Integrated pool heater control system

• US 20030168516A1
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dymas Funding Company Llc
• Original Assignee: Dymas Funding Company Llc
• Inventors: Cline, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/382,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20030168516A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 237/2A
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/129 Systems for heating the water content of swimming pools solar collectors using pools F24S10/17, F24S10/10; by solar radiation F24S20/02

Abstract

An integrated heater and control system for a pool or spa is described, and includes a housing structure. A heater assembly includes a burner and a heat exchanger, and is disposed within the housing structure. An electronic control system is mounted within or on the housing structure for controlling the heater assembly and pool or spa functions. In one exemplary embodiment, the control system distributes line voltage power and low voltage control signals to one or more external devices, such as a heater circulation pump and a valve.

Claims

1. An integrated heater and control system for a pool and/or spa, comprising:

a housing structure;

a gas-fired heater assembly including a burner and a heat exchanger assembly;

an electronic control system for controlling said heater assembly and pool or spa functions, said control system for distributing line voltage power to one or more external devices including a water circulating pump for circulating water through the heater assembly, and for selectively activating said circulating pump to maintain a desired water temperature;

said heater assembly mounted within the housing structure, and said electronic control system mounted within or on the housing structure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more external electrical connectors mounted at accessable locations on the housing structure for on-site electrical connection to said one or more external devices.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said one or more external electrical connectors includes a line-voltage plug connector.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said one or more external electrical connectors includes a pressure connector.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a weather housing for covering said external electrical connectors.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said control system comprises a wireless control system responsive to wireless command signals to control functions of said heater assembly and said one or more external devices.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless control system includes a receiver responsive to the wireless command signals.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the wireless command signals are coded command signals, and the receiver is responsive to the coded command signals to decode the coded signals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control system is a microprocessor-controlled system.

10. The system of claim 1, further including an inlet water port for water entering the heater assembly, and an outlet water port for passing water exiting the heater assembly.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) sensor fluidically coupled to the water entering the heater assembly, the ORP sensor providing an output signal which is passed to the control system.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a bypass water line between an inlet water line and an outlet water line, and a pH sensor positioned in the bypass water line for producing a water pH signal passed to the control system.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising an electronically controlled inlet diverter valve connected to a pool inlet water line from a pool, and to a spa inlet water line from a spa, an output of the diverter valve fluidically coupled to the water inlet port of the heater assembly, and wherein the control system is coupled to the diverter valve to select whether the water entering the heater assembly is from the pool inlet water line or the spa inlet water line.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an electronically controlled outlet diverter valve connected to a pool water line from a pool, and to a spa water line from a spa, an input of the diverter valve fluidically coupled to the water output port of the heater assembly, and wherein the control system is coupled to the outlet diverter valve to select whether the water exiting the heater assembly is to be delivered to the pool water line or the spa water line.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising inlet and outlet water temperature sensors respectively positioned to monitor inlet and outlet water temperatures, and report said temperatures to said control system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is disposed in a compartment defined by metal walls within the housing structure.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said compartment includes side walls and an upright back wall and a bottom wall defined by the housing structure.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is disposed in a self-supporting compartment structure, which can allow fabrication of the control system as a separate module which is then installed within or on the housing structure during a fabrication process.

19. An integrated heater and control system for a pool and/or spa, comprising:

a housing structure;

a gas-fired heater assembly including a burner and a heat exchanger assembly;

an electronic control system for controlling said heater assembly and pool or spa functions, said control system for distributing line voltage power to one or more external devices including a water circulating pump for circulating water through the heater assembly to maintain a desired water temperature;

said heater assembly disposed within the housing structure, and said electronic control system mounted within or on the housing structure; and

a plurality of sensors having outputs coupled to the control system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a water pH sensor.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a oxidation reduction potential (ORP) sensor.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one water temperature sensor.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one water temperature sensor includes an inlet water temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of water entering the heater assembly, and an outlet water temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of water exiting the heater assembly.

24. An integrated heater and control system for a pool and/or spa, comprising:

a housing structure;

a gas-fired heater assembly including a burner and a heat exchanger assembly;

an electronic control system for controlling said heater assembly and pool or spa functions, said control system for distributing line voltage power and low voltage control signals to one or more external devices including a water circulating pump for circulating water through the heater assembly;

said heater assembly mounted within the housing structure, and said electronic control system mounted within or on the housing structure.

25. An integrated heater and control system for a pool and/or spa, comprising:

a housing structure;

a gas-fired heater assembly including a burner and a heat exchanger assembly;

an electronic control system for controlling said heater assembly and pool or spa functions, said control system for distributing line voltage power and/or low voltage control signals to one or more external devices including a water circulating pump for circulating water through the heater assembly to maintain a desired water temperature;

said heater assembly disposed within the housing structure, and said electronic control system mounted within or on the housing structure; and

a plurality of sensors having outputs coupled to the control system.