2]

Originally posted by schocker
The person would still be on camera walking up to grab/cut it.
No they wouldn't. There's a 5-10 min lag from when you're on camera to when the video gets uploaded to the Nest servers. You can slowly walk up to the camera with a ladder, set up the ladder, climb up, cut the cable, and take the camera.

Don't believe me? Go walk up to your nest cam right now and pull the power. See if you see it on your nest account haha. Unless you're watching it live, you ain't gonna see shit.

[schocker]

That is a doorbell cam. I want a cam above my garage pointing down my driveway. I also don't want to use a second app for a $300 camera pointing at my front tree. I am guessing nest will also be buidling a doorbell cam and the I would get it :D

I thought you were talking about the big dome POE cams.


Originally posted by rage2

No they wouldn't. There's a 5-10 min lag from when you're on camera to when the video gets uploaded to the Nest servers. You can slowly walk up to the camera with a ladder, set up the ladder, climb up, cut the cable, and take the camera.

Don't believe me? Go walk up to your nest cam right now and pull the power. See if you see it on your nest account haha. Unless you're watching it live, you ain't gonna see shit.
I mean if they walk up and are in view of the camera though, you would get the motion alert. Mine is instant on that warning if I get home and it is still away. Never timed the offline camera.

[schocker]

Looks like nest has lots in the pipeline which is great news.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-08/alphabet-s-nest-working-on-cheaper-thermostat-home-security-system

Cheaper Thermostat
Alarm System
Doorbell Cam
New Indoor Camera
Also saw elsewhere remote temp sensors

[cet]

I'm kind of tied in to Nest because I have both the thermostat and fire alarms. I really hope they add the remote sensors, from reading everyone's experience with the ecobee the sensors wold come in really handy.

[schocker]

Originally posted by cet
I'm kind of tied in to Nest because I have both the thermostat and fire alarms. I really hope they add the remote sensors, from reading everyone's experience with the ecobee the sensors wold come in really handy.
Yeah, I don't know if I would get them, but lotsssss of people bitch and moan that nest doesn't have them. I am guessing most of this stuff is 2018 but oh well at least now people know. I am already looking into getting an outdoor camera but I would definitely like a doorbell cam.

[imranm]

They are introducing remote sensors....FINALLY!

[rage2]

Let's hope it's not just another broken promise. Nest has been saying they're releasing stuff since forever. Hell, they talked about remote sensors in 2012? 3 separately companies have made them for nest, sold poorly, and gone under since Nest first suggested remote sensors. :nut:

cet, you have 2 devices, I wouldn't called that tied in. :)

[cet]

^ 3 smoke detectors and the thermostat; you're right, not hugely tied in but enough that I don't want to mess around changing everything. Plus, I like how they work together. Once I get Control 4 set up I may look at the thermostat again if they haven't made any changes.

[schocker]

hi rage, this is an ecobee free zone plz :rofl:

I think one of the main issues was the CEO switch to get rid of the toxic environment. Sounds like he would just ask for things and then shut them down halfway through the project. Hopefully development speeds up though as they are currently at the same pace as sonos which is real slow.

[schocker]

Nest Press conference right now
Currently announced: Nest IQ Outdoor cam and Nest Hello (Doorbell), still coming probably security and remote sensors.
https://www.cnet.com/news/nest-livestream-start-time-and-more/

Looks like no sensors today:
Nest IQ Outdoor Q4 2017 $350 usd
Nest Hello (Doorbell) Q1 2018
Nest Secure (November, but I think US only until 2018) $500 usd for Base/sensor, 2 door sensors and 2 key tags
Nest IQ Indoor getting google assistant Q4 2017

No remote sensors today.

[Kloubek]

Since this is related, everyone should be aware that Energy Efficiency Alberta is offering a $100 rebate on the most popular smart thermostats:

https://www.efficiencyalberta.ca/online-rebates/smart-thermostats/

[Darell_n]

Since this is related, everyone should be aware that Energy Efficiency Alberta is offering a $100 rebate on the most popular smart thermostats:

https://www.efficiencyalberta.ca/online-rebates/smart-thermostats/

Yup. Money's in the bank.

