Wiring wrong? Or am I being "Rheemed"?

[Ric_S]

Will you please help me undestand what I've done wrong when installing a Google Nest Thermostat for my Rheem Model 13PL36A01?

(Immediately before, this unit was been connected to an Ecobee thermostat and was working fine.)

Now that I've installed the new Nest thermostat, my system is now blowing cold air when it should be heating.

I've take "before" (Ecobee thermostat) and "after" (Nest thermostat) photograhs of my wiring. Also, I've taken a photo of the HVAC unit's circuit board and of the labels affixed under the unit's cover. You can see them at this link . . .

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iFWxiwdYfC82RjCy5

Clicking on a photo in the album should show you the "info" for that photo--I've left a description of each photo's content in its respective info section.

And just in case it helps, the serial number of my unit is 7690W311212951.

What a puzzle this has been--I sure hope there is someone out there who can solve it!

[zoeuvre]

Hi Ric_S, 

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that your system blows cold air when it should be heating after installing your Nest Thermostat 2020. A few questions:

1. Does the thermostat screen indicate that it’s actively calling for heating?
2. What type of furnace do you have? (gas, electric, etc.)
3. When did heating last work?
4. Did heating ever work with the Nest thermostat?
5. Did you turn off the power to the HVAC system?
   • Did you recently turn off any breakers?
   • Have you recently experienced a brownout or blackout?
   • Is there a light switch near the heater that controls an outlet?
6. Did you select the correct fuel type?
7. Do the LED lights blink on the HVAC control board? If yes, locate the light.
8. When was the last time you changed the furnace's air filter?
9. Have you experienced extremely cold weather lately?
10. Is this the first notable temperature drop of the year in the area?

Also, gather the power readouts of VIN, IIN, PS-* under your thermostat Settings > Equipent > Power. 

i'll look forward to your response. 

Best,

Zoe 

[Ric_S]

Thanks for taking an interest in my plight, zoeuvre!

I'll answer your questions from memory, for now. I'll be back at the location of the new Nest thermostat installation sometime next week. Meanwhile, here goes . . . 

- - -

Does the thermostat screen indicate that it’s actively calling for heating?

I'm not entirely sure. I'm sure it didn't show a "cooling" indication. 

I'll confirm this next week when I return to the location.

- - -
What type of furnace do you have? (gas, electric, etc.)

It's an electric heat pump, Rheem model Model 13PL36A01.

When did heating last work?

It has been working as expected for years, including up to the moment I removed a (working) Ecobee thermostat, to be replaced with a new Nest thermostat.

- - -

Did heating ever work with the Nest thermostat?

No.

- - -
Did you turn off the power to the HVAC system?

Yes, the power had been cut off at the breaker panel box while installing the Nest thermostat.

- - -
Did you recently turn off any breakers?

No, just the master switch on breaker box.

- - -
Have you recently experienced a brownout or blackout?

No.

- - -
Is there a light switch near the heater that controls an outlet?

The nearest light switch is approximately ten feet from the thermostat's location. The light switch worked as expected before and after the Nest thermostat was installed.

- - -
Did you select the correct fuel type?

Yes. (I performed at least three "factory resets" on the Nest thermostat.)

- - -
Do the LED lights blink on the HVAC control board? If yes, locate the light.

I did not check for blinking lights. I'll make it a point to look for them when I return to the site next week.

- - -

When was the last time you changed the furnace's air filter?

Two weeks prior to installing the Nest thermostat.

- - -
Have you experienced extremely cold weather lately?

No. It's located in west Texas and it's been about a year--maybe two--since the temperature has approached freezing.

- - -
Is this the first notable temperature drop of the year in the area?

Yes . . . about two days before I swapped the Ecobee thermostat for the Nest thermostat. During the swap the weather was quite pleasant--maybe mid 60's Fahrenheit.

- - -

Also, gather the power readouts of VIN, IIN, PS-* under your thermostat Settings > Equipment > Power. 

Will do; will upload a photo as soon as I return there next week. 

Again, zoeuvre, I want to let you know that your assistance is appreciated VERY MUCH!!

[zoeuvre]

Hi There, 

Gotcha—thanks for keeping me in the loop. I'll keep this thread open until I hear back from you as you return from the location where the thermostat is, so we can continue to discuss and troubleshoot your thermostat.

Regards,

Zoe

[Ric_S]

Here's the latest bulleting:

It's now nighttime, and I've arrived back at the (cold) house. Let's just say I'm sufficiently motivated to get the heat going now. I've either got to figure something out or it's going to be a three-dog night--without any dogs.

Having powered up the thermostat again I can tell you that it's still behaving the same as before. I've confirmed that it tells me it's heating, but cold air is blowing from the air registers.

The current power settings are:

Y-C-W-G-R-*OB

As I cycle through the thermostat's settings and menus, there are no indications of anything being out of order. No error messages. As they say at NASA, "all systems are nominal".

So far, I've made no changes. to either the settings or wiring. But my motivation for change is rising as the temperture falls.

I realize it would be a miracle if anyone could save the day when it is late in the evening before Thanksgiving Eve. Still, hope reigns eternal so I'm posting this S-O-S, just in case miracles do happen. I'll shiver for another hour or two, but if then there is no hope in sight I will probably start resetting the thermostat back to its factory settings and see if there is any way I'll be able to blunder my way back to coziness.

Keeping calm and carrying on,

Ric

[zoeuvre]

Hello Ric_S, 

I'm sorry for the delayed response. Check on the following:

1. The thermostat should be powered and the wiring connections secure. The circuit breaker for the HVAC system should not be tripped. If the issue persists, try turning off power, waiting a few minutes, and then re-starting the system.
2. Double-check the thermostat settings to ensure the desired temperature and heating mode are correctly configured, ensuring the thermostat is set to "Heat" mode and set higher than the current room temperature.
3. The furnace or heating system may be causing issues. Check for error codes or indicators on the furnace.
4. If the issue persists, try resetting the thermostat to its factory settings through the thermostat's menu; Settings > Reset > Reset. However, this will erase any custom settings, so you may need to reconfigure it afterwards.

Regards,

Zoe