How Do I Know If My Nest Thermostat Is Charging? (Guide)

How do I know if my Nest thermostat is charging? You might be wondering?

It’s important that you keep an eye out on your thermostat’s battery level so you won’t have to deal with issues like incorrect readings and ruin your home’s temperature.

To know if your Nest thermostat is charging correctly, look for various indicators, like the blinking lights on the device. You’ll also know its status if you open the app and see if it’s charging.

Now, let’s look at the different ways to confirm your thermostat’s charge status.

How Do I Know If My Nest Thermostat Is Charging – Surefire Methods

If you’re wondering how you will know the status of your Nest thermostat, there are several ways to figure it out.

Some are visual indicators, which you’ll see right away. At the same time, others require you to open the app.

We’ll go over each one of these methods.

Understanding the Nest Thermostat Charging Process

Before we dive into the different methods, let’s first understand how your Nest thermostat charges up.

It comes with a rechargeable battery that lasts several months, and you’ll hardly notice it.

However, there’s a tendency for it to drain faster if the thermostat is used frequently, has a weak WiFi signal, or has lots of features enabled.

Normally, your thermostat charges itself from your HVAC’s wires. However, not all systems are capable of charging it, so you’ll need to check its status.

Here are signs that you’ll know if your HVAC system can charge your thermostat:

• Systems with incompatible wiring.
• Systems with a lower voltage than what your thermostat requires.
• Systems without a common or C-wire.

Visual Indicators

One of the easiest ways on how do I know if the battery is charging in my Nest thermostat is to look for visual indicators.

Your thermostat has LED indicator lights that tell you the device’s status, especially if it’s charging.

Blinking Light on the Front of the Thermostat

The first visual indicator you need to look for is the blinking light on the front of the thermostat.

The light is either green or red, depending on the battery and charge status.

Here’s what these lights mean:

• Green: A green blinking light means the battery level is low and the thermostat is charging itself from the wires.
• Red: A red blinking light means the battery level is critically low, and the thermostat is not getting enough power from the wires.

Note: If you have a thermostat that’s not connected to a C-wire and the red LED starts blinking, you need to take action immediately and replace the battery to avoid losing your settings.

However, if your thermostat is showing a green light, you don’t need to do anything and wait for it to stop blinking and turn solid.

Light Indicator on the USB Port

In cases where you need to charge your Nest thermostat manually, it comes with a USB port for this job.

There’s a light indicator there that lets you know the status of the charging process.

The light is either orange or green, and here’s what they mean:

• Orange: An orange light means that your thermostat is plugged into the USB charger and is charging its battery.
• Green: A green light means that your thermostat is fully charged, and you’ll be able to remove the USB charger.

Note: If the indicator light does not light up when you plug in the USB to your thermostat, it’s not charging, and you’ll need to get it fixed.

The charging process usually takes up to two hours if the battery level on your thermostat is very low.

Indicators on the Nest and Google Home App

Another way to know if your thermostat is charging is to check for indicators on the app.

Whether you’re using the Nest or Google Home app will show you the battery and charging status.

Here’s how to find out:

Battery Status

If you open your app, you’ll need to find the battery status to know the current charge level of your thermostat.

The battery status ranges from 0% to 100%. The lower the number means you must charge your thermostat to avoid running into issues.

To check the battery level of your thermostat, follow these steps:

On the Nest app

1. Open the Nest app on your phone.
2. Select your thermostat.
3. Look for the battery level at the top of the screen.

On the Google Home app

1. Open the Google Home app on your phone.
2. Select your thermostat from the list of devices.
3. Tap on the Settings gear icon.
4. Choose Device Information.
5. The battery level is displayed under Technical Information.

Note: If you have a battery-powered thermostat, it’s important that you check the battery level periodically and change it as needed.

Charging Status

The second way to know if your thermostat is charging on the app is by looking at its charge status.

It will tell you if your thermostat is charging from the wires or the USB charger.

This is helpful if you have a wired thermostat and want to check whether you need to replace the batteries.

On the Nest app

1. Open the Nest app on your smartphone.
2. Select your thermostat from the device list.
3. The charging status is displayed below the battery level.

On the Google Home app

1. Open the Google Home app.
2. Choose your thermostat.
3. Tap on the Settings gear icon
4. Select Device Information.
5. You will see the charging status under Technical Information.

Tip: It will also tell you where your thermostat draws power, whether from the Battery, USB, or HVAC.

Physical Indicators

If you’ve plugged in your thermostat to charge it, one way to know it’s working is by checking for physical indicators.

The main one is if your device is heating up, which means it’s charging.

The thermostat is Warm to the Touch

If your thermostat is charging itself from the wires or the USB charger, it’s normal to heat up by a bit.

You should expect it as it’s charging, an indicator that power is going to the battery.

Here’s how to know:

• If the thermostat is warm to the touch, it’s charging.
• If the thermostat is cool, it’s not charging, or the battery is full.

To know if your thermostat is charging, you need to feel it after plugging it in for around 20 minutes, as this gives it enough time to heat up sufficiently.

Your thermostat must only be warm to the touch and not burning hot. 

If this is the case, you’ll need to contact Nest Support or a professional to help you fix it.

Voltage and Wiring Indicators

If you’re into advanced methods and are confident with your electrical skills, a method for you to accurately determine if your thermostat is charging is by looking at the voltage and wiring.

This method is particularly helpful if you have a thermostat with a C-wire.

C-Wire Connection

You need to check the condition of the C-wire in your thermostat’s wiring panel.

It will tell you if there’s something wrong with the wiring or if you need to fix it.

The C-wire provides power to your thermostat, including battery charging.

1. Remove the Nest thermostat from the base.
2. Inspect the back of your thermostat.
3. Check the wiring panel for a wire labeled “C.”

These Nest thermostat models require a C-wire:

• Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen)
• Nest Thermostat E (2nd Gen)
• Nest Thermostat (3rd Gen)

Even if your thermostat does not require a C-wire, we still recommend setting it up for improved performance and so you don’t have to worry about your battery’s charge levels constantly.

Note: If you do not see a C-wire, you’ll need to look at the other indicators above to know if your battery is still charging.

Voltage Reading

If you have a voltage meter, you can take readings to ensure that power is being drawn into your battery, thereby charging it.

It’s an advanced step, but as long as you’re comfortable working with live electricity.

1. Turn off the thermostat and remove it from the base.
2. Connect the multimeter to the thermostat terminals.
3. Connect the positive lead to the R terminal.
4. Connect the negative lead to the C terminal.
5. Turn on the multimeter and set it to DC voltage.
6. The voltage readings need to be between 24 and 30 volts.

Tip: If the reading is below 24 volts, your thermostat may not be charging properly.

If you don’t have any experience working with live electricity, we recommend contacting an electrician.

Conclusion

These are the best ways on how do I know if my Nest thermostat is charging. First, look at the LED indicator lights to tell you if the device is charging.

Opening the app will also tell you whether your thermostat is charging and its current battery levels.

For troubleshooting and other guides for your Nest thermostat, go to our blog!