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How can I remove a thermostat from its back plate?

SarahWard
Community Member

My plumber accidentally put the thermostat on the back plate before screwing it to the wall. I need to remove the thermostat so I can fix the back plate to the wall. How do I get it off the back plate? There's nothing to grip to enable me to pull it off.

13 REPLIES 13

GreyArea
Community Member

@SarahWard wrote:

My plumber accidentally put the thermostat on the back plate before screwing it to the wall. I need to remove the thermostat so I can fix the back plate to the wall. How do I get it off the back plate? There's nothing to grip to enable me to pull it off.


Mine just pulls off...just grip the outer ring and pull...it's a fairly chunky device!

Thank you for replying. Is your thermostat fixed to the wall? The problem is that the plumber hasn't fixed it to the wall yet... and I can't separate the two elements because there's nothing to grip on to (because the back plate isn't fixed to anything).

Ah I see. Can you get a friend to hold the plate against the wall while you pull? Or loop something around it (the plate) like a belt and then pull apart?

Markjosephp
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hello everyone,

I wanted to stop by and see how I could help.

Thanks for the input, @GreyArea.

@SarahWard, how's it going? Have you managed to split the thermostat display from its base with some help? You can remove the Nest Learning Thermostat display from its base by holding the display's metal outer ring with your fingers and then pulling it directly away from the wall, leaving the base behind. If you're still having trouble, could you share with us a photo of it?

Best regards,
Mark

Read again. Plate not connected to wall.

Markjosephp
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi GreyArea,

 

Can you show us a picture so we can visualize it?

To insert an image in a post:

 

  1. Reply to this post.
  2. Click Insert Image (camera icon).
  3. Choose an image source location.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

 

Thanks,
Mark

Well it's Sarah with the problem not me, but she's described it fairly clearly; sounds like her installer has connected the wires, but not screwed the plate to the wall, then plugged the thermostat in to the plate. I'm assuming the plate is to flimsy for her to just brute force the thermostat out of it without risking damage to the plate or the connected wires.

I don't seem to be describing the problem very clearly as there's no issue with 'strength' or 'using brute force'.

The plumber pushed the back plate onto the thermostat (in error). The back plate is NOT yet fixed to a wall.

I want to attach the back plate to a wall.

I can't now separate the two items (back plate and thermostat) because there's nothing to grip on to to pull them apart.

Hi Mark

Thanks for following up on this. I don't have a 'camera' icon available to allow me to insert an image.... only text based icons.

NEST.jpg

Aha – a camera icon has magically appeared! Thank you Mark 😊

Ah...ok...that's very different to mine...on mine there's no red cable and plug, the thermostat just plugs straight into a socket on the plate.

I'm guessing you need to remove the plug...tweezers or needle nosed pliers?

That image is really confusing me. I think I'd better leave this one to someone with more experience...good luck Sarah!