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**Caution: BUG/LIMITATION CAN CAUSE PIPES TO FREEZE!**
First, let me say that I really do like the Nest. I have them installed in three properties and have previously recommended them to many friends. A recent issue now has made me aware of a couple of 'limitations' (I'm going to call them critical bugs) in the Nest thermostat that nearly caused disaster!
CRITICAL ISSUES in current NEST:
1. In most installations, the Nest thermostat 'borrows' voltage from the red thermostat wire to operate. This can cause it to provide a low voltage heat signal to the furnace control board. This low voltage can cause the furnace to (sometimes) NOT FIRE when the Nest is calling for heat. In my case, the voltage reduction was just at the point were the furnace will usually fire, but once in a while (every few days, with dozens of cycles every day) the furnace would not turn on. Nest gets stuck in this mode... It never cycles the heat signal off/on if it is already on, and the furnace never fires.
2. Nest interfaces will always display an inside ambient temperature is 49F or 50F, even if it is significantly colder!
**THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO FLAWS NEARLY CAUSED DISASTER!**
Our experience. Nest in a vacation home, freezing outside temperatures, NEST set to 'away, hold 50F'. Remote access showed Nest set to 50F, Nest reading inside temp of 49F, but this was not the case! Inside temperature had dropped to 35 degrees, and Nest just kept the heat signal on, giving my furnace low voltage, and as a result no heat. Wow! If my freeze alarm hadn't gone off, Nest would have cost me tens of thousands of dollars in damage!
Please Nest... review and remedy this issue!
January 2013 · Unknown · verified purchase