[mix123]

Let's hope it's not just another broken promise. Nest has been saying they're releasing stuff since forever. Hell, they talked about remote sensors in 2012? 3 separately companies have made them for nest, sold poorly, and gone under since Nest first suggested remote sensors. :nut:

cet, you have 2 devices, I wouldn't called that tied in. :)

Does anyone remember the Wally integration for remote sensors. It was terrible and pushed me straight to Ecobee.

[Stephen81]

Is anyone able to confirm if the Nest or alternatives (Ecobee, etc) can control humidity or would I still need to keep the separate control unit on the wall for that? It's a newer high efficiency furnace with the humidifier and HRV.

[schocker]

Is anyone able to confirm if the Nest or alternatives (Ecobee, etc) can control humidity or would I still need to keep the separate control unit on the wall for that? It's a newer high efficiency furnace with the humidifier and HRV.
Nest (Gen 3, not E), can control the humidifier if you have a relay. I have not set mine up yet myself as I asked the furnace people to do so when they installed everything and they did not and just put it a control unit on the furnace ducting in the basement.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Nest (Gen 3, not E), can control the humidifier if you have a relay. I have not set mine up yet myself as I asked the furnace people to do so when they installed everything and they did not and just put it a control unit on the furnace ducting in the basement.

To add onto this, it depends. If it's a 2-wire 24v humidifier, then it needs a relay and a "Nest pro" installer, in order to access the menu to enable it. I also want to enable it.

This is on my Nest Gen 2.

[schocker]

I think you don't need a nest pro for this as the menu is there when I have scrolled through.
From what I have figured is that you could use something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H5Y1SA/ref=pe_385040_128020140_TE_3p_dp_1
Then use a spare wire from your thermostat into open/close the relay and control the humidifier.

[rage2]

Is anyone able to confirm if the Nest or alternatives (Ecobee, etc) can control humidity or would I still need to keep the separate control unit on the wall for that? It's a newer high efficiency furnace with the humidifier and HRV.
Ecobee controls humidity. No need for a separate unit.

[cet]

Nest will control humidity. I used to have a humidistat and when they came to install the A/C the guy rewired it so that control was now with the thermostat

[spike98]

I can confirm a few things here:

The ecobee2 controls humidity and does not require a relay. It has enough jam to open/close the solenoid valve to the water supply.

The Nest (Gen 2) controls humidity and DOES require a relay. You can get these from a few different places and are super easy to wire. You do NOT require a Nest Pro to enable it.

The ecobee2 will run the fan/humidifier independant of any heat/cool to bring to desired humidity. I don't believe the nest can. It only runs when a heat/cool/fan function is enabled.

[infected]

Nest is able to control humidity but I don't think my guy used a relay? Gen 3

Edit: Also confirm Nest is able to run humid independent of heat.

[speedog]

So with the $100 rebate dj_rice identified in another thread, a variety of smart thermostats are essentially free right now. Question is should I bother as we have an older furnace that's still in very good condition, a programmable thermostat that is set up and that we don't ever touch, no AC and no humidifier either.

The only place I can possibly see savings is by how these smart thermostats claim to learn when you're not home but how exactly do they learn this - school me on this one exact aspect.

edit: did some reading and figured it out, now which Nest is on sale? Oh and how does the Lyric T5 compare to the similar Nest - might opt for a T5 if it's as capable.

edit #2: I only have a 2 wire system and pulling in a new cable is not an option. I am leaning towards the T5 with it's geofencing and I am more than capable of installing a THP9045 module but where can one purchase one of these modules locally?

[88CRX]

We’ve been using a Nest for the past couple weeks… hasn’t seemed to learn anything yet and the auto away mode (when your cell phone is away from the house) doesn’t seem to work that consistently with 3 people added to the house. It does look cool on the wall though!

