USA 3rd Gen Thermostat conected to a UK 2nd Generation Heatlink

[JFord047]

I am amongst THOUSANDS Probably that have had the Nest System at home and loved it! Now the support for the 1st and 2nd Generation is gone (from the Nest APP).

so Silly thought, get an AMERICAN 3rd Gen thermostat, and simply connect it to the UK Heatlink, since its wireless , there are no voltages to worry about....

So Far the answer is NO.

I have the USA Thermostat, and the base plate for it.

I replaced the 2nd Gen one and got an unable to connect, on the 3rd gen.

OK read the support bits, You can only have 1 connected at a time unless its a different zone, ok unplug everything, let it go flat, try again.... NO

try the setup from the APP, No cannot see the heatlink, re-pair, reset, everything does not work.

whilst its trying to connect , turn off the heatlink power, it instantly stops trying to connect! so it does see it, just will not talk to it, even although i have the code typed in!

ok, disconect the 3rd gen, start the reset Second Gen, instant connection from the other side of the house!!!

remove it from the app, reset it to factory, unplug it, wait!!

plug in the 3rd gen, language, location, all the bits, until it comes to heatlink, then its simply spins and cannot connect...

That is where I an now, its in the Nest App, ERROR H71, cannot go any further..

I cannot add in the OLD gen 2 as it want a key, which cannot be got from the internet, probably becuase the suppoort is gone!

And now all of the schedules that were Still working, now no longer are there.. and its getting cold!

New 3rd Gen, + backplate, plus stand, I am out of pocket £250, and now in a worse position that i was in before , a new system might have been quicker! 

Where am i going wrong????

Is there a difference in the wireless connection of the American and UK heatlinks, are the Bios's Different, what do I need to change to get this working?

[JFord047]

ok after 6 Hours of connect disconect, switch, move, reset after reset, repair everything, I finally found a telephone number to ASK a human what is going wrong, As the call connected, it jumped into life..... 

Now working, only needing setup

[Frustratedddd]

What have you managed to do so far?

Are you saying you have a USA 3rd Gen with USA 3rd Gen back plate connected to a 2nd Gen Heat Link now?

[CoolingWizard · Accepted solution]

@JFord047 ,

First of all the HeatLink product is designed to work with UK/European market typical heating equipment. Specifically Boilers, Combi-Boilers, OpenTherm boilers.  The Nest E and Nest Learning Thermostat Gen-3 that are compatible with the HeatLunk are unique as well.  The A0001 models will accept 12VDC power from the HeatLunk when hardwired.  The Nest Stand, when used has a power supply that provides the needed power.  The USA Google Nest Learning Thermostat operates on 24Volts AC power and not DC Power.  There is a UK specific Model of the Google Nest Learning Thermostat Gen-3 that is designed to works with the HeatLink as well as an Nest Learning Thermostat E;  The Model series A0001.  

The Cooling Wizard

[JFord047]

I split my life between Texas and Scotland, so a lot of American Market products end up over here. The nest was installed in Scotland in 2013, then the USA in 2015,  The UK version is yes 240V to a heatlink and then a wireless remote to the thermostat. the US version is a direct wire. Great becuase i can monitor / conttrol all the nest products in both countries from a single app. Hence i do not want to change it all. 

The Nest Gen 1 & 2 werer going to be dicontinued, and it was impossible to get the GEN 3, and did i try. So in  comes the US Gen 3 Thermostat, theory , its capable of connecting to a heatlink, its capable of being stand mounted, and asks for multiple languages for setup, therfor it should work in any country.

So it was bought, brought back to Scotland and installed. Connected to a GEN 2 Heatlink

Previously changin the thermostat was simply unplug - unmount - plug in new one - power up  - setup, always worked.

this time it was a no, pair - repair - switch back to the old - remove device - add device and back to the start. would not connect. Onto the hindernet, read everything tried again, same result.

Then as i said, i fgound the Nest Support  telephone number, called it, as i was going through the selection, I picked up the Thermostat and it was connected and working!

I do not know how / why, but i am not touching it again, its on the app, everything happy, a long journey for a simple task, but its came through in the end.

