E83 when setting up nest learning thermostat

[Sbukka]

Hi,

I just replaced my thermostat with a nest learning thermostat. If I wired all my older thermostat connections, I get an E83 error stating 

"Heat pump can have at most one aux heat wire". 

From a bit of googling I found that if the thermostat has W1 and W2, it means that I have a two stage heating system in place.

Currently to by pass this I removed the W1 and it looks my heat is working, but I want to make sure I am doing the right thing here. Is there a different setup route I should go with here to make sure everything is correct? 

Please help!  Tagging @CoolingWizard for visibility. 

[CoolingWizard · Accepted solution]

@Sbukka ,

when your old thermostat has a wire on W1 and W2, you might have a two-stage heating system. But first you must determine the type of heating system you have. If you have a heat pump system and a gas or oil burner furnace you have what’s known as a duel fuel system.
A heat pump is an Air Conditioner that can reverse its refrigeration flow.  Since the heat comes from the compressor, the heat pump 2-stages would be Y1 and Y2.  
When you have a heat pump and the forced air blower has an electric heat strips installed, this is typically wired to AUX/W2.
When we find a wire also on W1 we must determine its purpose. Some older thermostats might allow the programing of Emergency heat on W1 when there is no E or X terminal. 

@Sbukka , so that I might help you best, tell about your heating system? 
Do you have Gas Heat?

Do you have oil burner?

AC Cooling Wizard

[Sbukka]

Firstly, thank you for your response. This house doesn't have a gas connection, so no gas heat. There isn't an oil burner near the furnace as well. So all electric? 

I do remember seeing an option for emergency heat on my old thermostat. 

[CoolingWizard]

@Sbukka , if your house is all electric, then there’s not generally a need for two stages of heat using W1 and W2. What you need to investigate is the thermostat cable in the air handler. Do you want to verify the color wire that was on W1 and the color of wire that was on W2, finding out where those two wires are going to inside the air handler. 

AC Cooling Wizard