Going with an EcoBee3 in the next house.

Can the EcoBee control the house humidity so you don’t need that stupid humidifier control knob? Also can the EcoBee control the homes HRV/Ventilation system? Trying to have everything controlled in 1 spot and not have 3 wall mounted things scattered around.

Don’t want this:
http://i.imgur.com/vMO94.jpg

[rage2]

AFAIK Ecobee can only control 1 accessory, so either Humidifier, or HRV. Not both. My setup has it controlling humidifier. I only use the HRV a handful of times a year, so wasn't a big deal that it's on a separate wall switch like it always has been.

[88CRX]

AFAIK Ecobee can only control 1 accessory, so either Humidifier, or HRV. Not both. My setup has it controlling humidifier.

Well shit.

[rage2]

Well shit.
Don't think any of the new smart thermostats can do that, only single accessory control. The older Honeywell Prestige line can control humidifier/dehumidifier/HRV all separately if that's a must have.

[88CRX]

Just trying to avoid having this slick looking black eco bee touch screen with a big white knob for humidity and an ancient HRV control box beside it. Maybe move the HRV controls somewhere else.

[rage2]

Just trying to avoid having this slick looking black eco bee touch screen with a big white knob for humidity and an ancient HRV control box beside it. Maybe move the HRV controls somewhere else.
Hook up the humidifier to your smart thermostat and leave the HRV. How does your HRV controls look? My HRV control is a simple light switch at light switch level so it doesn't look out of place whatsoever.

[Buster]

Nest is able to control humidity but I don't think my guy used a relay? Gen 3

Edit: Also confirm Nest is able to run humid independent of heat.

you sure its working properly?

Or it's plugged into the board and not the solenoid directly.

My Nest3 definitely needed a relay to operate the solenoid.

- - - Updated - - -

after doing enough google-fu, these are the relays I used, just in case someone in the future is doing a search.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00BTLN78Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[88CRX]

Hook up the humidifier to your smart thermostat and leave the HRV. How does your HRV controls look? My HRV control is a simple light switch at light switch level so it doesn't look out of place whatsoever.

Yea the old school ‘ventilation fans’ are just a regular switch.

I’m not sure the exact one I’m getting but some of the new true HRV’s have fancy controls… can’t find a picture of what I’ve seen in new builds but its something like this:

https://www.lifebreath.com/sites/default/files/accessories/images/Untitled-1_11.jpg

Or

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4HQUuVNpp_0/maxresdefault.jpg

Which maybe just means it’s a fancy switch with a timer and some other options. Could always remove it for a regular on/off switch I suppose.

[Swank]

edit #2: I only have a 2 wire system and pulling in a new cable is not an option. I am leaning towards the T5 with it's geofencing and I am more than capable of installing a THP9045 module but where can one purchase one of these modules locally?
As far as I know wifi thermostats will not work with a 2-wire system, the wifi portion and screen need 24V to be powered, and without power they don't do jack. I ran into the same '2 wire only' issue and had to install a 24V transformer in the wall to power mine, also needed the relay installed, what a PITA but worth it to me.

[bigbadboss101]

Hmm our control unit is on the main floor and it controls AC and heat but we have to set it cool or heat. The humidifier control is on the furnace.

[schocker]

you sure its working properly?

Or it's plugged into the board and not the solenoid directly.

My Nest3 definitely needed a relay to operate the solenoid.

- - - Updated - - -

after doing enough google-fu, these are the relays I used, just in case someone in the future is doing a search.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00BTLN78Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Was this easy to set up? I have a spare relay to use for this but wasn't sure how to wire it.

[flipstah]

Anyone have recommendations on a smart thermostat for electric baseboard heating?

[Cword]

Anyone have recommendations on a smart thermostat for electric baseboard heating?

