Nest thermostat compatibility

  • Google Nest thermostats are designed to work with nearly 24 V systems, even older systems. They work with all common fuel types including natural gas, oil, and electricity.
  • During setup, the Google Home or Nest app will guide y'all through steps to tell you if your system is compatible with your Nest thermostat earlier you install it. The app will also give you a custom wiring guide for your thermostat.
  • You tin can as well check your organization's compatibility earlier purchasing a Nest thermostat with our online Compatibility Checker.
  • Some systems may require a mutual wire (C wire) or the Nest Power Connector. Go to thou.co/nest/cwire for details.
  • To check for compatibility, you only need to know the blazon of heating system. The specific brand or model doesn't thing. If you don't know what blazon of system you take, check your manufacturer'due south website or contact them.

Important: This commodity covers Nest thermostat compatibility in Canada and the United states of america but. To learn near Nest thermostat compatibility in Europe, go to Heating system compatibility with Nest thermostats.

Use the Compatibility Checker

The online Compatibility Checker has full instructions to check if your heating and cooling systems are compatible with Nest thermostats, but here is some additional information to assist you as you use information technology:

How to turn your system's power off

This protects you and avoids blowing a fuse in your equipment.

In that location may be a switch on your system or nigh your system that
looks like a regular low-cal switch. If your organisation doesn't have a
switch, plough off power to it at the breaker or fuse box.

Turn off power through breaker box or switch

How to test that system ability is off

Modify the temperature on your thermostat by at least 5 degrees.

  • If information technology'southward winter, turn upwardly the temperature to turn on heating.
  • If it'southward summer and y'all take arrangement cooling, plough downwards the temperature.
  • Wait at least 5 minutes to check if your system turns on (yous'll need to wait because many systems accept a built-in delay).

Tip: You can listen for your arrangement to turn on, or put your hand virtually a vent to experience if there's warm or cool air that comes through.

How to remove your thermostat'south embrace

Some covers just pull off, while others need to be unscrewed.

If yous take an older thermostat, in that location may be a mid-plate that as well needs to exist removed to expose the wires.

Learn most thermostat mid-plates

Remove thermostat cover

Incompatible thermostat wires

If your thermostat'due south wires are high voltage or stranded, then your system isn't compatible. Merely, it'south possible that a trained professional can make your system compatible.

Stranded wires

Look closely at the cease of one of the thermostat wires. Y'all may need to pull one out of the connector to check. If there is more than one large strand, the wiring isn't Nest-compatible. When you're done, reinsert it into the correct connector.

Note: If your wires are stranded, you may exist able to contact a local pro to cap, solder or supercede stranded wires with a solid core wire, which will work with the Nest thermostat. The method may depend on your local electrical code requirements.

Stranded wires

Loftier voltage wires

High voltage systems typically have a thermostat that is labeled 120 Five or 240 Five, and has ii thick wires with wire nuts. Loftier voltage systems, such as electric baseboard heaters, aren't compatible with Nest thermostats.

In some cases, it's possible that your organization can exist made Nest thermostat-uniform. Contact a local pro and have them install a step down transformer to 20 - 30 V.

high voltage text

high voltage wire nut

Accept a picture show of the wires

Salve a moving-picture show of your electric current thermostat's wires in instance you demand help later. Make sure that the connector labels are readable.

Identify thermostat wires

Phone taking a picture of thermostat wires

If your thermostat'due south connectors accept two labels

It can be hard to determine which set of labels to utilize in the compatibility checker. Refer to the following article for more information:

What to do if your thermostat's wire connectors have two labels

Thermostat labels

Ignore the wire colors

Simply enter which connectors have a wire and ignore the colour of the wires. This is considering non all systems are connected to the thermostat with the same wire colors.

For instance, don't enter R in the Compatibility Checker if you observe a red wire, or Due west if you observe a white wire. The label on the wire connector is what yous should enter. So bank check R if there'due south a wire of whatsoever color in your thermostat's R connector.

Don't enter jumper wires

If your thermostat has a short "jumper" wire betwixt ii connectors, don't include that wire. Only enter the labels for wires coming from inside your wall that are attached to the thermostat. For instance, in the illustration on the right, you would only enter Rh, Y1, Chiliad and C wires into the checker. You would not enter Rc in the checker, because information technology is simply continued by a jumper.

