Leak detection in tankless water heater
AssigneeRheem Manufacturing Company
InventorsBurak Adanur, Prudhvi Amaravadhi, Tristin R. Watteau, Emil J. Antoon, Jeffrey Stogsdill
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides a device and a method for detecting leak in a tankless water heater. According to the present disclosure, a leak detection device is disposed on a base of the tankless water heater. The leak detection device includes a leak sensor and at least one absorption arm extending from the leak sensor. The absorption arm wicks water and transports the wicked water towards the leak sensor. The leak sensor generates a signal indicative of leakage in the tankless water heater, in response to sensing wetness.
Claims20
A leak detection device for a tankless water heater, comprising:
- a leak sensor;
- and
- at least one absorption arm extending from the leak sensor, the at least one absorption arm configured to (i) wick water, (ii) prevent condensation from flowing to the leak sensor based on the wicking and a length of the at least one absorption arm, and (iii) transport the wicked water towards the leak sensor,
- wherein a free end of the at least one absorption arm is positioned at a base of the tankless water heater more proximal than the leak sensor is to a water outlet of the base,
- wherein the leak sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of leakage in the tankless water heater, in response to sensing wetness from the wicked water, and wherein the leak sensor is located at a distal end, opposite the free end, of the at least one absorption arm and is configured to sense the wetness from the wicked water after the wicked water has been wicked along the length of the at least one absorption arm without being sensed by the leak sensor along the length of the at least one absorption arm.
A tankless water heater comprising:
- a base comprising a water outlet;
- a leak detection device configured to detect a water leak in the tankless water heater, the leak detection device comprising:
- a leak sensor;
- and
- at least one absorption arm extending from the leak sensor, the at least one absorption arm configured to (i) wick water, (ii) prevent condensation from flowing to the leak sensor based on the wicking and a length of the at least one absorption arm, and (iii) transport the wicked water towards the leak sensor,
- wherein a free end of the at least one absorption arm is positioned more proximal than the leak sensor to a potential leak location of the tankless water heater,
- wherein the leak sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of detected leakage in the tankless water heater, in response to sensing wetness from the wicked water, and wherein the leak sensor is located at a distal end, opposite the free end, of the at least one absorption arm and is configured to sense the wetness from the wicked water after the wicked water has been wicked along the length of the at least one absorption arm without being sensed by the leak sensor along the length of the at least one absorption arm;
- and
- a controller coupled with the leak detection device, and configured to:
- receive the signal from the leak sensor;
- and
- actuate a notification device to provide a notification regarding the detected leak in the tankless water heater.
A method of detecting leak in a tankless water heater, the method comprising:
- wicking water, from a water outlet of a base of the tankless water heater, by at least one absorption arm comprising a free end positioned at the base more proximal than a leak sensor is to the water outlet;
- transporting, using the at least one absorption arm, wicked water towards the leak sensor at a distal end, opposite the free end, of the at least one absorption arm;
- generating, by a device, a signal indicative of leakage in the tankless water heater, in response to sensing, using the leak sensor, wetness from the wicked water, and wherein the leak sensor is configured to sense the wetness from the wicked water after the wicked water has been wicked along a length of the at least one absorption arm without being sensed by the leak sensor along the length of the at least one absorption arm;
- and
- providing, by the device, a notification regarding detected leak in the tankless water heater, corresponding to the sensed wetness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.