Tankless water heater with bypass valve operating differently in intermittent operation and normal operation

A water heater comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• a heating member configured to heat the heat exchanger;
• a water line connecting a water supply site to an inlet of the heat exchanger;
• a hot water line connecting an outlet of the heat exchanger to a hot water supply site;
• a bypass line connecting the water line to the hot water line without going through the heat exchanger;
• a supplied water temperature sensor arranged on the water line and configured to detect a supplied water temperature which is a temperature of water supplied to the water line;
• a supplied hot-water temperature sensor arranged on the hot water line and configured to detect a supplied hot-water temperature which is a temperature of water supplied to the hot water supply site, the supplied hot-water temperature sensor being arranged downstream of a connection between the hot water line and the bypass line;
• a flow control mechanism configured to adjust a distribution ratio which is a ratio of a second flow rate to a first flow rate, the first flow rate being a flow rate of water flowing from the water line to the heat exchanger, and the second flow rate being a flow rate of water flowing from the water line to the bypass line;
• and
• a controller,
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• calculate a required heat quantity based on a supplied hot-water target temperature which is a target temperature of water supplied to the hot water supply site;
• determine whether or not the required heat quantity is less than a minimum heat quantity of the heat exchanger;
• in a case where the required heat quantity is greater than or equal to the minimum heat quantity, execute a normal operation in which the heating means is continuously operated in an ON state;
• in a case where the required heat quantity is less than the minimum heat quantity, execute an intermittent operation in which the heating means is alternately and repeatedly operated in the ON state and an OFF state;
• and
• change the distribution ratio of the flow control mechanism based on the supplied water temperature, the supplied hot-water temperature, and the supplied hot-water target temperature in the normal operation and in the intermittent operation,
• wherein when changing the distribution ratio of the flow control mechanism, an operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the intermittent operation is greater than zero,
• when changing the distribution ratio of the flow control mechanism, an operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the normal operation is greater than zero,
• wherein the operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the intermittent operation is faster than the operating speed of the flow control mechanism in the normal operation.