Nest Doorbell Won’t Turn/Power On

The Nest doorbell is a great investment for those who value their security. It replaced standard doorbells for one that features HD video streaming, and it can talk to your smart speakers, but naturally, for it to work, you have to be able to power it on. If your Nest doorbell won’t turn on, what can you do?

A frequent reason for a Nest Doorbell not turning on is an insufficient power supply. Ensure the doorbell is correctly wired to a transformer that meets the required voltage. Check the wiring connections and the transformer’s output to ensure it’s providing the necessary power to the doorbell.

Another potential cause for the Nest Doorbell not powering on is a faulty or damaged chime connector. The chime connector, which is installed inside your home’s chime box, helps the doorbell function correctly. Ensure the chime connector is properly installed and undamaged. If you suspect it’s faulty, consider replacing it with a new one.

There are various reasons why your Nest doorbell is having issues with powering on or staying on. We will walk you through various troubleshooting methods, and so if you’d like to learn how to resolve these issues, we encourage you to keep reading.

Nest Doorbell Won’t Turn On: Causes/How to Fix

The setup process for a Nest doorbell is quite different from most of Google’s other products. It is completely replacing your home’s original doorbell, which requires more work than merely covering the original doorbell with the Nest.

But if you already bought a Nest, you probably know this already, but there are some steps where common mistakes can occur, resulting in the Nest doorbell not powering on.

The Doorbell May Not Be Getting Enough or Too Much Power

The Nest Hello doorbell is designed to accommodate the most common denominator, it will work with most doorbell systems, but there are some exceptions.

Some doorbell transformers either don’t have enough or too much power and thus, it will be automatically incompatible with Nest. First, see if Nest is compatible with your home.

If it tells you that Nest isn’t compatible with your doorbell system, you can purchase an indoor power adapter like this LANMU Power Adapter. What this does is supply the Nest with the right amount of power. It isn’t as ideal as installing the Nest as intended, but it is a quick solution if you find out too late that you can’t use Nest with your home.

Another solution is to have a professional upgrade to your doorbell’s transformer. It can be pricey but may be worth it to you. The price to have a doorbell transformer upgraded can cost anywhere between $200 – $350. However, if you do it yourself, it will only cost you approximately $35. This Broan Nutone C907 Doorbell Transformer will work nicely with it.

Did You Turn the Breaker Back On?

For safety purposes, Google recommends turning off the breaker that powers your doorbell during the installation of your Nest. It can be easy to forget to turn it back on, so it can’t hurt to check on this!

Seek a Replacement Unit

Some Nest units are known to be defective out of the box or fry themselves after a short time. It isn’t common, but it isn’t impossible. Your Nest comes with a 2-year warranty, and so it could be worth it to try contacting Google about a replacement. Only do this if you have verified that your Nest is getting power but still won’t turn on.

Nest Doorbell Has No Light: Causes/How to Fix

Suppose your Nest Doorbell shows no light to indicate that it is powered on. You may need to replace the doorbell transformer or use an indoor power adapter. If you are confident in replacing the transformer yourself, it won’t cost you a lot of money.

We have linked a video down below that will show you how to do this. Remember to stay safe and follow the proper precautions.

Nest Doorbell Has No Power or Not Getting Power: Causes/How to Fix

If your Nest doorbell is not receiving power, it could come down to an incompatible transformer. We recommend first see if the Nest doorbell is compatible with your doorbell system. If not, the transformer will either need to be upgraded, or you’ll need to use an indoor power adapter.

Nest Doorbell Not Responding: Causes/How to Fix

Your Nest Doorbell has one main job to do, and if it isn’t ringing when someone presses the chime button, that is quite a big problem. However, all you will need to do is reset the device.

First, you’ll need to remove the device from your Nest account. In the Nest app, navigate Menu > tap the icon for your device > tap Settings > tap Remove and confirm the removal.

On the Nest doorbell itself, take a paperclip or a release tool and stick it into the hole at the bottom of the doorbell and pull the device off the base.
Using the paperclip or release tool, hold down the reset button while simultaneously holding the doorbell button for 10 seconds.
You should hear a chime and see a blue light spinning around the main button. This light will then flash yellow and will turn off. At this point, you can release the buttons.
You’ll hear another chime while the light ring pulses – you have successfully factory reset your Nest doorbell.
Follow the same setup procedure as you need when you first bought the device.

Nest Doorbell Keeps Turning Off: Causes/How to Fix

If your Nest doorbell keeps turning off, It could be due to the home/away feature being turned on. Many people consider this unnecessary since it can randomly cause your doorbell camera to not function.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 29, 2020.

It could also come down to the transformer not supplying enough power, which is a recurring theme for power-related issues.

How Do I Increase the Voltage on My Nest Doorbell? Causes/How to Fix

To increase the voltage on your nest doorbell, you will need to upgrade the transformer to at least a 16v but no more than 24v. If you are confident in doing this yourself, you can purchase a compatible transformer for under $40, such as the Broan Nutone C907 Doorbell Transformer.

How Much Power Does a Nest Doorbell Need? Causes/How to Fix

A Nest doorbell needs 16v – 24v of power with at least 10 VA – most of this power goes to the camera. A traditional doorbell’s power requirements are very low, but most doorbell transformers are still powerful enough to support video doorbells such as the Nest.

How to Reset Nest Doorbell: Causes/How to Fix

To reset a nest doorbell, navigate Menu > tap the icon for your device > tap Settings > tap Remove and confirm the removal.

From there, follow these steps:

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 29, 2020.

On the Nest doorbell itself, take a paperclip or a release tool and stick it into the hole at the bottom of the doorbell and pull the device off the base.
Using the paperclip or release tool, hold down the reset button while simultaneously holding the doorbell button for 10 seconds.
You should hear a chime and see a blue light spinning around the main button. This light will then flash yellow and will turn off. At this point, you can release the buttons.
You’ll hear another chime while the light ring pulses – you have successfully factory reset your Nest doorbell.
Follow the same setup procedure as you need when you first bought the device.

Final Thoughts

If your Nest doorbell is not turning on, likely, the doorbell transformer isn’t providing enough power or too much power. You need at least 16v and 10AV to power a Nest doorbell due to the high-quality cameras needing to be powered. If you need to upgrade your doorbell transfer, it can be done for under $40 if you do it yourself.