Nest Protect triggering home/away status on gen 3 nest thermostat works on only 1 of 3 protects ?

[talkenrain]

I'm new here so forgive me if I'm approaching this incorrectly. I did a brief scan looking for my issue but did not find my particular condition... So here I go...

I have 2 (gen 3) Nest Thermostats and 3 (gen 2) Nest Protect smoke detectors at my home. Everything use to work properly till I replaced 2 Protect units (battery for AC). After deleting the old units from my account then installing the new units to my account everything appeared to work properly except the home/away sensing with the 2 new Protect units. I've tried removing them from my account and reattaching them to my account but that didn't work. Is there something I need to reset? should I delete my account and restart to get them all working again? I've tried toggling the home settings (home/away assist; what decides if you're home; protect; yes/no) for each unit. everything works except the 2 new units will not trigger a "HOME" condition. Please help...  I need to add, I'm not using my phone to assist with location. Only the motion sensing of the protects and thermostats....

[talkenrain · Accepted solution]

Update. In case anyone is interested, I spoke to support today. The following is the transcript. I removed my serial numbers and personal info, otherwise untouched:

T

Hi! Welcome to Protect support. My name is Tobias. For future reference, your case ID is XXXXXXXX. How are you today?

Tobias · 4:45 PM

Im having a problem with my protect units

4:46 PM

T

I see you are contacting us regarding help with home/away assist with your Nest Protect, correct?

Tobias · 4:46 PM

yes

I have 2 (gen 3) Nest Thermostats, 3 (gen 2) Nest Protect smoke detectors and 3 remote temperature sensors at my home. The Thermostats where installed first, then the protects, then the remote detectors. Everything had been working properly till I replaced 2 (gen 2) Protect units. After deleting the old units from my account then installing the new units to my account everything appeared to work properly except the home/away sensing with the 2 new Protect units. I've tried removing them from my account and reattaching them to my account but that didn't work. Is there something I need to reset? Is there something wrong with these units? should I delete my account and restart to get them all working again? I've tried toggling the home settings (home/away assist; what decides if you're home; protect; yes/no) for each unit. Everything works except the 2 new units will not trigger a "HOME" condition (I should add, I'm not using my phone location to assist with Home/Away, only the motion sensors in the Thermostats and Protects).

4:47 PM

T

Thank you for clarifying.

Tobias · 4:48 PM

I'm about to return these two new units but thought i'd check here first.

4:49 PM

T

While the Nest Protect can contribute to deciding if you are home or not, there would be no specific changes in Nest Protect behavior apart from the sound test it does monthly.

The Nest Protect will sound an alarm and report an event when the structure is home or in away state.

If you would not like these devices to make any changes to your other Nest devices, we can remove them from contributing devices for home/away.

Tobias · 4:52 PM

the protect can also change the thermostat "home/away status. it worked with the old units, and still works with my remaining old unit. just not with the new ones

use to sence motion and auto change the thermostats from "eco" to" home"

the single old one still is working but the two new ones are not

do you understand what I'm saying?

4:55 PM

T

Could you please allow me two minutes while I check with my resources to help you?

Tobias · 4:55 PM

yes

4:55 PM

T

Thank you for staying connected.

Tobias · 4:56 PM

no problem

4:57 PM

T

Could you please take a screenshot of the "What decides" section from home/away assist and help me with it on chat?

Tobias · 4:57 PM

just a sec

Screenshot 20############ at 5.00.31 PM.jpeg

from my iphone

5:02 PM

T

Thank you for that.

Apologies for the delay.

Tobias · 5:06 PM

no problem.

5:06 PM

T

I am still checking with my resources to further confirm this for you.

Tobias · 5:07 PM

no problem. I appreciate you

5:08 PM

T

Just to ensure correct details are being checked, could you please help me with the serial number of the new Nest Protects you have?

You can find it on the rear of the Nest product, near the QR code.

You can also find the serial number in the Nest App. Here is the path: select the “Device” then tap on “Settings(gear icon in top right corner)” and swipe up till you see “technical info”. You will find the serial number.

