How is this sufficient warning? woke my whole family

[Cradal]

Nest protect.

At 11:55pm it gave my phone a notification that it's batteries are low.

At 12:20am it started beeping and woke my whole family!

How is that surveying warning? Can it at least warn me at day time? Getting out a ladder to sort out a device in the middle of by the night is not ok.

The same device wanted the extensive batteries every 6 months. The others nest protect devices don't. Is it draining too fast? Is it defective?

[Cradal]

*autocorrect failure (google phone)

[justsam]

If all units are the same type and operating in a similar environment, I would think the unit is defective.  Are the units wired, or battery?  On the one using excessive battery, could it be that the path light is being triggered or staying on for extended periods? If you measure the removed batteries, are they indeed low?  Nominal 1.5volt.

[nerys]

Hi Cradal,

Thanks for posting in the community!

I'm so sorry to hear that you're having difficulties with the batteries in your Nest Protect. No worries; I'm here to help! Just like @justsam, I have some questions for you that will help me figure out how to provide you with the best troubleshooting steps. Can you help me answer the questions above and the next ones?

• How often does the Nest Protect detect smoke or CO2?
• Where's the device located?
• What kind of battery does the device use?
• Have you ever received any prior low battery notifications besides the one you got that night?

In the meantime, if you have more questions for me, feel free to reply to this post. I'll be happy to assist further! 

Best regards,

Nery.

[Cradal]

Thanks for the responses. 

Q. Are the units wired, or battery?  
A. Battery, using fresh energizer ultimate lithium.


Q. On the one using excessive battery, could it be that the path light is being triggered or staying on for extended periods?
A. it does get the light activated, it is one of two in a hallway. The other unit also illuminates the same amount, so I'd expect a similar battery drain.

Q. If you measure the removed batteries, are they indeed low?  Nominal 1.5volt.

• 1.613
• 1.610
• 1.502
• 1.622
• 1.622
• 1.606
• 1.614

Q. How often does the Nest Protect detect smoke or CO2?

A. It may have detected smoke once or twice in it's lifetime.

Q. Where's the device located?

A. In a hallway. 

Q. What kind of battery does the device use?

A. Fresh energizer "ultimate lithium". I think it is the same kind that was supplied with the device. 

Q. Have you ever received any prior low battery notifications besides the one you got that night?

A: I've got 5 units, and 4 of them are on their original batteries, this unit has needed replacements maybe 3 times already. The last replacement was in January this year. I think we got the device in June 2021.

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I think there are two things to consider in this ticket.
One is the possibility of a defective unit.
The other is the lack of warning: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sKbfvjmhuRJgFGyF9
On Sunday night, at 11:54 pm, it first "alerted" me to the issue, while I was asleep. 
It started beeping 30 minutes later, waking everybody. This is just not good enough. I'd expect a smart (and expensive) device like this to warn me during the day, at a reasonable time for me to address it.

A $20 smoke alarm would do the same thing.

[pereztzum]

Hi there!

I understand how frustrating it is to experience frequent false alarms and rapid battery drain with your Nest Protect. Rest assured, we're committed to resolving this issue for you.

Regarding the false alarms, it's likely that dust accumulation in the smoke chamber is causing the sensitivity to increase. To address this, please clean the device following the instructions in the Nest app or user manual. If the issue persists after cleaning, there might be a sensor malfunction.

Concerning the battery drain, it's unusual for a Nest Protect to deplete batteries so rapidly. To isolate the problem, please compare the battery life of this device to your other Nest Protects. If this one is draining significantly faster, there could be an internal component issue.

A damaged or malfunctioning sensor could be a significant factor. When a sensor is compromised, it might consume more power than usual, leading to rapid battery depletion. This is particularly concerning if you've noticed a decline in battery life compared to your other Nest Protect devices.

Next Steps

To address these issues effectively, consider the following:

1. Clean Your Nest Protect: Regularly cleaning your device can help prevent false alarms caused by dust accumulation.
2. Monitor Battery Usage: Keep track of how quickly your Nest Protect's battery drains compared to your other devices. This can help determine if the issue is isolated to a specific unit.
3. Contact Nest Support: If the problem persists, reach out to Nest Support. They can provide specific guidance based on your device's model and history. They might suggest troubleshooting steps, firmware updates, or even a replacement if necessary as long as it's under warranty.

Regards,
Brandon.

[justsam]

Thank you Cradal for the complete information.  Like you, I am just a user of Nest Protects but it is clear to me based on your thorough description that the unit is defective. I am not convinced that Nest engineers do a stellar job on Battery Management software, as I have had issues with Nest Cam batteries.  

Regarding the issue of notification, moving from phone notification to device audible in less that 30 minutes does seem harsh. Several of my units, 9 in total, require the use of an extension ladder if they need service, a fact that seems to be lost on Nest as often their solution is to scan the code on the back of the unit.  I would replace the unit and move on.