Stackable water heater apparatus

• US 9,835,359 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Boros, Jozef, Donastorg, Hector J., Chaudhry, Raheel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Angwin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bae, Gyounghyun
• Application Number:
  US14/963,017
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/00 Domestic hot-water supply systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/0018 using electric energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/08 Packaged or self-contained boilers, i.e. water heaters with control devices and pump in a single unit
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/181 Construction of the tank
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/182 Insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/223 in the water storage tank
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/37 of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/407 using electrical switching, e.g. TRIAC
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2021 Storage heaters

Abstract

An electric water heating apparatus includes a first electric water heater having a first tank adapted to hold a quantity of water and a first electric heating structure disposed within the first tank. The electric water heating apparatus further includes a second electric water heater having a second tank adapted to hold a quantity of water; and a second electric heating structure disposed within the second tank. The electric water heating apparatus further includes a control unit that is in electrical communication with the first electric heating structure and second electric heating structure, the control unit configured to prevent both the first electric heating structure and the second electric heating structure from being simultaneously operable.

Claims

1. An electric water heating system comprising:

a first individually separable electric water heater comprising;

a first tank sized to hold a first quantity of water less than 55 gallons;

a first electric heating structure disposed within the first tank and adapted to heat the first quantity of water; and

a first control circuit in electrical communication with the first electric heating structure, the first control circuit comprising a first temperature sensing element configured to detect a temperature of the first quantity of water;

a second individually separable electric water heater configured to have the first individually separable electric water heater mounted thereon, the second individually separable electric water heater comprising;

a second tank sized to hold a second quantity of water less than 55 gallons, the first and second tanks being sized so that the combined first and second quantities of water are greater than 55 gallons;

a second electric heating structure disposed within the second tank and adapted to heat the second quantity of water; and

a second control circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit and the second electric heating structure, the second control circuit comprising a second temperature sensing element configured to detect a temperature of the second quantity of water;

a first jacket structure outwardly circumscribing the first tank and forming a first insulation space between the first jacket structure and the first tank;

a second jacket structure outwardly circumscribing the second tank and forming a second insulation space between the second jacket structure and the second tank; and

a first insulation material disposed in the first insulation space and a second insulation material disposed in the second insulation space,

wherein the first individually separable electric water heater includes a first upper junction box and a first lower junction box, wherein the second individually separable electric water heater includes a second upper junction box and a second lower junction box, wherein the first control circuit is connected in series with the second control circuit, and wherein the first upper junction box is configured to receive power from a branch circuit and supply the power to the first control circuit and, via the first lower junction box and the second upper junction box, to the second control circuit connected in series such that the first control circuit and the second control circuit form a control unit that is configured to prevent both the first electric heating structure and the second electric heating structure from being simultaneously operable.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first wiring passage extending through the first insulation material between the first upper junction box and the first lower junction box; and

a second wiring passage extending through the second insulation material between the second upper junction box and the second lower junction box.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control circuit includes a first three-way switch and the second control circuit includes a second three-way switch.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first three-way switch comprises a first position that completes an electrical circuit passing through the first electric heating structure and a second position that bypasses the first electric heating structure and connects to the second three-way switch of the second control circuit.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second three-way switch comprises a first position that completes an electrical circuit passing through the second electric heating structure only when the first three-way switch is in the second position.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second three-way switch comprises a second position that bypasses the second electric structure.

7. An electric water heating system comprising:

a first individually separable electric water heater comprising;

a first tank sized to hold a first quantity of water less than 55 gallons;

a first electric heating structure disposed within the first tank and adapted to heat the first quantity of water;

a first control circuit in electrical communication with the first electric heating structure, the first control circuit comprising a first temperature sensing element configured to detect a temperature of the first quantity of water;

a second individually separable electric water heater configured to have the first individually separable electric water heater mounted thereon, the second individually separable electric water heater comprising;

a second tank sized to hold a second quantity of water less than 55 gallons, the first and second tanks being sized so that the combined first and second quantities of water are greater than 55 gallons;

a second electric heating structure disposed within the second tank and adapted to heat the second quantity of water; and

a second control circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit and the second electric heating structure, the second control circuit comprising a second temperature sensing element configured to detect a temperature of the second quantity of water;

wherein the first control circuit and the second control circuit form a control unit that is configured to prevent both the first electric heating structure and the second electric heating structure from being simultaneously operable, and

wherein the first individually separable electric water heater includes a first upper junction box and a first lower junction box, wherein the second individually separable electric water heater includes a second upper junction box and a second lower junction box, wherein the first control circuit is connected in series with the second control circuit, and wherein the first upper junction box is configured to receive power from a branch circuit and supply the power to the first control circuit and, via the first lower junction box and the second upper junction box, to the second control circuit connected in series.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first control circuit includes a first three-way switch and the second control circuit includes a second three-way switch.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first three-way switch comprises a first position that completes an electrical circuit passing through the first electric heating structure and a second position that bypasses the first electric heating structure and connects to the second three-way switch of the second control circuit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second three-way switch comprises a first position that completes an electrical circuit passing through the second electric heating structure only when the first three-way switch is in the second position.