The Nest thermostat can learn about your lifestyle, so the Nest Thermostat can tell if someone is in the house or not. That means your Nest Thermostat will turn off while you’re at work to save energy, then adjust itself for when you get back home. But will the Nest thermostat work if the power goes out?

The Nest thermostat will work without power. In fact, with a backup battery that lasts up to 10 hours, the Nest thermostat can last long enough for any blackout from storms. However, if power outages are common, invest in a generator to ensure the Nest thermostat does not fail.

In this post, we will cover how the Nest thermostat works without power and everything you need to know to stay comfortable during a power outage. Keep reading to learn how your Nest stays on, even during power outages!

Does the Nest Thermostat Work During A Power Outage?

The Nest thermostat will work during a power outage. Nest is equipped with an internal battery that lasts up to ten hours, which covers most blackouts.

If you need to use your Nest during an outage it will work, however, if your home’s heat or cooling is electric, then even though your Nest is working your house will not be able to be heated or cooled accordingly until the power is restored.

The Nest will also work with a generator, as Nest is equipped with low voltage protection. The Nest thermostat’s batteries will be used during an outage unless you have a generator running power to your heating and cooling system.

Then the batteries will go into standby mode and your Nest will run as normal even with the power out because it is receiving power from the generator.

Does the Nest Thermostat Have a Battery Back-Up?

The Nest thermostat has a built-in battery that can power Nest for up to ten hours during an outage. Nest also has an energy saver setting which automatically turns itself down when the batteries are low, before completely shutting off.

It is not recommended to replace the battery in the Nest thermostat. This is usually the last problem-solving move when troubleshooting the Nest thermostat.

The Nest thermostat will work without power even if there is a storm or other major weather event that causes an outage. But the house will not be cooled or heated if your home runs on electric heating and cooling.

Does Your Nest Thermostat Need To Be Charged?

Your Nest thermostat does not need to be charged. The Nest thermostat has a battery that is used to keep the Nest’s data. It also uses this same internal battery as an energy saver setting which automatically turns itself down when the batteries are low, before completely shutting off.

This means you will still have heating and cooling even if your home loses power during a storm or other major outage.

Sometimes, in very rare cases, your Nest thermostat’s battery may become low and need a recharge. This can be done with a USB plug-in and the Nest Thermostat will recharge in about two hours.

One thing to note is that you can only charge the following Nest models:

  • Nest Thermostat ENest Learning Thermostat

All other Nest models have batteries to replace. But charging is not to be done often, if you are having consistent issues with the Nest batteries holding their charge, contact Nest’s support team immediately.

Does Your Nest Thermostat Need To Have the Battery Replaced Often?

You do not need to replace Nest’s battery often. The battery should automatically recharge using the power supply from the heating and cooling equipment you have linked to it.

While you can replace the battery in your Nest thermostat if you want to it is not standard practice. Replacing the Nest thermostat’s battery is not a factory-recommended practice.

What If You Get Multiple Low Battery Warnings?

If you are getting multiple low battery warnings on your Nest thermostat, you may need to check the C wire connection. The C wire connects your Nest thermostat with your heating and cooling system.

One thing to note is that you can’t change the batteries for the following Nest models:

Your Nest Thermostat should not need the batteries to be replaced often. If this is the case with your Nest, check into the C wire connection and contact further support.

In Summary: The Nest Works Without Power

Even though the Nest thermostats draw their main power from the C wire, which is connected to your home’s main source of power, they can work without power.

All of the Nest thermostat models have batteries that can be replaced or recharged. This allows for the Nest thermostat to work without any power going into the power supply wire.