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Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

nytimes.com

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Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#21

Post by twothamendment »

It isn't a smart/learning thermostat, but I've been very happy with my http://www.radiothermostat.com/ CT30 - and it hasn't left me in the cold. There is a newer model now, but you can get them with a Wifi or z-wave module. It has a json API and of course that means there are free apps too.

I easily added a few controls to my own home automation system and now I can control it from anywhere and I don't need a 3rd party (other than the internet) involved. What do I like the most? Since I've set it up I haven't had to physically touch it. Programming it through json or an app is easier than the buttons on it. Now if you want a smart/learning t-stat, you'll want something else.

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#22

Post by ghaff »

tomkinstinch wrote: post #16
ghaff wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you have redundant thermostats? Though I'd note that traditional thermostats and even simple programmable ones are very reliable.

Sure, at least for traditional two-wire thermostats that turn on when the circuit is closed: connect them in parallel. The Nest is so obviously a product designed in warm California—not anywhere that sees truly hard winter. If it were designed well, it would fail safe (furnace on). I'd rather have a hefty heating bill from my furnace running 24/7 than have all of the pipes in my house freeze and break. If I ever inst…

Thanks. A failsafe with a fallback to a sensible default would seem to have been a pretty basic feature. But as you say... CA.

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#23

Post by buro9 »

x0x0 wrote: post #17
FireBeyond wrote: post #6

"It also happened recently with Fitbit, the maker of wearable activity trackers. The company was hit with a class-action lawsuit in San Francisco asserting that the wristbands failed to “consistently and accurately record wearers’ heart rates,” which is vital for those with certain medical conditions." Apropos of anything else - I don't think Fitbit has ever tried to market itself as a medical device.

I have a fitbit chargehr. It doesn't monitor heartrate for shit; it's 20-50 bpm off during exercise.

Have you considered that you may just be an incredibly gifted athlete?

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#24

Post by bcook »

mhurron wrote: post #8
tcdent wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scary enough to have redundancy? edit: I'm talking about redundant systems. A wood fireplace, for example. You should have a backup of any form of technology you rely on to maintain your life. We regularly do it with far less critical applications.

Think about what you just said. Redundancy for a thermostat. You know, that thing that before the Nest you never even had to think about.

Perhaps not, but I have lost power for a week during a blizzard and it was nice to have a fire-place (redundancy). Disregarding the power-loss scenerio, if my any part of my HVAC system fails, I have space-heaters.

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#25

Post by taternuts »

ghaff wrote: post #5

I've also been told by people I know About Nests crashing and turning off. [edit: yes, anecdotal but it's not an unknown event] This is completely unacceptable in a Northern climate. No, it's not the only failure mode for a heating system but I have zero interest in adding another point of failure for the sake of having a cool device. Frozen pipes is a serious business.

That was my first thought; if I owned a Nest and it stopped working for 2-3 days right now where I live, I'd be in big trouble especially if I weren't home to get a space-heater to temporarily offset the issue

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#26

Post by peterhadlaw »

buro9 wrote: post #23
x0x0 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a fitbit chargehr. It doesn't monitor heartrate for shit; it's 20-50 bpm off during exercise.

Have you considered that you may just be an incredibly gifted athlete?

Heart rate over 9000?

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#28

Post by cjensen »

mhurron wrote: post #8
tcdent wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Scary enough to have redundancy? edit: I'm talking about redundant systems. A wood fireplace, for example. You should have a backup of any form of technology you rely on to maintain your life. We regularly do it with far less critical applications.

Think about what you just said. Redundancy for a thermostat. You know, that thing that before the Nest you never even had to think about.

tcdent didn't say redundancy for a thermostat. For example, a fireplace and some wood is redundancy that covers both thermostat failures and power failures. If you live in dangerous weather as mentioned in the original comment, it would be stupid not to have a Plan B.

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#29

Post by imh »

At least among the engineers and data scientists here, are any of us really surprised? Smart devices, especially ones that learn, can certainly do better on average, but complexity adds edge cases and those worst cases can really matter. Simple things fail simply (when they fail at all).

Re: Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold

#30

Post by pm24601 »

ghaff wrote: post #5

I've also been told by people I know About Nests crashing and turning off. [edit: yes, anecdotal but it's not an unknown event] This is completely unacceptable in a Northern climate. No, it's not the only failure mode for a heating system but I have zero interest in adding another point of failure for the sake of having a cool device. Frozen pipes is a serious business.

And don't forget those Terms of Service prevent you from getting the damage to your house fixed.

And most house insurance does not cover flooding / water damage.

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