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Combine multiple temperature sensors.

BWSD
Community Member

Hello,

 

Sort of a feature request, after some context.

I have a an a/c unit with two zones. Each zone has a nest thermostat & two additional temperature sensors, so 6 ways to read the temp in the house. When setting up a schedule, only one sensor can be chosen for each zone. It would be helpful to be able to read multiple sensors.  Allowing min/max/average across a group of sensors would allow me to better control my home. For example, don't let either kid's room get too cold by using a minimum of the room sensors.

 

Let me know how to request features!

 

20 REPLIES 20

CoolingWizard
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

What you are describing, would be an extremely advanced system, such as a commercial building type of a system. The building to have remote temperature sensors in every office for example, controlling a damper within that office to open and close the valve, controlling the air flow for that room room. In the addressable, residential HVAC market, how many customers would need this capability or more importantly how many of them have homes which have multiple multiple zones and multiple systems. The answer not very many.

The AC Cooling Wizard

NestPro, Google Pro, Mechanical Engineer and HVAC service company owner.
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No, it's not. I just want my system to run if any sensor gets too low (minimum over sensors).

CoolingWizard
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

There is no way to get a single nest thermostat to monitor multiple temperature sensors at the same time.  It can be paired with multiple remote temperature sensors but can only accept input from a single sensor at a time. 

Ken, The AC Cooling Wizard

NestPro, Google Pro, Mechanical Engineer and HVAC service company owner.
If my answer solved your problem, click Recommend this Answer below, and If it helped you, please give a Kudo.

Yes. Is there a way to request this feature?

CoolingWizard
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

I am not sure how to submit a product feature recommendation.  Having said that you need to think about your feature and how many customers in the United States and Europe would want to buy this feature. Unless you can show a good strong demand for a product it might not happen.  I feel literally thousands of these things being purchased at what price probably $100 per sensor and a Nest Thermostat design change along with an  increase in the product price of the thermostat to support multiple sensors. 

Ken, The AC Cooling Wizard

NestPro, Google Pro, Mechanical Engineer and HVAC service company owner.
If my answer solved your problem, click Recommend this Answer below, and If it helped you, please give a Kudo.

The sensors are $49, cheaper in a three pack: https://store.google.com/ca/product/nest_temperature_sensor?hl=en-GB

 

My expectation is that I make a feature request and users vote. If it gets no votes, so be it. I'm not demanding a feature, just want to know how to get it to be considered.

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi folks,

 

@CoolingWizard, thanks for the help!

 

@BWSD, We hear you. Our team is working hard to deliver the best experience for our users — we'll take this as feedback. Keep your eye on the Google Nest Community page for any updates. Please let me know if you have other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours if I won't hear back from you again. Feel free to start a new thread and we'll be happy to help.


Check out this link on how to file feedback.

 

Thanks,

Edward

BWSD
Community Member

Thanks for the reply. Was thinking more about it and an (any, all, sensor1, sensor2, ...) option would fit my needs. Example use cases: run the heat if any of my upstairs sensors drops below 60F (min of sensors), or run the A/C if all of my downstairs sensors read above 78F (min or sensors).

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi BWSD,

 

Thanks for the response. We appreciate people who are keen on sharing with us their thoughts. We're always looking for ways to improve and we'll take this as feedback.

 

Thanks,

Edward

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi BWSD,

 

It's me again. I wanted to check back in to see if you have other questions and concerns. Feel free to let me know if you do. 

 

Thanks,

Edward

guslipkin
Community Member

Just found this thread. I'd also find sensor grouping useful. I have single zone HVAC but some warms can get warmer/cooler based on the sun and weather. I'd like to be able to group sensors so that the HVAC runs if any sensor hits an upper or lower boundary

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi guslipkin,

 

We hear you. While we don't have any news to share about this. Our team is always looking for ways to improve — we appreciate your feedback.

 

Thanks,

Edward

Jhonleanmel
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi folks,

Chiming in to see if you still need assistance with this. Let us know if you have additional questions ― we'd love to help.

