Cannot remove a Heat Link from my account

[ConfusedNestUse]

After several years of uninterrupted use my Nest E thermostat and my heat link refused to connect. Error H-151. I reset both and moved the thermostat right next to the heat link but nothing worked.

In desperation I reset the thermostat and attempted to re-add. Works perfectly until the step where you have to scan the heat link. At this point it says "The heat link is already on your account. Go to settings to remove. However, whilst I could remove the thermostat the heat link isn't available to remove. Google Help says Factory reset the heat link will remove it from the account but it doesn't work. So I'm knackered. Can't do anything to fix it apart from replacing the heat link. Help!! 

[Derickf · Accepted solution]

Hi there!

This situation needs to be escalated to a higher team due to after all troubleshooting the issue persisted. In order to receive further assistance, please fill out this form with all the necessary information, like the thread title or link and your username in the community. Once you've completed the form, let me know. Someone from my team will contact you shortly to help.

Regards,

Derick.

[ConfusedNestUse]

Some additional information. If you still have a thermostat in the app you can go to the thermostat and then remove the heatlink. However, if, like me you have removed the thermostat you are in catch 22. You cannot (re) add the thermostat because the heatlink is still known to Nest and you cannot remove it because the thermostat isn't present and nor can it be added. I've raised a ticket with Google but heard nothing. This is extremely frustrating. If anyone has any ideas how to escalate with Google please let me know. I think the Nest app is flawed or the ability to remove heatlink is very well hidden. 

[Derickf]

Hi @ConfusedNestUse,

Thanks for reaching out to the Google Nest Community. I'm sorry to hear that you can’t remove the Heat Link from your account and you receive the H-151 error code. Don't worry; help is here.

Before we continue, I have some questions:

• What is the color of the Heatlink light?
• The reset you have done in your Nest Thermostat E and your Heat Link was a factory reset or just a restart?
• Is there any device like baby monitors, microwave ovens, or wireless security cameras near your heat link?

In the meantime, you can take a look at the following article: Troubleshoot Nest thermostat T error codes during a System Test.

I’ll be waiting for your reply.

Best regards,

Derick.

[ConfusedNestUse]

Dear Derick

Thanks for your interest and assistance. 

What is the color of your Heat Link's light? Solid Blue

The reset you have done in your Nest Thermostat E and your Heat Link was a factory reset or just a restart?

It was a factory reset unfortunately

Is there any device like baby monitors, microwave ovens, or wireless security cameras near your heat link?

No. In fact nothing changed. It worked fine for 2-3 years the this error occured.

The situation is thus:

1) There is nothing wrong with the hardware. It works perfectly.
2) A fault or omission in the Google Nest eco system prevents the legitimate owner from removing a Heat Link from the account thereby 'bricking' the device.
3) Google refuse or are unable to remove the device from the account.

I can't find a solution and google have been unable to offer one. I think the only solution is a heat link with a different serial number unless you are able to help

[Derickf]

Hi there!

Thanks for your reply and confirming the steps you have done to solve the issue. Please try the steps below to remove the heat link from your account using the Nest app:

• From the Nest app, go to Settings and then scroll to the bottom of the list of settings and select the thermostat and then Heat Link and then Remove Heat Link.
• Remove the Heat Link's cover to reveal the QR code on the inside of the lid covering the wires.
• In the Nest app, go to Settings and then Nest settings and then Add product.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to scan the QR code and add the Heat Link back to the app.
• When prompted, select Heat Link is already installed to skip the instructions about installing it on the wall.

Let me know how it goes.

Regards,

Derick.

[ConfusedNestUse]

Derick

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately although agree the Heat Link needs to be removed with the current version of Nest software it's impossible. 

Once the thermostat is removed it's not possible to remove the heat link as it's 'nested' under the thermostat. So the only way to remove the heatlink is to do it before the thermostat is removed. Or at leasttthat's my theory. However really grateful for you trying to assist me, it's just that it doesn't, in my case work. And noone is more upset than me! 

[Kevthelights]

I have exactly the same problem, I've found a workaround, which is to set up a second nest account with a new gmail address, you can then install the thermostat & heat link on a different home under the the new account.

Bit of a faff, swapping accounts, go to gearwheel, sign out , then sign in with google on the other account

[ConfusedNestUse]

Dear Kev

I was reluctantly coming to that conclusion. A slight wrinkle is that I have a Nest for under floor heating and another for the rest of the house. Fortunately the underfloor heating one is working! So I'll have to switch both over. However, good to know I'm not alone! Thanks for the assistance 

[Derickf]

Hi there!

