Broken. Replacement Broken. No heat for days in half of my house.

[jzeebas1]

I purchased 3.  2 of them broke after 6 months.  I had to repurchase the replacement b/c Google can't trust it's customers to send back "broken" equipment.  Out 1250 at this point.  No heat.   Neither replacement works.  Customer service will not allow me to speak to a manager with the ability to just let me go as a customer without donating 1250 to a company as large as Google.  

Do your research.  All of the problems I have are ongoing for years with millions of customers.

W5 internet, battery issues, reattach to base when it's attached.  Turns off and doesn't turn on.  Charged batteries using a wire to make sure it was charged.   Same problem.  Do not be upset or the representative will hang up on you too.  Great customer service.

[CoolingWizard]

@jzeebas1 , sounds like you are a diligent purchaser and you probably purchased the Nest Pro Installation to ensure your system operation and performance prior to installing the Nest Thermostat.  Google is not unique in requiring  a customer to purchase the replacement warranty thermostat and receive full credit when the failed unit is properly returned.  This is not unique to Google. Now, it is time for diagnosis step you took.

When you used a Volt Ohm Multimeter to verify the AC voltage output of the forced air handler transformer, what was the reading?   When you measured the voltage at the R and C wire at the thermostat location, what was the result? What was the calculated voltage loss? In your original post you failed to state the Heat type of your HVAC system. 
Describe your HVAC system please.  

The AC Cooling Wizard

[jzeebas1]

I received a replacement for a faulty unit that worked previously. I shouldn’t have to be an electrician to replace a thermostat. I do appreciate you trying to help.

Yes. It is installed correctly and worked last winter. It’s false advertising that a c wire is not required. I charged one for 6 hours using usb and one of the 2 replacement devices is now working 

the internet w5 was the original issue.  All of my issues are well documented across 100 different websites dating back at least 2 or 3 years.  

[CoolingWizard · Accepted solution]

@jzeebas1 , the Nest Learning Thermostat has the ability to charge itself on an estimated 80% of systems installed in USA. The more modern and digital control systems are not compatible. If you think about this correctly, the furnace control relay is an electrical coil as is the compressor electrical contactor.  These coils when energized turn the systems on.  When not energized, there is a still a coil of wire with the path to Power Common.  When the Nest Learning Thermostat uses either the Y or W wire to access the Power Common and when combined with the Power 24 VAC on R, it draws less than 100mA of current which is not enough current to engage the relay but more than enough to charge the battery.  If your system uses digital relays, this Y or W path may not be available and a separate C wire will be needed or a Nest Power Adapter can be used. 

AC Cooling Wizard