You could use any smart thermostat you like if you put one of these in the loop
https://www.aartech.ca/rc840t-120-aube-120v-relay-with-24v-transformer.html

[speedog]

As far as I know wifi thermostats will not work with a 2-wire system, the wifi portion and screen need 24V to be powered, and without power they don't do jack. I ran into the same '2 wire only' issue and had to install a 24V transformer in the wall to power mine, also needed the relay installed, what a PITA but worth it to me.

Picked up the 'free' Honeywell Lyric T5 from Best Buy and tomorrow night's project will be to pull in a new cable.

[speedog]

Well the Lyric T5 is in and working. Pulling in a new cable was a bit of a pain in the ass in a fully finished 1955 bungalow and then having to change the furnace wiring setup because we were just a two wire system before but all is good now. Pretty cool to be able to access it from my phone, I think even my technology challenged wife will use the app on her phone.

[lint]

if you are missing a C wire, you can use an add-a-wire kit so you don't have to pull a wire. I did this on my main floor nest and haven't had any battery issues. Actually have a spare since I bought 2 but found an unused wire for my second floor thermostat that I just moved to the C
https://smartthermostatguide.com/c-wire-venstar-add-a-wire-adapter-review/

Did this Ikea hack for a mounting plate for the nest as well. $6.99 Aptitlig chopping board, routed out so that the nest sits recessed
https://i.imgur.com/WMRQGVY.jpg

[schocker]

if you are missing a C wire, you can use an add-a-wire kit so you don't have to pull a wire. I did this on my main floor nest and haven't had any battery issues. Actually have a spare since I bought 2 but found an unused wire for my second floor thermostat that I just moved to the C
https://smartthermostatguide.com/c-wire-venstar-add-a-wire-adapter-review/

Did this Ikea hack for a mounting plate for the nest as well. $6.99 Aptitlig chopping board, routed out so that the nest sits recessed

That looks pretty nice. When the ac guys installed mine they put on that POS plastic plate and then just screw it into drywall so I could just pull it out from the wall when trying to pull the face off. I ended up going for the naked look after patching the wall and mounting it to the stud.

[killramos]

That looks pretty nice. When the ac guys installed mine they put on that POS plastic plate and then just screw it into drywall so I could just pull it out from the wall when trying to pull the face off. I ended up going for the naked look after patching the wall and mounting it to the stud.

No stud for mine, drywall holds it just fine?

I did have to repair my drywall when i installed Nest to make the hole smaller. Honestly i think my builder just used a hammer to make the hole the first time around...

The plastic plate is garbage though for sure...

[schocker]

No stud for mine, drywall holds it just fine?

I did have to repair my drywall when i installed Nest to make the hole smaller. Honestly i think my builder just used a hammer to make the hole the first time around...

The plastic plate is garbage though for sure...

Screws it came with were garbage and not holding into the drywall. Just free spinning and then if you tugged on it, it would come out. Hole was so big in my wall I had to use mud instead of spackle. My original install was just poor I think and then I fixed it when I replaced it with a Gen 3 as I was able to return the gen 2 they gave me.

[speedog]

if you are missing a C wire, you can use an add-a-wire kit so you don't have to pull a wire. I did this on my main floor nest and haven't had any battery issues. Actually have a spare since I bought 2 but found an unused wire for my second floor thermostat that I just moved to the C
https://smartthermostatguide.com/c-wire-venstar-add-a-wire-adapter-review/
I don't think the add-a-wire kit is something one can wander into a Home Depot and get locally, I wanted the thing up and working and pulling in a new cable was quicker than waiting for a kit to arrive from somewhere else.

[TYMSMNY]

Screws it came with were garbage and not holding into the drywall. Just free spinning and then if you tugged on it, it would come out. Hole was so big in my wall I had to use mud instead of spackle. My original install was just poor I think and then I fixed it when I replaced it with a Gen 3 as I was able to return the gen 2 they gave me.