Nest thermostat wires from wall

Larn more than well-nigh compatibility

Systems that are Nest-compatible

There are some key differences betwixt Nest thermostats and what systems will work with each.

Note: Use this table for reference merely.

System types

Nest Learning Thermostat

Nest Thermostat E

Nest Thermostat
Oestrus only, cool just, or estrus pump systems

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C wire or Nest Ability Connector required

Natural Gas, Oil, or Electric fuel types

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Unmarried phase heating and/or cooling

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Heat but or cool just C wire or Nest Ability Connector required

Single stage heating with two stages of cooling

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Two stages of heating with one stage of cooling

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Single stage heat pump with or without AUX heat

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C wire or Nest Power Connector required

Unmarried speed fan

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Unmarried stage heat pump with split single stage furnace heating (Dual fuel)1

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C wire or Nest Power Connector required

Single stage heat pump with separate two stage furnace heating (Dual fuel)1

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Two stage heat pump with or without AUX heat

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Two phase heat pump with separate two phase furnace heating (Dual fuel)one, 2

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Humidifier* or dehumidifier1, 2

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Dual transformer systemsone, 2

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Two stages of cooling and two or three stage furnace  heating2

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Two or three speed fanane, 2

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PTAC systemstwo

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aneYour arrangement requires advanced configuration and wiring. If you lot have one of these systems, contact a local pro.

Important: Professional person installation is recommended for some systems since their wiring and setup tin exist complicated. These include:

  • Dual fuel systems (oestrus pump with furnace)
  • Dual transformer systems (Systems that have more i R wire)
  • Whole-home humidifiers and dehumidifiers (uniform with Nest Learning Thermostat only)

ii Nest thermostat can only support one of these systems at a time.

Nigh the C wire

The common (C) wire doesn't control heating or cooling. Instead, C wires assist evangelize power from the organisation to the thermostat in case the other wires can't provide enough power. Not all systems have a C wire installed, but Nest thermostats were engineered to use as petty power as possible for their display and internal circuitry. So in many cases, they don't need a C wire.

Just if you find that you need a C wire with a Nest thermostat, yous can install the Nest Power Connector. Or y'all tin contact a local pro to install the ability connector or run a C wire for you. Costs can vary depending on how difficult it is to road a new wire through your walls.

When the Nest thermostat needs a C wire

Compatibility with zoned systems

Nest thermostats are compatible with zoned systems, including zoned systems with dampers. However, in that location are some zoned systems that require a C wire to work with a Nest thermostat.

How the Nest thermostat works with zoned systems

About the Nest thermostat's star connector

Nest thermostats also accept a star connector * that offers yous some flexibility to install specialized systems.

The Nest Learning Thermostat's * connector lets you install a humidifier, a dehumidifier, emergency estrus, multiple fan speeds, or a 3rd stage of heating.

The Nest Thermostat E's * or OB connector lets you install a rut pump, a second stage of heating, or a second stage of cooling.

Acquire more nearly the star connector

Nest thermostat star connector

Systems that are incompatible with Nest thermostats

While most 24 V heating and cooling systems are compatible with Nest thermostats, there are some systems that aren't compatible. You tin can quickly tell if you have one of these systems without having to use the Compatibility Checker or to await at your thermostat's wiring.

If y'all have one of the system types beneath, it won't work with a Nest thermostat.

Proprietary systems

  • If you find wires in your thermostat'south connector that have not-standard labels (for case 1,2,iii, or A, B, C), your system is proprietary.
  • If your system only has two wires, but yous take both heating and cooling, your system is likely proprietary.

Proprietary systems aren't compatible with Google Nest thermostats. However, some proprietary systems tin can exist rewired by a pro installer to be compatible.