But thanks for the help!

lol Just for fun... For the Wizard,

Ex-Soldier, Computer Hater, Network Consultant, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Used to own International Network Company,  Now Happily retired 

[sam097]

Hey,
Are you saying you have US gen 3 working with a UK heatlink?
If so, do you mind detailing your set-up please, as I have a a US gen3 nest that i'd like to utilise in the UK, if possible?

[JFord047]

IN ALL HONESTY  I HAVE NO IDEA! yes i have the things working together, but it was the exact same as setting up the UK / UK , simply set it up out of the APP, after removing the UK thermostat! it took a couple of Hours to get it working.

Personally I think the trick was the time the OLD one was off of the network that did the trick, untill it was off for about 4 hours the USA one refused to connect, simply put you canb only have one on at a time, and the network still thought the UK was on.

it simply jumperd into life itself.

I wish i could tell you exactly why, but not got a clue, hence i was on here looking for advice myself. We brought 2 full sets from the USA , one for us and one for a friend, He disconeected his at 07:00 then connected the USA one at 17:00, it simply attached and worked right away.

then put onot the App, jopb Done.

[sam097]

It's the connection to the heatlink that I'm really concerned about, since everything online suggests that the US model doesn't support a Heatlink?

[CoolingWizard]

@JFord047 ,

You need understand that the USA models require 24Volts of Alternating Current power.  The UK models are designed to be powered by 12Volts of Direct Current power.  I am not directly aware of the USA Gen-3 Nest Learning Thermostat power circuitry design.  Perhaps they designed it to work either Alternating Current and Direct Current.  I rather doubt it because the physical space on the circuit board power would nearly double.  So I believe they ate two different control boards; one for US market and one for European market.  

The Cooling Wizard

[CoolingWizard]

if you want to try a USA gen 3 then first place the Heat Link into pair mode.  If the Heat Link is paired to the old thermostat it will not immediately pair with the replacement thermostat until the pairing expires.   
The Cooling Wizard

[JFord047]

All of the ones i have now connected in the UK have been on Stands, with a USB power plug, Wireless Connection to a heatlink.

The USA version has the option to connect to the heatlink. As I said before the trick was to wait for a couple of hours after removing the old Nest Thermostat, and  then it simply worked!

There is NO Difference in the operation of ANY of the nest Thermostats the 3rd Gen is the exact same as the Second Gen it was replacing.

the only thing I have LEARNED  is that it is important to remove the 2nd Gen and wait until the pair expires, then the 3rd Gen eill connect, if the pairing has not expired, it will simply not connect tothe Heatlink.

[Frustratedddd]

@JFord047  I think the easiest way of explaining your connection, is if you could upload a picture of the backplate showing your connections. 

Would you be able to do that for the forum itself please? 

[JFord047]

there is literely Nothing to explain!!!

the only connection to the USA 3rd Gen Thermostat is a 3rd Gen Mount for the Stand and seperate USB plug (which can be used from the previous one).

You CANNOT plug the 3rd Gen Thermostst onto the First  / Second Gen mount on the stand, simply put the plug on 1 & 2 are rectangular, the 3rd has rounded corners, they do not plug into each other. 

You need to get the 3rd Gen mount for the stand and replace the 1st or 2nd one.

Aside from the USB plug , no wires are required!

[JFord047]

Quick coverall

1. The USA 3rd Gen DOES support the Heatlink in its menu at startup
2. My 3rd Gen Thermostst is siting on a Desk Mount, the only connection is to a USB cable for power from the wall
3. the Thermostat is wired to nothing other than a USB
4. The Heatlink is a UK 240V 50hz ac connection with WIRELESS connection to the Thermostat
5. Between the Stand and the thermostat is a mounting ring which is powered by the USB plug 
6. 2nd and 3rd Gen plug and socket are not interchangable, 2 needs 2, 3 needs 3
7. The Mounting Ring that comes with the Thermostat is an american one, this needs a Wired Power and is no use in the UK, you need a European mounting ring for the stand (mines came from Germany)
8. UnPair the Second Gen thermostat and wait a couple of Hours
9. Connect the 3rd Gen to powered stand ring
10. it simply connects itself. or you may need to pair via the Code on the top of the heat link
11. Add it to the Nest APP
12. Good to go 

I am an expert in Computers and Networks, long time since my Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Degrees But you need none of those! 