Did you use the drywall anchors it came with? It should have prevented that 100%.

[Buster]

I'm running about half of the eleven Nest3 I have in the house without a C wire, and their charging hack seems to work fine.

[schocker]

Did you use the drywall anchors it came with? It should have prevented that 100%.
I didn't do the original install. It was done by a qualified installer who was also supposed to wire in the humidifier but couldn't figure it out in two trips.

[TYMSMNY]

I didn't do the original install. It was done by a qualified installer who was also supposed to wire in the humidifier but couldn't figure it out in two trips.
ah. I had the same problem, I didn't have enough wires running up from the furnace room to the controls. Didn't want to start cutting holes in a finished basement. Why can't they have wireless modules/controls.....

[schocker]

ah. I had the same problem, I didn't have enough wires running up from the furnace room to the controls. Didn't want to start cutting holes in a finished basement. Why can't they have wireless modules/controls.....
I think they coudln't wire it as there was only one wire available and they don't know relays exist. Still need to do it myself but keep forgetting about it.

[flipstah]

That Lyric thermostat is awesome. We installed one at my parents' house and just added the C wire. Works wonders and provides outside temperature too, which is nice.

[rage2]

ah. I had the same problem, I didn't have enough wires running up from the furnace room to the controls. Didn't want to start cutting holes in a finished basement. Why can't they have wireless modules/controls.....
You can sort of do that with Ecobee. Install it in the furnace room, and just have remote temp/occupancy sensors through the house. The drawback would be no physical access for controls and you would have to use the app, but in reality we haven't touched our temperature settings since we installed it.

Of course that doesn't work with the Nest, as it relies on usage and temperature changes that you would make to learn the patterns. That and the furnace room temperature is probably way off than what you actually need to reference off of for triggering heat/cool.

[schocker]

Hello and welcome back to the nest thread.
Nest Hello comes out this week to solve all the issues with ring being terrible.
https://nest.com/ca/doorbell/nest-hello/overview/

Nest has created temperature sensors to solve all of rage2s gripes as well :rofl:
Someone found them on reddit. Not sure when they will be releasing though as their page was soon after taken down (homedepot US)
https://imgur.com/a/NOObW
Battery powered w/ 2 year battery life (Cell batteries) so place wherever. Works with Nest 3 or Nest E and it was something like 8 you could use at once.

No new info on the security system yet, but it would be stupid expensive here anyways.

[killramos]

Ffs I don’t want to buy a new nest just to use temp sensors...

Gen2 here.

Their security system is pretty underwhelming anyways.

Pretty interested in a Hello though.

[redevil]

anyone try this yet for a temp sensor in another room? Works with Nest :
ThermoPeanut (https://workswith.nest.com/ca/company/sense/sense)

https://resizer.nest.com/image?cloudfront_dist_id=d2ybkvo7oee6te&h=525&s=3LEzpGQrg%2BEW%2FAcPmr5e3cIXcsRJnGxnfGYi%2FXrKZ6w%3D&src=%2Fsupport-assets.nest.com%2Fweb_developer%2Fcatalog%2Fproduction%2F9a6a0598cc23a77e9284b4a2be3d5a24%2Fbdc6d4750fce46b3d984cc73d170ded4%2F9d62ab40-e7fd-11e6-a145-22000bccc6a8.jpeg&trim_left=%2Fweb_developer%2Fcatalog&w=525

[rage2]

Ffs I don’t want to buy a new nest just to use temp sensors...
I don't need to buy a new nest and a new doorbell to get what I already have either. :rofl:

A little too late Google.

[schocker]

Ffs I don’t want to buy a new nest just to use temp sensors...

Gen2 here.

Their security system is pretty underwhelming anyways.

Pretty interested in a Hello though.
I can't remember what the spec sheet said as it is down now, but the only thing the gen 2 wouldn't have is bluetooth. It does have zigbee in all generations so I don't fully understand the decision as multi-hundred dollar items with actual installation aren't likely replaced often.

