Netatmo thermostat screen repair
My Netatmo Thermostat (model NTH01) that's been hooked up to my pellet stove for over 6 years now started showing its first signs of old age. It’s been a good and loyal servant 24/7 but the e-ink screen started leaking and gradually became unreadable.
I first decided to leave it be, I would still be able to control it via my iPhone and the screen was still decipherable. However, things got worse and relying solely on my smartphone seemed impractical. Having no problems on the software front, it would’ve been a shame to throw out the device and buy a new one. It felt right to keep the device going for as long as possible. So I sat down and did some research. I found out that the screen is removable without destroying the device.
I first decided to leave it be, I would still be able to control it via my iPhone and the screen was still decipherable. However, things got worse and relying solely on my smartphone seemed impractical. Having no problems on the software front, it would’ve been a shame to throw out the device and buy a new one. It felt right to keep the device going for as long as possible. So I sat down and did some research. I found out that the screen is removable without destroying the device.
Not being under warranty anymore I got my toolkit out and started carefully dismantling the small white module. The hardest part is extracting the thermostat unit from its enclosure.
Once removed, you’ll end up with a bare unit that can then be easily pried apart. As you can see, the e-ink screen is barely readable, even at close range.
Once fully dismantled, you’ll end up with the motherboard and its screen unit. The screen model is 0PM021B1, and you can even order them directly from Asian suppliers.
Once removed, you’ll end up with a bare unit that can then be easily pried apart. As you can see, the e-ink screen is barely readable, even at close range.
Once fully dismantled, you’ll end up with the motherboard and its screen unit. The screen model is 0PM021B1, and you can even order them directly from Asian suppliers.
However, before ordering a spare part from the other side of our planet, I thought I’d be a bit more eco-friendly. Netatmo, now part of the Legrand group, is based out of France, so I imagined they might have a stock of local service parts near enough. I sent a message through their support channel asking for a replacement part and explained I was happy to pay for the part and do the repair myself. After going through the red tape of supplying photos, serial numbers and the original invoice, I was very much surprised when Netatmo proposed to do the repair as part of theirs after sales services.
Being a bit of an electronics tinkerer, I was slightly disappointed not to be able to take care of it myself, but extremely satisfied with Netatmo and their subcontractor Cordon Electronics for the service they provide. I mean, come on, it’s a 6-year-old tech device, some companies wouldn’t even touch such an old device with a bargepole. Even Apple has stopped servicing their original Apple Watch (series 0) and now considers it obsolete, no more repairs for those.
Being a bit of an electronics tinkerer, I was slightly disappointed not to be able to take care of it myself, but extremely satisfied with Netatmo and their subcontractor Cordon Electronics for the service they provide. I mean, come on, it’s a 6-year-old tech device, some companies wouldn’t even touch such an old device with a bargepole. Even Apple has stopped servicing their original Apple Watch (series 0) and now considers it obsolete, no more repairs for those.
Anyhow, once repaired, I received the thermostat via recorded delivery and set it back up within a few minutes through Netatmo’s Energy app. Great app btw! Kudos to their software team.
After a quick update and a minor sync problem between the relay unit and the thermostat, everything was up and running smoothly, just in time for the winter.
Thanks, Netatmo!
PS: Let’s see how long this device will last! Next time round, will it be the hardware or the software that will stop working …
After a quick update and a minor sync problem between the relay unit and the thermostat, everything was up and running smoothly, just in time for the winter.
Thanks, Netatmo!
PS: Let’s see how long this device will last! Next time round, will it be the hardware or the software that will stop working …