Thanks for your reply. @ConfusedNestUse  I’m just wondering if you were able solve the issue with the recommendations provided by @Kevthelights.

I’ll be waiting for your reply.

Best regards,

Derick.

[ConfusedNestUse]

Hello Derick, Thanks for your continued assistance and interest. I'm currently discussing with Google and am awaiting their reply before trying anything as drastic. I've asked them to either remove the heatlink from my account or to supply a reconditioned or new heatlink that would not be linked to my account. It's baffling to me that their Nest App lets you remove a thermostat without unlinking the heatlink. That's the real issue; a software issue the user cannot work around. Or at least as far as I can tell.

However I am a little bit concerned that creating a new google account and swapping thermostats & heatlink might also hit a roadblock as the heatlink would then be associated with a different Google account and might be similarly blocked.

[Kevthelights]

These are the steps I took to get it working again

1, Remove Thermostat e from account

2, Do a factory reset of the Thermostat e (hold the front in until it resets , you'll get picture of a phone with a down arrow near the top

3, Do a factory reset of the heat link, ( hold the button down for 45 seconds, wait 5 seconds then hold for another 45 seconds) you should then have the blue light pulsing slowly

4, set up another google account

5, Go to the gearwheel, >  Account then Sign out of your old nest account and sign in with the new account

6, In Nest, go to Add Product, follow the steps & scan the QR code ( The front of the thermostat e can be pulled away from the stand, there's a copy of the code on the back of it)

7, when the App gets to "Pairing" the Blue light MUST be pulsing on the heatlink, then it should complete ok.

8, Sign Out and back in with the various google accounts you've set up to access all your kit

9, Tell "other" people not to do factory resets on anything!!

[ConfusedNestUse]

Kev

Thanks for the detailed answer. As I mentioned in my thread I was awaiting google support to assist. They have decided the easiest solution is to replace the Heatlink, so I'm going to do that. However, your solution I'm sure would also have worked, I just didn't want to try it whilst they were investigating. I do appreciate your clearly expert help though. It's clearly a bug but well done for solving it. Thoroughly agree with "Do NOT factory reset ANYTHING!"

[Derickf · Accepted solution]

Hi there!

This situation needs to be escalated to a higher team due to after all troubleshooting the issue persisted. In order to receive further assistance, please fill out this form with all the necessary information, like the thread title or link and your username in the community. Once you've completed the form, let me know. Someone from my team will contact you shortly to help.

Regards,

Derick.

[Kevthelights]

Thanks for the link Derick, I've completed the form and submitted it

Regards Kev

[Aneirin]

I want to pop on and state that I have exactly the same issue. 

Nest E was flawless for years, started disconnecting with the same error code a couple of weeks ago. 

First tried resetting the heating link, which worked for a like while, then disconnected again. 

Followed the suggestion on the thermostat to reset, which claims it will remove the heat link. This is partially true as it no longer appears in the nest app.

When you then try and reinstall the thermostat and it eventually asks for the heat link QR code, it tells you that the heat link is still on the account and needs to be deleted.

This however is impossible as the factory reset process has removed it from the settings menu and you are no longer able to continue. 

I don't know what they have broken to cause this, but it's clearly not an isolated incident.

[Derickf]

Hi @Aneirin,

Thanks for reaching out to the Google Nest Community. I'm sorry to hear that your Nest Thermostat E is not pairing with the Heat Link. There is a recommended answer where you can find a contact us form; please fill out the form, and someone from my team will contact you shortly to help.

Best regards,

Derick.

[hhammond]

I have completed the form, no response yet - support appriciated 

[ConfusedNestUse]

I feel your pain. It's really frustrating but escalating will help. I suspect you'll need a new Nest Thermostat and HeatLink. Nothing else appears to help. 

[mlomas]

I am just now having the exact same issue. Did anyone get a definitive fix?

[Aneirin]

I spoke to support for about a week. I sent them photos and videos detailing every step. 

I then got asked to do so again, so I fixed the issue by popping the nest in the bin and installing a competitor system.

[hhammond]

same problem - any advice?

[Aneirin · Accepted solution]

I found the best way to get the ball rolling was to actually call support on the phone. 

They did refer back to this forum post afterwards too.

[ConfusedNestUse]

Well done. Is it all fixed now?

[mlomas]

I completed the form and heard nothing back.

So I set up a completely new email account, downloaded the app on my wife’s phone, made a new account, and got round it that way. What a faff. 

[ConfusedNestUse]

I agree, it's madness. Nest actually replaced my Nest rather than manually alter the account. I think they have made a fundamental error in the design of the interface and don't have a fix ready. But it's already costing them reputational damage and customers.