Best,
Mel

jcarterw18
Community Member

I could use this feature as well. I have two bedrooms that get a lot cooler than the rest of the house and would like to maintain a minimum temperature in there

CoolingWizard
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

What you must consider about having multiple temperature sensors in different rooms is how will you control the flow of the conditioned air for that room? You would need to have a zoned damper control system or even more advanced type system to ensure that is possible.  Otherwise, if the hottest room in your house is the control point for air conditioning, then all the other rooms will be very cold compared to that room when it is satisfied. The opposite is true for heating. If the control point is a very cold room, the rest of the house will be very warm once that cold room gets satisfied. When designing systems for residential houses and particularly multiple level homes, this is why contractors will recommend using two or three systems instead of one larger system. 


The problem you are missing is the system must be able to be adjustable to meet the heating and cooling needs.  Specifically, for each system you must have proper airflow over heat exchanger or evaporator cooling coil.  When you have a room or two that tends to be not warm enough or not cool, enough, you have a need for either multiple HVAC systems or a more advance variable flow system(s). These are very expensive and why most consumers never choose that. The next best thing is damper zone control. You need to further understand that for Cooling systems, you need a minimum of 400 Cubic Feet of air per ton of cooling capacity.  Less than that and your cooling coil will ice up.  Forced air heating systems are a bit more forgiving, however, having a 2-stage heating system with a damper system is better; damper system it is more flexible and more expensive.  If you feel money is no obstacle, look into a Variable Refrigerant Flow systems. Again, VRF systems are pricy.  You find these type systems mostly in commercial buildings. The ductless mini-splits systems are similar in operation to a VRF In that they can adjust the flow of refrigerant depending on how many indoor units are turned on. 

 

NestPro, Google Pro, Mechanical Engineer and HVAC service company owner.
If my answer solved your problem, click Recommend this Answer below, and If it helped you, please give a Kudo.

I don't think any of us are missing any of these facts. I'm well aware that controlling based on a certain room will lead to wide variations in other rooms, but that's already happening. If I control at the thermostat, my bedroom is hot. If I control at my bedroom, my living room (where the thermostat is) is cold. Of course, this could handily be fixed by any of the methods you suggest.

 

However, what you're so close to understanding but still missing, is that, like you said, those systems are expensive. Not only are they expensive, but sometimes they are impractical. For example, I currently live in an apartment. I cannot rip out the HVAC system and replace it for any amount of money short of buying the whole complex. Nevertheless, what I can do is my best attempt at balancing everything out by sensing with different rooms or groups of rooms.

CoolingWizard
Platinum Product Expert
Platinum Product Expert

Most older apartments have a self contained heat pump or a split heat pump system.  And,  most modern apartments use a split heat pump system. They lack good distribution of conditioned air into the different rooms.  What many apartment tenants try to do is sit the vents in other rooms trying to force the conditioned air to a different room.  This approach simply causes problems due to low air flow.  The only way to try and mov the air is to use a stand alone fan to push the air out of the cold room.

Personally I understand all of this far to well since I am a mechanical engineer and an electrical engineer by education. I am an owner of an HVAC service company and an electrical service company.  Far to often we try to engineer the best system and the general contractors turn it down so we are left with an adequate albeit not satisfactory HVAC system. 

 

NestPro, Google Pro, Mechanical Engineer and HVAC service company owner.
If my answer solved your problem, click Recommend this Answer below, and If it helped you, please give a Kudo.

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi folks,

 

@CoolingWizard, we always appreciate the help!

 

@guslipkin, I hope that CoolingWizard's response answered your questions. Let us know if you have other questions and we'd be glad to assist you.

 

Thanks,

Edward

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi guslipkin,

 

It's me again. I wanted to check back in to see if you have other questions and concerns. Feel free to let me know if you do.

 

Thanks,

Edward

EdwardT
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi guslipkin,

 

I'm just checking in to make sure that you've seen our response. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns as I will be locking this in 24 hours.

 

Thanks,

Edward