Tobias · 5:09 PM

XXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX

do you want the number of the old one as well?

5:12 PM

T

Yes, could you please help me with it too?

Tobias · 5:12 PM

XXXXXXXX

5:13 PM

T

The Nest Protects you have a second generation battery powered Protects.

The battery operated device may show up as a contributing device but it would not be able to make the changes to the state of your structure.

The one unit that does work as expected is a wired Nest Protect that would indeed contribute and be able to change the state of your structure.

Tobias · 5:14 PM

Then how did the old units worked.

5:15 PM

T

Could you please help me with the serial number of the other two old Nest Protects too?

Tobias · 5:16 PM

one was battery operated.

Just a sec.

5:17 PM

T

That is certainly not the expected behavior as only wired Nest Protects check in regularly with Nest servers to properly update the details and ensure that structure status is set properly.

The battery powered Nest Protects only check in with Nest servers every 24 hours and would not be able to update the details or make the changes to structure state.

Tobias · 5:19 PM

XXXXXXXX

5:19 PM

T

As per details on my end, the battery powered Nest Protects cannot control or contribute to sensing or changing the state of structure.

Only wired Nest Protect are able to properly contribute and make the changes as it is working now.

I am sorry to say, as of now, the devices are working as expected.

Tobias · 5:22 PM

can you pease check a second resource on your end as this use to work as the options on the screen shot implies and i've gone as far as to put the old unit back in operation to confirm it working.

5:25 PM

T

You can refer to the below guide to confirm that battery powered Nest Protects can only correct or ensure that presence sensing data is accurate.

https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/9251759

While it can be used as an option to confirm if someone is home or not, it cannot directly contribute and change the structure state from home to away or away to home by itself.

Tobias · 5:26 PM

this says less often but not 24 hours.

5:27 PM

T

The expected time frame for Nest Protect to check in with servers is once every 24 hours but the device may do it more than once if connected devices are providing any updates.

But, you would still need a wired Nest Protect to ensure that structure status can be switched when the devices detect motion.

Tobias · 5:30 PM

I'm not crazy, this use to work. it may have taken a few minutes but 24 hours is not acceptable and not the way the old units worked. in this converstation you've said a number of things that where not correct. All i'm asking is to double check. Are you saying you will not try another resorce?

5:31 PM

T

I have checked this with my resources and confirmed this with my senior support team and the battery powered Nest Protect alone cannot be used to change the status of your structure.

I am sorry that you feel this way, I tried my best to help you with available options at my end.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with while we are connected.

Tobias · 5:36 PM

[PTuscs]

That sucks. I'm having home/away detection issues also. I have several Google homes / nest products in the house. Including a Google Nest Wi-Fi system, nest doorbell, 2 nest protect smoke detectors, a Google nest Max. I don't use location services on my phone because it's a battery drain. I have a Pixel 3. For some reason Google home / nest never knows when I'm home or away. I have to keep indicating my home or away status manually. I had changed out my Google Wi-Fi gen 1 to the new Google Wi-Fi with Nest (Gen2). After making that network change, none of my typical features seem to be working. 

[TT_Vert]

I went through this many years ago.  At that point they couldn't even tell me that.  They kept sending me new protects.  They had no idea the battery ones would not work with home/away!   Was a joke dealing with their lack of knowledge.

[xanavar]

I also have Gen 3 thermostat and Gen2 Protects.  My Protects are wired.  For years this system worked to spec and as desired.  Sometime this year, at least one of the Protects no longer affects presence as Home.  All connections and stats of Thermostat and Protects show good and I can see history of this Protect sensing motion and applying pathlight.  Its sensing just no longer contributes to switching Home/Away to Home.  The result is that when I am home, status regularly switches to Away and eco settings are activated.  Something changed with Google/Nest and it was not my hardware.  I currently do not have a solution for using this nice feature (I do not want to use my phone location).

[pxzel]

I have the exact same problem.  Not sure exactly when the Home/Away was affected... my other Protect works correctly. Have them both for about 2 years.