I am hoping my hello comes this week so when I don't ever answer the door, I can know who was there.

Nest also now has a $5/month $50/year camera option for 5 days of storage. This is much better than $10/$100 for 10 day as I don't need that much time. Additional cameras are $30 (40% off) a year where as on the 10 day plan they were $50 (50% off).

I have not tried any sensors myself as I have been assuming the snail called nest would eventually release one.

[killramos]

Lol, I’m pretty done with nest’s thermostat tbh. Probably going to swap to an ecobee4.

I do like the cameras though, and might still pick up a Hello. I was going to get a ring elite but I don’t want two ecosystems.

Google really has shit the bed with nest. It’s kinsof hilarious really.

If the sensors work with Gen 2 then it’s likely cheaper than an eco bee replacement so I will probably go the route if possible. But no way I’m going to buy a super old gen3 right now.

I might look into recording subscription again if I get a Hello.

[schocker]

Well google also did recently announce that nest was being folded into the google hardware team so things should come out faster now unlike under Fadell.
Subscription gives you face detection/memory and all that so I think it is worth having, especially for $5/mth. I don't subscribe on my kitchen cam anymore, just my driveway one so I will bundle both for all the comings and goings infront of my house.

[mr2mike]

How do these doorbells actually work? I mean, can't someone just take it off your house?

[nzwasp]

$299 US or CAD for that hello ? and it comes with a free google home mini. How would we know if our current door bell is compatible though? - 2006 built house chiming in.


How do these doorbells actually work? I mean, can't someone just take it off your house?


Sure I mean they could rip it off your house but they could also do that with your nest home outdoor camera above the front door too, however their face would probably be seen before and maybe they would think twice about that.

[killramos]

I assume check the doorbell voltages with a multi meter?

[nzwasp]

I mean your average joe isnt going to do that is he.

Regarding the temp sensors - thats all well and good but without automated vent covers that open and close to respond to where the heat or cold is required they are pretty useless.

[killramos]

Those exist. From what I understand they are just crap.

End of the day none of this really replaces a more advanced hvac system. But they are cheap and easy to retrofit.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I mean your average joe isnt going to do that is he.

Regarding the temp sensors - thats all well and good but without automated vent covers that open and close to respond to where the heat or cold is required they are pretty useless.

The idea is that the thermostat would try to match your requested temp in the room you're in, not all the rooms at the same time. It would be handy in some cases, such as my own, as my master bedroom is the first one to heat up when it kicks on in the morning, so while the rest of the house is trying to warm up 2*, the master warms up by ~6*.

[nzwasp]

The idea is that the thermostat would try to match your requested temp in the room you're in, not all the rooms at the same time. It would be handy in some cases, such as my own, as my master bedroom is the first one to heat up when it kicks on in the morning, so while the rest of the house is trying to warm up 2*, the master warms up by ~6*.

How does it direct the heat there though? Ie in my house if that was the case it would pump out heat so the house is 6 degrees warmer everywhere.

[rage2]

anyone try this yet for a temp sensor in another room? Works with Nest :
This isn't the first works for nest 3rd party sensor. The problem is Nest doesn't really do anything with that data properly.


How does it direct the heat there though? Ie in my house if that was the case it would pump out heat so the house is 6 degrees warmer everywhere.
By default, that's what it does. You can integrate Keen smart vents to open/close for each particular room as well to regulate temperature in each room, but that gets pretty expensive.

I regulated my fan through the day to minimize the temperature difference in each room, so targeting based on activity is a lot quicker when it's within 1.5C everywhere.

[schocker]

This is the guide to see if your doorbell will work
https://nest.com/ca/support/article/How-to-tell-if-Nest-Hello-will-work-in-your-home
Price is $229 USD/$299 CDN

I am going to have my hello recording 24/7, so you would have to be pretty sneaky to steal that, and if you have made it past the driveway camera already like solid snake, there isn't much I can do.

