Spa heater system and methods for controlling

• US 7,236,692 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2004
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balboa Water Group LLC (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Balboa Instruments Incorporated (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tran, Trong
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US11/002,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20060115248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 392488-489, 392/485, 392/466, 219/485, 219/488, 219/492, 219/497, 219/501, 454/11, 454/16
• US Class Current: 392/318
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0269 For heating of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A spa system comprises an electrically powered heater. The electrically powered heater comprises a heating element capable of drawing a rated current when switched on to an AC line voltage. An electronic control system is programmed to control the heating element to draw less than the rated current.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a spa heater, comprising:

determining a current drawn by non-heater components of the spa;

calculating an available current capacity for the heater;

controlling a current drawn by the heater to equal approximately the available current capacity for the heater;

receiving a signal to change the state of one of the non-heater components;

de-energizing the heater prior to changing the state of the one of the non-heater components;

changing the state of the one of the non-heater components; and

determining the current drawn by the non-heater components after changing the state of the one of the non-heater components.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the current drawn by the heater comprises setting the timing of a plurality of consecutive voltage gate pulses to a triac to control the time during each of a plurality of consecutive AC cycles during which the heater can draw current.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the current drawn by the heater comprises setting the timing of a plurality of consecutive voltage gate pulses to a triac to control the time during each of a plurality of consecutive AC cycles during which the heater draws current.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a start heating signal; and

determining the current drawn by the non-heater components prior to energizing the heater.

5. A method of controlling an electrically-powered heater in a bathing installation including a recirculating water flow path in fluidic communication with a bathing installation vessel for holding water and electrically-powered non-heater components, the method comprising:

receiving a signal to change the state of one of the non-heater components;

de-energizing the heater prior to changing the state of the one of the non-heater components;

changing the state of the one of the non-heater components;

determining the current drawn by the non-heater components after changing the state of the one of the non-heater components

calculating an available current capacity for the heater;

controlling a current drawn by the heater to so that said current does not exceed the available current capacity for the heater.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said determining a current drawn by the non-heater components comprises measuring the current being drawn by the bathing installation using a current sensor.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a start heating signal; and

determining the current drawn by the non-heater components prior to energizing the heater.

8. A bathing installation, comprising:

an electrically-powered heater;

a bathing installation vessel for holding water;

a recirculating water flow path in fluidic communication with the bathing installation vessel and the heater;

electrically-powered non-heater components;

a microprocessor-based control system, comprising;

a control algorithm for controlling the heater and the non-heater components to control a bathing installation environment including temperature of the bathing installation water;

means for changing the state of one of the non-heater components in response to a received signal or pursuant to the control algorithm;

means for de-energizing the heater prior to changing the state of the one of the non-heater components;

means for determining the current drawn by the non-heater components after changing the state of the one of the non-heater components while the heater is de-activated;

means for calculating an available current capacity for the heater;

means for activating the heater and controlling a current drawn by the heater to so that said current does not exceed the available current capacity for the heater.

9. The installation of claim 8, wherein the means for determining the current drawn by the non-heater components comprises a current sensor for measuring the current drawn by the installation.

10. The installation of claim 8, wherein the means for determining the current drawn by the non-heater components comprises means for calculating the current drawn by non-heater components responsive, at least in part, to a table of nominal current usage values stored in a memory.