Nest thermost running heat pump for cooling but wont turn on heat pump to heat.

[Reswarts]

Everything seemed to be working well this summer.  Nest engaged flawlessly with the heat pump and cooled the house no problem. Now the temps are falling and the Nest won't turn on the heat pump for heating.  It does kick in the electric heat strips that are used for emergency heat.  I am unsure what to do but assume it's a wiring issue.

I have a goodman heat pump that seems to be very compatible with Nest.

Wiring Pic 

[CoolingWizard · Accepted solution]

@Reswarts , when you install the nest and configure it, did you actually configure it for a heat pump model? If you failed to set it as a heat pump, it will be treating it as a air conditioner. Only with electric heat strips. Double check your equipment configuration and make sure that you have it set up as a heat pump.

Like an air conditioner, when you engage the heater, the blower fan should turn on the compressor outside should start. And in your case, the reversing valve will be engaged to change the heat mode.

AC Cooling Wizard

[Reswarts]

Appreciate the help and response...thank you.  I guess my question is how would I rewire for a heat pump.  I only have the wires that are shown in my pic.  Do I use the W wire and go into O/B??  Novice here...so any help is great.  Thank you

[CoolingWizard]

@Reswarts , I see that your wires are labeled OB is in the OB and the terminal W would be configured as your emergency heat. Everything else is good, but I noticed that the little button you push down to put the wire in they’re not all fully down which means the wires might need to be pushed in farther. 

AC Cooling Wizard 

[Reswarts]

Appreciate the help!  I made sure all are connected and factory reset to run through the set up and wiring again.  Still having the same issue. I don't have any additional wires so not sure if something needs to be swapped or if I just don't know what I am doing.  I feel like I just need to have someone come out and check it.  Thanks for the help tho.

[CoolingWizard]

@Reswarts , lets us manually test this with the wires.  Get a metal paper clip. Turn the power off to the air handler. Put the Red, Yellow, Green, Orange wires bare cooper into the paper clip.  Turn the power back on. Do you heat now?  If not, remove only the orange wire from the paper clip. Now heat should on. Remember it a few minutes before heat comes out. Performed this test and let me know the results. 

AC Cooling Wizard