If you are perplexed about why your Nest Thermostat is not turning on AC, you have landed at the right place.
There are several factors to consider when your Nest thermostat can’t turn on your AC.
Some of the possible reasons are depleted batteries, Nest not receiving enough power supply, and faulty or loose cable connections. Additionally, your wi-fi router may also be causing connection issues or Thermostat and AC are incompatible.
Keep reading to learn about these causes and how you can troubleshoot them.
Why does Nest Thermostat Not Turn on AC?
Low Battery
If the Nest thermostats is not turning on your AC, it can have a low battery. So, check your battery status before blaming anything else for the issue. Although Nest batteries often survive for an extended period, it’s possible that some, in this case, yours failed sooner.
Incorrect Wiring
In case you have self-installed the Nest thermostat, there’s a high probability that you went wrong with one or other wire connection. I am pointing it out because this happened with many users who did the DIY installation. Even if the connections are joined at the right spots, connections might need to be more robust. Lose connections obstruct the path of electricity resulting in the Thermostat not working properly.
You can either re-attempt the installation or hire an HVAC professional to do it correctly for you. The Nest thermostat will function normally once you have connected the wiring properly.
Poor Power Supply
If your Thermostat receives power through a power source rather than a battery, the voltage may be insufficient for it to work correctly.
The simplest approach to determine if your Thermostat is receiving adequate electricity is to access the settings and look up the voltage. It ought to be 3.6 or above. You should check the wiring or battery level if the voltage level is low.
Your Nest battery will keep it running in the case of a power loss for a short duration. But, it’s crucial to confirm that the Thermostat is receiving adequate power again after a power loss since the Battery needs to be restored to a level.
Wi-Fi Router Issues
Wi-Fi-related errors are among the most frequent ones that act as the culprit for many such issues, and consumers often need help to spot these. You should understand that your Nest thermostat cannot connect to the internet with an unreliable router. If the wi-fi speed is OK, then your router’s and Nest thermostat location might be the reason.
Make sure that the router is just a room away to ensure that this doesn’t create any issues in the way of your Thermostat turning on your AC.
Nest Thermostat is Dusty
The efficiency of the Thermostat might get lowered when dust gets inside, and it is very common for the appliances in our homes to get wrapped in heaps of dust.
So, ensure that dust can’t find its way inside your Nest Thermostat. Additionally, operating your air conditioner uses more electricity. As a result, the battery life is reduced, and the Nest thermostat may suddenly fail to connect to the air conditioner.
HVAC Runs Continuously
The Nest sensor may give inaccurate temperature readings if your HVAC system has been configured to operate continually, affecting the compatibility of your Thermostat and AC.
As a result, you won’t be able to turn on your AC with the help of a thermostat. Occasionally switch off or set your HVAC to automatic mode. This will cause Nest to assess the temperature of the space on its own and correctly, resulting in no incompatibility as such.
How To Fix Nest Thermostat Not Turning on AC?
Recharge or Replace the Battery
As we mentioned in the causes section, if the Battery in your Nest thermostat is depleted, it cannot turn on your air conditioning. The Nest thermostat needs roughly 3.6 volts to function correctly. Initially, the Battery in your Nest thermostat should deliver this voltage.
However, when the Battery in your Thermostat gradually wears down, the amount of electricity it provides can decrease. Thus, your Thermostat might not control your air conditioning.
If this occurs, you need to recharge the Battery or buy a new one and make the replacement. You can move on to the next step if the battery in your Nest Thermostat is completely full.
Remove the Dust Off the Nest Thermostat
Nest cannot turn on your air conditioning if dust has gotten inside your Nest thermostat. A thermostat’s performance is decreased by dust infestation. As a result, your Nest thermostat can fail to turn on your air conditioning.
Additionally, a dirty thermostat frequently consumes more energy. Your electric supply’s voltage can stop being sufficient to power your Thermostat. In such a situation, the Thermostat will not be able to regulate the functions of the AC and heater, and you can’t expect it to turn on the AC compressor.
