Water heaters with real-time hot water supply determination

A controller, comprising:

• a control engine that is configured to:
• communicate with a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor to receive a plurality of measurements associated with heated water within a tank of a water heater, wherein the first temperature sensor is disposed toward a top end of the tank and measures a first temperature of water toward the top end of the tank, and wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed toward a bottom end of the tank and measures a second temperature of water toward the bottom end of the tank;
• and
• determine, using the plurality of measurements and a plurality of algorithms, how much heated water is currently available within the tank of the water heater,
• wherein the plurality of algorithms solves for at least one calculated temperature at a plurality of points between a first location of the first temperature sensor and a second location of the second temperature sensor along a height of the tank, wherein an amount of heated water in the tank is determined using the at least one calculated temperature;
• wherein if the amount of heated water in the tank is below a threshold value, the control engine is configured to operate one or more components of the water heater to increase the amount of heated water to a predetermined value.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, perform a method for determining a supply of heated water from a water heater in real-time, the method comprising:

• measuring, using a first temperature sensor disposed toward a top end of a tank of the water heater, at least one first temperature of a fluid toward the top end of the tank of the water heater, wherein the fluid comprises heated water;
• measuring, using a second temperature sensor disposed toward a bottom end of the tank of the water heater, at least one second temperature of the fluid toward the bottom end of the tank of the water heater;
• and
• determining, using a plurality of algorithms, the at least one first temperature toward the top end of the tank, and the at least one second temperature toward the bottom end of the tank, an amount of heated water available for immediate use from the water heater,
• wherein the plurality of algorithms solves for at least one calculated temperature at a plurality of points between a first location of the first temperature sensor and a second location of the second temperature sensor along a height of the tank, wherein the amount of heated water in the tank is determined using the at least one calculated temperature;
• wherein if the amount of heated water in the tank is below a threshold value, operating one or more components of the water heater to increase the amount of heated water to a predetermined value.