Swimming pool heater temperature control system

• US 4,368,549 A
• Filed: 12/29/1980
• Issued: 01/18/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ramey, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Artis, Henry K.
• Application Number:
  US06/220,377
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 4/493, 4/488, 4/498, 126/419, 126/416, 126/415
• US Class Current: 4/493
• 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

A swimming pool heater temperature control system is disclosed. The control system is designed to optimize the use of a conventional heater as a supplemental heat source for a solar heated swimming pool. The temperature control system operates by automatically adjusting the temperature settings of the heater to conform to the temperature vs. time profile of an optimum solar collector heating system. An embodiment is disclosed which employs two thermostats in conjunction with a time clock actuated switch to control the heater temperature profile as a function of time. Other embodiments are also described which employ a plurality of thermostats in conjunction with time clock actuated switches to provide a heater temperature profile which more closely matches that of an optimum solar collector heating system.

Claims

1. In a swimming pool heater temperature control system having solar collectors for solar heating the pool water, a non-solar heater responsive to a selected temperature level for heating the pool water to that selected temperature level, and means for passing the pool water through the solar collectors and through the non-solar heater so that the water may be heated by the solar collectors and by the non-solar heater, the improvement comprising:

means for providing a plurality of predetermined pool water temperature levels; and

automatic means for automatically changing the selected temperature level as a function of time, including means for sequentially setting the selected temperature level to one of the predetermined temperature levels to create a selected temperature vs. time profile for controlling the non-solar heater.

3. The improvement of claims 1 or 2 in which the selected temperature vs. time profile closely approximates the temperature vs. time profile of the pool water heater by the solar collectors when optimum solar energy is available.

2. In a swimming pool heater temperature control system having solar collectors for solar heating the pool water, a first thermostat for sensing the temperature of the pool water and having a first normally closed switch set to open when the water temperature increases to a first temperature level, a time clock having a first normally open switch operated by the time clock at a first preset time of day, a non-solar heater for heating the pool water to a selected temperature, means for passing the water through the solar collectors and through the non-solar heater so that the water may be heated by the solar collectors and by the non-solar heater, a heater controller which energizes the non-solar heater when the controller is electrically connected to a heater controller power supply, means for connecting the first normally closed switch in series with the first normally open switch of the time clock to form a first switch-thermostat series circuit, and means for connecting the heater controller, the heater controller power supply and the first switch-thermostat series circuit in series with each other, the improvement comprising:

a second thermostat for sensing the temperature of the pool water and having a second normally-closed switch set to open when the water temperature increases to a second temperature level;

a second normally open switch operated by the time clock at a second preset time of day;

means for connecting the second normally-closed switch in series with the second normally-open switch to form a second switch-thermostat series circuit; and

means for connecting the second switch-thermostat series circuit in parallel with the first switch-thermostat series circuit, whereby the first and second thermostats act in conjunction with the time clock to create a selected temperature vs. time profile for controlling the non-solar heater.