How To Fix Nest Thermostat Delayed? [Here Are 4 Easy Ways]

Is your Nest thermostat delayed message, causing heating or cooling issues in your home? Don’t worry; there are two common solutions. One is simple, but it must be repeated in the future.

Nest thermostats have earned the title of “smart thermostat.” They display messages that can indicate problems as part of their technological intelligence.

The delayed message is a simple safety precaution, so read on to find out what it means for you and your thermostat. Nest thermostats are among Google’s smart home products.

Smart thermostats are an excellent way to control the temperature in your home from anywhere while also lowering your monthly energy costs. You might notice a “delayed until” message on your Nest. The other method is a little more technical, but it will permanently solve your problem.

NEST THERMOSTAT “DELAYED”

The “Delayed” message on your Nest thermostat indicates that there is a power outage. A temporary solution is to remove the Nest thermostat display and plug it into a USB port for 2 hours to charge it.

The longer-term solution entails connecting a Common (C) wire to both your Nest and your furnace. When a Nest thermostat says delayed, it can be alarming, but there is nothing to worry about.

Consider the delayed message a blessing in disguise while you investigate why there was a power outage. Follow along as we investigate what it means when a Nest thermostat displays the word “delayed.”

HOW TO FIX NEST THERMOSTAT DELAYED MESSAGE WITHOUT A C-WIRE?

In a nutshell, the “Delayed” message is caused by a power outage or an underpowered thermostat. Contrary to popular belief, the Nest Thermostat does not operate without power. It has an internal rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that draws power from the HVAC system to recharge itself.

When the thermostat is plugged in, a portion of the power is used to recharge the battery. The power drain from the thermostat can sometimes exceed the power drawn, resulting in a deficiency.

Excessive power consumption is caused by the thermostat’s various functions such as Wi-Fi, motion detection, display, and many others. The remaining power is routed to connected systems such as the furnace, air conditioner, heat pump, and fans.

When the power input is low, the power distribution suffers significantly. The Nest thermostat’s battery, as well as other HVAC system components, will be underpowered.

In such a case, the HVAC system will behave erratically, turning on and off at random or incorrectly regulating temperatures. Such irregularities can cause HVAC system damage, which can be costly to repair.

USE A C-WIRE ADAPTER TO FIX THE NEST THERMOSTAT “DELAYED” MESSAGE

A C-Wire Transformer is a simple and low-cost device that can supply constant power to the thermostat. It draws power from the mains, relieving the HVAC system of its burden. The installation procedure is extremely simple.

Two wires are connected to the transformer. The wires must be connected to the thermostat’s Power(RH) and C-terminals. Then, using a wall outlet, connect the transformer unit to the mains. One thing to keep in mind is that a wall outlet should be close to your thermostat.

The only disadvantage of this method is that the adapter wires may protrude from the thermostat, destroying the clean appearance. Having used a number of C-wire adapters in the past, I can recommend Ohmkat’s C-Wire Adapter.

They provide a lifetime guarantee, which means that if it ever stops working, they will replace it for free. I’ve been using it for over a year with no problems.

Alternative Video: How To Fix “Delay” Easy?

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WHAT EXACTLY IS A C-WIRE?

The C-Wire, also known as the Common Wire, is typically the blue wire connected to the ‘C’ port of your Nest thermostat. Its job is to provide a constant 24V input to the thermostat regardless of whether the HVAC system is turned on or off.

The C-wire connects the HVAC control panel’s C-terminal to the thermostat’s C-terminal. I didn’t use a C-Wire when installing my Nest Thermostat because I didn’t want to go through a lot of rewiring.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE A C-WIRE?

If your thermostat does not have a C-Wire, it may not have a constant power input, affecting its most basic functions. Furthermore, it can interfere with the operation of the HVAC system, potentially causing damage to the various components. The following are some of the issues caused by the lack of a C-Wire:

1. Battery Life Is Shorter

When there is an irregular charging signal, the internal battery suffers because Lithium-Ion batteries degrade quickly. Replacing the battery is a less expensive option, but these batteries can be hazardous to the environment and pose a fire hazard.

2. Motion Sensing Disabled

The Nest thermostat has a feature that activates the HVAC system when it detects someone walking by. When the battery is low, this feature is turned off automatically.

