nest thermostat 2nd Gen uk using nest stand wifi

[bixieupnorth]

my main question about this infernal decision remains unanswered.

my set up, from 2014, has the heat link in a cupboard in the hall beside the boiler. I'm based in the UK.

in the living room my nest thermostat sits in a powered cradle, (the nest stand i think it's called?) and everything connects via wifi.

my question is, is there a straight swap for the 3rd or 4th generation? can i get a similar set up on either of the newer ones and replace? or will the heat link need to be rewired to facilitate?

i can't find any information about this, except about wall mounted thermostats.

we don't particularly want this option, as we've found the wifi cradle to be perfect for our needs

i hope someone can answer this, or point me somewhere that can help?

thanks in advance

[humbertogarcia]

Hi bixieupnorth,

It's fantastic that you got the Heat Link working with your new Nest thermostat! That's definitely a step in the right direction.

Just to clarify, even though the Heat Link is now connected, the information I shared about the older Nest Learning Thermostat generations still applies. You can actually see this confirmed for yourself in the article Upcoming end of support for Nest Learning Thermostats (1st and 2nd gen), which also addresses your question about the Heat Link 2nd gen potentially becoming obsolete.

The key thing is that the Nest Learning Thermostat 2nd Gen will eventually lose its connection to all the smart features through the Nest and Google Home apps.

Because the Heat Link relies on these smart commands from the thermostat to function properly, it will become unusable within your smart home ecosystem once that support ends. While the help article Manually control heating when Heat Link is disconnected does explain a basic way to control your heating manually, the seamless smart integration you're used to will no longer be available.

I really hope this helps you understand why this change is happening and what the implications are for your setup. It's definitely not ideal when older devices lose support, and I want to make sure you have all the information you need.

@Frustratedddd Thank you for mentioning me. Please also read the articles thoroughly.

Although your expectations about my assistance can not change the circumstances, rest assured that my mission and objective are to assist you.

Regards,

Humberto

[bixieupnorth]

haha again you haven't followed us. i now have a 3rd gen thermostat working with my 2nd gen heat link. so i hope i have future proofed my system until google decides to abandon us again further down the line. their decision has still cost me £84 and i'm still really annoyed at it all, but it could have been a lot worse if i'd followed your advice and called an electrician in and scrapped the whole (fully working) system

[bixieupnorth]

i can't see any mention of the heat link at all in the article you quote? can you be more specific with this please? where is it even mentioned?

[humbertogarcia]

Hi bixieupnorth,

No problem at all; I'm happy to provide the information related to your Heat Link 2nd gen.

I really appreciate you taking the time to read through the article and requesting how the Heat Link's situation can be implied from the information about the older Nest Thermostats losing support for connected features. You're right; the Heat Link is not explicitly mentioned, but the connection is definitely there. The remote control to the Heat Link won't be supported by the Nest app or the Google Home app after October 25, 2025.

Regarding your interest in the requirement of the thermostat and the Heat Link being of the same generation, I just want to make things clearer. Here's a link to a different article whose information reinforces the information provided in my previous communications: Learn about Heat Link for Nest thermostats in Europe.

I hope this makes things a bit clearer! If anything still feels fuzzy, just post, okay? We'll figure it out together.

Regards,

Humberto

[Frustratedddd]

@humbertogarcia 

I am confused with you explanation let alone @bixieupnorth 

You appear to suggest @bixieupnorth 2nd generation Heat Link will be defunct come October 2025, correct?

Could I ask you to explain exactly how that will happen please?

Please explain in simple terms as I’m getting old these days, and don’t understand complicated things anymore!!

[Isaaq-7]

Hi, I’ve seen you repair thermostat displays, can you repair w5 error?

[bixieupnorth]

is humberto a bot?

[humbertogarcia]

Hi Frustratedddd,

Got it! Thanks for giving me a chance to clear something up for bixieupnorth. His 2nd generation Heat Link won't become totally useless in October 2025. What's happening is that the remote control features will be disabled, but he'll still be able to control the Heat Link manually.

@bixieupnorth, well, hey there! I just wanted to pop in and let you know you're talking to a real person, not a bot! I'm always happy to help. Just a heads-up, sometimes replies in the community might not be instant. We're doing our best to get back to everyone as quickly as we can, and I'm really looking forward to helping you out!

@Isaaq-7, I'd be absolutely glad to help you tackle that W5 error on your thermostat! While it's true that for many Nest thermostat users this particular error isn't something that can typically be fixed with just a quick tweak, we can definitely look into it together.