My Setting up first time was comnplete hit and miss (stubbournness Helps here), second time was the above list. worked first time.

USA Thermostat DOES work in Europe, it has all of the Software on Board to do so, the only MUST is the getting of the GEN 3 European Ring mount for the stand. nothing other than the 3rd Gen will do!

I understand your frustration, but trrust me , the end of the tunnel is floodlit!!!

Good luck 

Jim 

[Frustratedddd]

@JFord047 @The question has never been about the firmware from my point, as this has been known for years!! The firmware for remote sensors is also in both UK & USA, but Google will not for some very odd reason release the sensor firmware in the UK!!

The question I ask is how the connection is done between the display and the power?? 

I assume from what you are saying you have a micro USB plugged into the USA base plate mounted on a stand? 

[JFord047]

Yes, though as i said I bought the baseplate from Germany, the one that came with the thermostat was the one for Hard Wiring into the heating / cooling sysytem and no use for the UK.

I do not know if the USA stand mount is similar to the European, possibly its the exact same, but I only bought the standard Thermostat Kit and not the Stand Kit. 

Possibly CoolingWizard might know about the USA stand mount setup

[Frustratedddd]

 

These are the 2 back plates. The UK one has a micro usb, the USA not sure, but would expect not as they use 24v!

 

[Frustratedddd]

I have just read through your information again and sadly there is no new information you have discovered!!! I missed the part where you state you have a European base plate! Your first part of the saga stated you used USA Nest parts! 

What in actual fact is happening here is, the EU/UK base plate you have installed which has firmware installed is doing the same to your USA display as any other and making the display work. Nothing new I’m afraid.

The misleading part here, CoolingWizard and I could not understand, is how you were connecting with a USA baseplate stated in your first part of the information. Now I understand, and CoolingWizard will also, you don’t have the USA plate but a UK one!!! 

Agreed CoolingWizard??

[JFord047]

lol, the whole saga was about connecting the USA NEST Thermostat, My Bad , the assumption was that it would be understood that I had got the base plate for the EURO/UK to go along with the Thermostat, basically becuase I could not find the USA baseplate! and the EURO one was easier to get.

I thought the problem was the THERMOSTAT, and not the baseplate connection. 

In the USA we have got it on the wall with the Heating / AC connected , and summer in Texas we really do not need the heating and are very rarely there in winter. 

The propblem with the UK was 2 fold, when the system was installed here, the main reason was that after the kitchen renovation, they had ripped out he thermostat lines top the hallway, meaning a remote system was the only alternative, the nest allowed both remote and integrastions with  smoke detectors / cameras / doorbell etc, before any other company realy, so it was chosen, the the USA upgraded to the same system. A single App for 2 countries, perfect!

The UK Heating system is a combi / on-demand water, so no need for A/C or Boiler , once more the nest is perfect, ( the most used function being turning the heating on at the airport, for a nice warm house on arricval)

Appologise for NOT making it clear that the base Ring was NOT the USA Stand one, though i am not ev en sure what it looks like! had i been able to get it, i probably would have bought it at the same time!  

[JFord047]

LMAO, in my defence, the only place i have found any information about the desktop stand  adapter / Mount has been on the Nest Support site,. and the pictures they give for mounting show the Stand > Adapter > Thermostat, which is the exact same as the EURO / UK setup! the base stand setup is the common in Europe, where in the USA although from what i am informed is available, is rarer than rocking horse dung! 

I think thats why in the USA you have the remote sensors for zoning in each room, and in Europe they are not really needed, as the actual Home Areas are much smaller! 

Our Whole Appartment in the UK would equate to the main room and Kitchen in the House in Texas. And there we have a further 2 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, an office, a garage, a workshop, and a playroom on top of that,  yet we paid about the same amount of money for Both places.

Being Scottish I would much prefer Summer and Winter in Texas, but my Texan Wife prefers Winter Here, and I am all about a reduction in ear bending from the wife!!!  Hence the back and forth