3. Unplugging From Wi-Fi

The thermostat’s Wi-Fi suffers from frequent disconnects due to a lack of power to the battery, rendering its remote functionality inoperable.

4. Damage To The HVAC System As a Result Of Erratic Power Cycling

When the HVAC system is turned off, the thermostat sends a signal to the control panel to start charging the batteries. However, some systems are extremely sensitive to this signal and will turn on at random as a result.

Even your fans will not function properly. Your HVAC system will be unable to switch from heating to cooling, resulting in an inconsistent temperature. This can cause noise and even shorten the life of your thermostat.

SHORT TERM FIX – CHARGE YOUR NEST

Fortunately, there is a simple, short-term fix that will restore your Nest thermostat’s functionality and resolve the “Delayed” error. You only need to charge your Nest.

Begin by turning off the Nest thermostat display. When you turn it around, you’ll notice a USB port on the upper back of the device. The type of USB charging cable required (micro-USB or mini-USB) is determined by the model of Nest you own.

To begin charging your Nest, plug it into a wall charger (or even a USB port on your laptop). Check that the Nest is blinking red, as this indicates that it is charging successfully. On average, it takes about half an hour to charge your thermostat. It will take 2 hours to recharge your battery if it is completely depleted.

You can check out the USB charging compatibility here. You can reconnect your Nest to your wall now that it has finished charging.

However, after a while, the battery will die and you will need to recharge it again. If you want to solve this problem for good, keep reading for a more permanent solution.

LONG TERM FIX – CONNECT COMMON WIRE TO NEST AND FURNACE

The Nest will draw a small amount of power from either the heating or cooling wires in the majority of Nest setups. This amount of power is just enough to keep the Nest powered and operational at all times.

However, there are times when the heating and/or cooling wires do not provide enough power to the Nest. In those cases, you will require a Common wire. Your Nest will show you which wires it detects in real time.

The yellow wire represents cooling, the white wire represents heat, the green wire represents the fan, and the red wire represents power. The blue wire that plugs into “C” is the one you’re looking for.

To power your Nest, the Common wire will draw a small amount of low voltage power from your furnace. If you don’t see a blue Common wire on the Nest display, you should keep reading.

• To begin, go to your circuit breaker and turn off the breaker that controls the Nest thermostat, as well as the breaker that controls your furnace (or just unplug it). You want all power turned off.

• Next, remove the display case from the Nest and take a quick look at the wires. Except for one, all wires will be connected. You might have to dig a little to find it, but I’m guessing there’s a blue Common wire somewhere in there.

• Once you’ve located and confirmed the presence of the Common wire, proceed to the furnace.

• Inside the furnace, look for a motherboard with all of the low voltage wires connected. To access the motherboard, you may need to remove a metal panel from the furnace. You’ll almost certainly need to remove a few screws first.

• When you locate the low voltage wires inside your furnace, you will most likely notice two main wires that split off. One main wire has two offshooting wires, and the other main wire has five offshooting wires.

• Keep the main wire and its two offshooting wires alone. This one connects to your outside AC unit and isn’t what we’re looking for.

• Our Nest thermostat wire is the other main wire with five offshooting wires. One of the five off-shooting wires is blue and unconnected. That is the Common wire. Connect the Common wire to the motherboard where it says “Com.”

• A wire may already be connected to “Comm.” That’s fine; it can easily handle two wires.

• Return to the Nest, turn off the furnace and the Nest, and connect the blue Common wire to the Nest’s “C” port.

• Reconnect the power to the furnace and the Nest. Replace the Nest display cover, then go to Settings and scroll back up to Equipment. Check to see if the blue C wire is still visible on your Nest.

• That’s all there is to it! Your Nest should now receive a consistent stream of power, and you should never see the Delayed error again.

CONCLUSION

Although the Nest Thermostat is one of the Best Smart Thermostats Without a C-Wire, some HVAC systems aren’t designed to work without a C-Wire, especially if they have really old components and connectors.

While I had initially avoided learning too much about thermostat wiring, even to the point of purchasing a Smart Thermostat, I changed my mind and did some research.

Everything I’d learned was compiled into a comprehensive article titled Demystifying Thermostat Wiring Colors. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments or send us an email, and please share this article with others.

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