To get started, I'll need a bit more information from you. Let's work together to figure out the best path forward and get your thermostat back on track!

Please indicate your Nest Learning Thermostat description and the steps that you've taken in order to fix the issue.

In the meantime, please check the help article Troubleshoot a Nest thermostat W5 code.

I'll be glad to check your answers in order to investigate further. I look forward to your post!

Regards,

Humberto

[Isaaq-7]

Hi, I sell these and lots have w5 errors from the chip burnt out, is there any possibility for repair?

[Frustratedddd]

Mods, Please remove the posts from @Isaaq-7 this is an important thread about an issue with @bixieupnorth thermostat setup, not a repair service for another user.

People crashing threads does not help, and @bixieupnorth needs all the help they need.

@Isaaq-7IF you need help, then start a new thread and I will answer, but please delete your messages as we do not want to confuse people reading this important information.

[Frustratedddd]

@humbertogarciaTo be honest what you should have stated was........The 2nd generation thermostat will not be supported by Google from October via internet remote connection. BUT, your system will still work as a stand alone thermostat but without remore access.

I can see you are a novice on the forum, would that be reasonable to state? Users do not need complicated answers, and they certainly do not want Google scare tactics thinking their system will just stop. Google are useless enough themselves, we don't need any more hassle.

Anyway, @bixieupnorth sounds happy enough with their work around I suggested, pity a Mod couldn't have helped a lot quicker. Let's hope you @humbertogarcia have also learnt something from this, and what works with what??

[humbertogarcia]

Hi Frustratedddd,

Thanks for the feedback! I agree that your suggestion for @Isaaq-7  is excellent, and the creation of a new thread makes sense.

Moving forward, if anyone has new comments or concerns, please create a new thread. This one has gotten a bit long, and new threads will help us all keep track and understand discussions more easily.

Happy to help everyone!

Regards,

Humberto

[bixieupnorth]

so i've wasted my efforts setting up the 3rd gen thermostat to my 2nd gen heatlink? in october it'll happen the same as if i'd left it all alone? and i'll have to get the 3rd gen heatlink wired in? how annoying!

i hate google a little bit more every day! my android phone has completely bricked itself this week too! are they targetting me specifically??!!

[Frustratedddd]

Where have you got that conclusion from?

[bixieupnorth]

this is what humberto said every time, he reiterates that the 2nd gen heat link will not work after october except for manual control via the thermostat. i bought the 3rd gen display to enable me to carry on using the app after they remove support.

[bixieupnorth]

ps i still don't believe it, i think the 3rd gen will contnue to control it over wifi. do you share the same though, or am i being ridiculously naive? (that's a weird word!)

[Frustratedddd]

Oh dear this is very difficult!

Let me just put one thing straight here.... Your Heat Link is NOTHING to do with Google shutting anything down, so just get the Heat Link out of your head. The Heat Link ONLY receives a signal from the display.

I have NOT heard anything about 3rd gen thermostat DISPLAYS being shut down or anything like that from Google. That means as of this minute there is NO information about Google doing anything with the 3rd Gen displays.

Does that help now?

[bixieupnorth]

i don't know why i appear to come across as so stupid here. 

my current set up as you know, is a 3rd generation thermostat (display) and a 2nd generation heat link. so if my display is still supported after october, and the heat link (as you state in capitals) is nothing to do with the google support i can't see why it won't continue to function after that fateful date? or do you now agree with humberto?

sorry if i'm adding to your username, i wasn't intending ever having to look at this thread by i just by chance checked in earlier.

apologies again for taking so much of your time

[Frustratedddd]

I just cannot see where you are getting the 3rd Gen display is stopping support after October?

Yes I understand the 2nd Gen is stopping support in October, as that has been running since day one with Nest, some 10 years ago. They have decided to stop the 1st/2nd, selfish I agree, but it's life I suppose and Tech moves quick.

NO I am not agreeing with anyone, I'm just just saying exactly how I understand things are working at present. I don't doubt one day Google will stop the 3rd Gen support over wifi, but at present they have not.

Please just have fun with your new 3rd Gen Display with your old 2nd Gen Heat Link, and if anything stops working, then come back.

[bixieupnorth]

will do. i just don;t understand why i'm reading what humberto says so differently to you? he's said at least three times that the 2nd gen heat link will no longer support app connectivity after october. i'm not sully sure that he has grasped that i now have a 3rd gen display, but hey ho!

but as you suggested i'll be back in october if it stops, so please don't waste any more of your time on this, as you sound like you're living up to you name

cheers again