Modular control system and method for water heaters

• US 20060047870A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Original Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
• Inventors: Patterson, Wade C., Phillips, Terry G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/132 Preventing the operation of water heaters with low water levels, e.g. dry-firing
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/148 Assessing the current energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/174 Supplying heated water with desired temperature or desired range of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/223 in the water storage tank
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/37 of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/395 Information to users, e.g. alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/414 using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/45 remotely accessible
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2021 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A water heater has a modular control system. The water heater comprises a tank, a heating element, a first controller, and a second controller. The heating element is coupled to the tank. The first controller is mounted on the tank and has a first communication port. The second controller has a second communication port communicatively coupled to the first communication port of the first controller. The first controller is configured to control the heating element in accordance with a first algorithm in an absence of the second controller, and the second controller is configured to control the heating element in accordance with a second algorithm.

Claims

1. A water heater having a modular control system, comprising:

a tank;

a heating element coupled to the tank;

a first controller mounted on the tank, the first controller having a first communication port; and

a second controller having a second communication port communicatively coupled to the first communication port of the first controller,

wherein the first controller is configured to control the heating element in accordance with a first algorithm in an absence of the second controller, and wherein the second controller is configured to control the heating element in accordance with a second algorithm.

2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the second controller is mounted on the first controller.

3. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the second controller is mounted on the tank.

4. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the first controller has a first user output device and the second controller has a second user output device.

5. The water heater of claim 4, wherein the second user output device is configured to convey textual information, and wherein the first user output device is configured to convey non-textual information.

6. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to convey information about an occurrence of an event in the absence of the second controller, and wherein the first controller is configured to convey information about the event.

7. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the first communication port is detachably coupled to the second communication port.

8. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the first controller has a first base and first control logic that is configured to control the heating element in accordance with the first algorithm in the absence of the second controller, wherein the first communication port and the first control logic are mounted on the first base, wherein the second controller has a second base and second control logic that is configured to control the heating element in accordance with the second algorithm, and wherein the second communication port and the second control logic are mounted on the second base.

9. The water heater of claim 8, wherein the first communication port is detachably coupled to the second communication port.

10. The water heater of claim 9, wherein the first controller has a first user output device mounted on the first base, and wherein the second controller has a second user output device mounted on the second base.

11. The water heater of claim 10, wherein the second control logic is configured to disable the first control logic from controlling the heating element in accordance with the first algorithm when the second control logic is controlling the heating element in accordance with the second algorithm.

12. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the second control logic is configured to automatically track usage of the heating element to determine a usage history of the heating element, wherein the second algorithm controls the heating element based on a temperature threshold automatically determined by the second control logic based on the usage history.

13. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the first controller is mounted on the second controller.

14. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the first communication port is detachably coupled to the second communication port.

15. A water heater having a modular control system, comprising:

a tank;

a heating element coupled to the tank;

a first controller having a first base, first control logic, and a first communication port, the first control logic and the first communication port mounted on the first base; and

a second controller mounted on the tank and having a second base, second control logic, and a second communication port, the second control logic and the second communication port mounted on the second base, the second port communicatively coupled to the first communication port of the first controller,

wherein the first control logic is configured to control the heating element in accordance with a first algorithm, wherein the second control logic is configured to control the heating element in accordance with a second algorithm, and wherein the first controller disables the second control logic from controlling the heating element in accordance with the second algorithm when the first control logic is controlling the heating element in accordance with the first algorithm.

16. The water heater of claim 15, wherein the first communication port is detachably coupled to the second communication port.

17. The water heater of claim 15, wherein the first controller has a first user output device mounted on the first base, and wherein the second controller has a second user output device mounted on the second base.

18. A method for providing modular control of water heaters, comprising the steps of:

providing a water heater, the water heater having a water tank, a heating element, and a first controller mounted on the tank;

controlling the heating element via the first controller in accordance with a first algorithm;

interfacing a second controller with the first controller after the controlling step; and

controlling the heating element via the second controller in accordance with a second algorithm.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the interfacing step comprises the step of detachably coupling a communication port of the first controller with a communication port of the second controller.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

detecting occurrences of an event in the water heater;

conveying information about the event via a user output device of the first controller in response to the detected occurrences prior to the interfacing step; and

conveying information about the event via a user output device of the second controller in response to the detected occurrences after the interfacing step.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of disabling, based on the second controller, the first controller from controlling the heating element in accordance with the first algorithm.