Therefore, dust may be the problem if your Nest thermostat isn’t turning on your air conditioning. To clean the Thermostat, its faceplate should be removed and after that, use a soft brush to shrug off the dust inside carefully.
Push Up the Circuit Breaker
Your Nest thermostat’s circuit breaker could inadvertently trip sometimes and lose electricity. Because of this, you can believe that your Nest thermostat is on while it is actually off.
After a few minutes of setting the temperature, if your air conditioner hasn’t started, check to see if the Thermostat is still turned on. If not, go to your electrical panel and turn on the circuit breaker for your Nest thermostat.
Install Your Wi-Fi Router Nearer to your Thermostat
If your Nest thermostat is too far from your network, it may lose its internet connection. And as you know, the Nest thermostat needs an internet connection to manage your appliances, as most thermostats do. Your AC cannot be switched on if the Thermostat loses connection to the internet.
Many times, connectivity issues are caused not because the wi-fi signal needs to be stronger or something but simply because there is quite a significant distance between the router and the Thermostat.
You can restore the internet connection by moving the router close to the thermostat.
Switch your HVAC system to Auto
The system gets exhausted if your household excessively relies on the HVAC system for temperature regulation.
Continuous HVAC operation might make it difficult for your Thermostat to gauge the inside temperature accurately.
Your Nest thermostat can mistakenly read the inside temperature as cool while it’s actually hot outside if your HVAC system’s cooling system operates continually. Thus, the Thermostat may switch on the heating rather than the air conditioning.
Avoid leaving your HVAC on all day if you want your Thermostat to be able to activate your AC. Instead, let the Thermostat regulate how your heating and cooling systems operate.
To accomplish this, switch the HVAC system’s systems to Auto. This applies to your fan, air conditioner, heater, and boiler. When you turn on this setting, your HVAC system will only operate when the indoor temperature in your house exceeds or falls below the temperature you’ve chosen.
Restart your Nest Thermostat
Restart using the Thermostat display
You can reboot your Nest Thermostat to remove the congestion on it to let it perform all those functions it stopped performing, such as turning on the AC unit.
These are the steps to reboot:
- Begin by clicking on the Nest Thermostat device to open the main menu.
- Choose “Settings” using the silver scroll ring as a navigational aid.
- If “Reset” is not visible, scroll all the way to the right. Select it by pressing on the Nest Thermostat.
- Then click “Restart.”
- The dial must be turned all the way around by turning the scroll ring to the right.
- Choose “OK”.
It will now take a few minutes for your Nest Thermostat to restart. As soon as it’s completed, the Thermostat will restart and immediately start heating or cooling mode for your home again, with all your settings preserved. (1)
Restart Manually
To restart your Nest thermostat, hold down the ring for 10 seconds until the screen turns off. Release it and press again to turn back on – you’ll know it’s done startup when you see the logo appear with a now-lit display.
Final Thoughts
Numerous factors might prevent the Nest thermostat from turning on the air conditioning. This can happen because of your thermostat battery being drained, your Thermostat not receiving enough power through the power source, the distance between your router and Thermostat, your HVAC system overrunning, and dust getting in your Thermostat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Nest thermostat not turning on the AC?
There are several possible reasons why your Nest thermostat may not be turning on the AC.
- Improperly programmed or configured, either in terms of programming, sensor calibration, or other settings.
- Problem with the nest wires in your system, such as loose wires or breaks in the wires.
Why is the AC not kicking on?
Possible causes of an air conditioning unit not kicking on can include
- a tripped circuit breaker,
- lack of power to the unit,
- a faulty thermostat,
- a malfunctioning compressor, or
- low refrigerant levels.
Why is my Nest not turning on the fan?
If your Nest is not turning on the fan:
- Make sure the power switch for your fan is in an “On” position and that it is connected to a working outlet.
- Check for obstructions in the way of your Nest thermostat. If something is blocking your Nest from catching signals, it might not be able to turn on the fan.
- Check if there are any issues with your home’s wiring or other electrical components that could be preventing it from turning on the fan.
- Make sure all settings in the Nest app are correct and up to date..