[schocker]

Nest x Yale lock is now available, $320 but at bestbuy it is $360 so I bought one from nest
https://nest.com/ca/lock/nest-yale-lock-key-free-smart-lock/overview/
Temperature Sensor is up for pre-order, ships in April. $49 for 1 or $125 for 3
https://nest.com/ca/thermostats/nest-temperature-sensor/overview/
Looks like you can change it up a bit and do certain times of the day use certain sensors. I don't think the times can be adjusted though.


Morning: 7am to 11am
Midday: 11am to 4pm
Evening: 4pm to 9pm
Night: 9pm to 7am

Also looks like the doorbell cam gets a replacement if stolen like the ring with a police report
https://nest.com/support/article/What-to-do-if-your-Nest-Hello-video-doorbell-is-stolen

[rage2]

Well the Temperature sensor sucks. Once you add it to the Nest (newest versions only), you have to manually set ideal temperature for each room, priority, and schedule priorities. There is no motion sensor to detect occupancy and prioritize/average based on that, which is what Ecobee does.

So stupid.

[schocker]

Well the Temperature sensor sucks. Once you add it to the Nest (newest versions only), you have to manually set ideal temperature for each room, priority, and schedule priorities. There is no motion sensor to detect occupancy and prioritize/average based on that, which is what Ecobee does.

So stupid.
Yeah, I didn't fully understand not having occupancy. Also doesn't detect humidity. Not sure if the ecobee does that. I would only set mine for upstairs at night, downstairs during the day.

Found the reason for it not working with Gen 1 & 2 is due to it using bluetooth le for power efficiency, as I am guessing weave would require more power.

[rage2]

Ecobee remote sensors does not detect humidity. Just Temperature and Occupancy.

[Cagare]

The thing to keep in mind is that the ecobee just aggregates the temp across the temperatures that are active for the specific program then based on occupancy. So, really the only thing I change is that my nighttime ignores the sensors except those upstairs. You could have the daytime program ignore the upstairs sensor. Being that your second floor takes the most amount of effort to heat and cool then you would just focus or ignore it to save costs on heating/cooling it.

[rage2]

The thing to keep in mind is that the ecobee just aggregates the temp across the temperatures that are active for the specific program then based on occupancy. So, really the only thing I change is that my nighttime ignores the sensors except those upstairs. You could have the daytime program ignore the upstairs sensor. Being that your second floor takes the most amount of effort to heat and cool then you would just focus or ignore it to save costs on heating/cooling it.
Yea, and that's all Nest needed to make this truly "smart" and adjust based on actual usage.

[Cagare]

Yeah, they could have basically copied that approach. Adding the humidity sensor on top would have been an added bonus. I don't see any reason to switch from ecobee, other than to maintain a single product ecosystem. Really though, I would end up with a Lorex camera system, ecobee thermostat and ring/nest doorbell. I guess home assistants are supposed to be the bring together of all that, but it doesn't work that way yet.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Are there any kits to make the indoor Nest cameras see through glass more easily? From what I know about IR, chances are these things glare like crazy through a window especially at night.

I need to buy a nest cam, and the outdoor one would be ideal, but having to run a power cord down to ground level kind of ruins it. Had a look at the Arlo wireless cameras but they don't record continuously and battery life in our winters would be garbage.

Maybe the Nest doorbell would be the best bet for frontyard monitoring?

[rage2]

Are there any kits to make the indoor Nest cameras see through glass more easily? From what I know about IR, chances are these things glare like crazy through a window especially at night.

I need to buy a nest cam, and the outdoor one would be ideal, but having to run a power cord down to ground level kind of ruins it. Had a look at the Arlo wireless cameras but they don't record continuously and battery life in our winters would be garbage.

Maybe the Nest doorbell would be the best bet for frontyard monitoring?
Logitech Circle has a window mode where it doesn't fire the IR as bright. Nothing for Nest AFAIK.