Cloud-based analytics for water heaters

A remote water heater monitoring system comprising:

• a communications port configured to operatively communicate with a plurality of client water heaters over a network, and to receive data related to the operation of a plurality of client water heaters, wherein the received data includes an impedance of a hot surface ignitor of a client water heater of the plurality of client water heaters, the hot surface ignitor configured to ignite a flame of the client water heater, wherein each of the client water heaters services a corresponding client building, and wherein each of the client water heaters is associated with a particular client account of a plurality of client accounts;
• a memory configured to the received data related to the operation of the plurality of client water heaters;
• a controller operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the controller includes a processor for processing at least some of the received data related to the operation of the plurality of client water heaters and to:
• identify one or more baseline health parameters over time using the received data from two or more of the client water heaters;
• based on the identified one or more baseline health parameters, identify an indication of health of at least a particular one of the client water heaters using the received data;
• identify a degradation of the impedance of the hot surface ignitor of the client water heater over time;
• estimate an end of life of the hot surface ignitor;
• generate an alert for at least the particular one of the client water heaters when the indication of health meets one or more alert conditions;
• associate the alert with the client account that corresponds to at least the particular one of the client water heaters;
• provide access to the alert via the client account that corresponds to at least the particular one of the client water heaters;
• and
• communicate one or more commands to at least the particular client water heater via the communications port, wherein the one or more commands include one or more operational commands that raises or lowers a temperature threshold for at least the particular client water heater.

A remote water heater monitoring system, comprising:

• a communications port for sending and/or receiving data related to operation of two or more water heaters over a network, wherein the received data includes an impedance of a hot surface ignitor of a client water heater of the two or more client water heaters, the hot surface ignitor configured to ignite a flame of the client water heater;
• a memory for storing the received data related to the operation of the two or more water heaters;
• a controller operatively coupled to the communications port and the memory;
• and configured to:
• process the received data related to the operation of the two or more water heaters to identify one or more trends over time related to at least one of:
• water heater performance or water heater reliability;
• based on the identified one or more trends, identify for at least a particular water heater one or more of:
• (1) an abnormality in the operation of at least the particular water heater using the received data;
• or (2) a suggested action to improve the performance of at least the particular water heater using the received data;
• identify a degradation of the impedance of the hot surface ignitor of the client water heater over time;
• estimate an end of life of the hot surface ignitor;
• generate an alert when an abnormality is identified in the operation of at least the particular water heater;
• associate the alert with a client account of the remote water heater monitoring system that corresponds to at least the particular water heater;
• provide access to the alert via the client account that corresponds to at least the particular water heater;
• and
• communicate one or more commands to at least the particular client water heater via the communications port, wherein the one or more commands include one or more operational commands that raises or lowers a temperature threshold for at least the particular client water heater.