Proprietary wires

Millivolt heaters

  • Millivolt systems are typically wall heaters or flooring heaters and employ electricity or natural gas. These systems utilize much less electricity than depression voltage systems and tin can't deliver the correct corporeality of ability to Nest thermostats.
Picture of a floor furnace and wall-mounted furnace

Loftier voltage systems

  • High voltage systems are usually electrical baseboard heating systems or other radiant systems powered past electricity.
  • High voltage thermostats are often built into the wall and typically have 2 to 4 thick wires coming out of the thermostat. Wire nuts are often used to connect the thermostat to the system wires.
  • High voltage thermostats are usually labeled 110, 115, 120 or 240 VAC.Note: In some cases, it is possible to make a loftier voltage system Nest-uniform. Contact a local pro and accept them install a step downwards transformer to twenty - 30 V.
  • High voltage thermostats should simply be installed or uninstalled by a professional due to the high voltage that they carry.

high voltage text

high voltage wire nut

Solid fuel systems

  • Systems that apply coal, forest chips, pellets, anthracite, or other biomass materials are typically incompatible with Nest thermostats.
Solid fuel system

Wired remote sensors

Remote sensor wires are typically used to give your thermostat exterior weather data. These wires can't exist connected to Nest thermostats. But Nest thermostats don't demand wired sensors since they get weather data over Wi-Fi. Fifty-fifty if your system has sensor wires, it may still be Nest-uniform.

Some micro-controller based systems

Systems that utilize micro-controllers instead of relays are sometimes more sensitive to power sharing. If you have a micro-controller based system, your Nest thermostat may need a C wire to be compatible with these systems.

Systems that can't deliver enough ability

Some systems tin can't deliver enough power (at least xx volts) over the existing arrangement wires, so a Nest thermostat'south battery may slowly drain and somewhen cause the thermostat to turn off. These systems are sometimes called high impedance systems. Y'all may be able to install a C wire to make your system uniform with a Nest thermostat. Contact a local pro.

Some system hardware such as gas valves and zone or relay panels crave a C wire to work with Nest thermostats. If you would similar to observe out more information about installing a C wire, contact a local pro.

Gas valves

Some gas valves on systems vibrate or buzz when a Nest thermostat is installed. This can usually exist fixed by connecting a C wire.

Zone relay or control panels

Some systems have control panels or equipment interface modules that crave a C wire to be compatible with Nest thermostats. Below is a list of some known panels that require a C wire. This list is not meant to be comprehensive, so your system may exist incompatible fifty-fifty if it isn't listed here.

  • Beutler ZTE2S
  • Bryant 548F036
  • Carrier HK42FZ011
  • Honeywell AQ25110B
  • Honeywell EMM-3
  • Honeywell HZ221
  • Honeywell HZ311
  • Honeywell HZ322
  • Honeywell HZ462
  • Honeywell Trol A Temp MABS EZ
  • Honeywell TZ-4
  • Lennox LZP-2
  • Nordyne 624631-A
  • Nordyne 903915A
  • Villara ZTE2S
  • Waterfurnace ATV045A 110CIT
  • White-Rogers 36C03-300
  • ZoneX DigiTract four
  • Ztech ZTE2S

Incompatible system wiring

As well many stages of cooling or heating

  • Nest Learning Thermostats are but uniform with systems that have one or two stages of cooling.
  • The Nest Thermostat E is only uniform with one stage of heating, one stage of cooling, and an additional phase of either heating or cooling.

International systems

  • Some international systems, such as Buderus boilers, have dry contacts or other incompatible wiring. These systems may require relay panels in order to be installed with standard American thermostat wiring.

Heat pumps with 50 wires

  • L wires are typically used to show arrangement status, similar emergency heat existence on. Nest thermostats tin can work with systems that apply Service Light (Fifty) wires. While L wires can't exist continued to the Nest thermostat, information technology doesn't demand them. The Nest thermostat and Nest app volition prove you system condition data without connecting L wires.

Get pro installation for a dual fuel system

A dual fuel heating and cooling system (also chosen a hybrid or packaged system) is a combination of a heat pump for primary heating and cooling, and a furnace (usually gas or oil) that provides a second and/or tertiary stage of heating.

The Nest thermostat is compatible with these systems and supports upwardly to 2 alternate estrus sources.

You have a dual fuel system if yous have a furnace within of your home, and a oestrus pump on the exterior of your home. Heat pumps wait similar to air conditioners, so check the characterization on your outdoor unit to make sure it'due south a heat pump. If you're still not sure which system you lot have, contact a local pro.

If yous have a dual fuel system, you will need to accept a trained professional ready your thermostat. It'south of import for a professional to assess the requirements for your specific dual fuel configuration since choosing incorrect options for a dual fuel system can result in damage to your organization. Contact a local pro.

Thermostat wire labels

If you need to know more than nigh what the labels on your thermostat wires hateful, refer to the following commodity for more than information.

Thermostat wire labels

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