Gas fueled water heater appliance and methods to mitigate lint, dust, and oil events

A method of operating a gas fueled water heater appliance comprising a tank, a chamber wall defining a combustion chamber, a gas burner, and a chamber sensor, the method comprising:

• detecting an ambient temperature (AT) value during a contemporaneous cycle of the gas burner;
• selecting, based on the detected AT value, a set temperature threshold from a plurality of temperature thresholds;
• detecting a combustion chamber temperature (CCT) value at the chamber sensor during the contemporaneous cycle;
• comparing the detected CCT value to the set temperature threshold;
• and
• directing heating at the gas burner based on comparing the detected CCT value to the set temperature threshold,
• wherein selecting the set temperature threshold comprises selecting, according to the detected AT value, a corresponding range category from a plurality of range categories, each range category corresponding to a predetermined AT range, and
• wherein each temperature threshold of the plurality of temperature thresholds corresponds to a discrete range category of the plurality of range categories,
• wherein the method further comprises determining, prior to the contemporaneous cycle, the set temperature threshold, determining the set temperature threshold comprising
• detecting a preliminary AT value during a preliminary cycle of the gas burner,
• selecting, according to the detected preliminary AT value, the corresponding range category from the plurality of range categories,
• detecting a preliminary CCT value during the preliminary cycle,
• recording the preliminary CCT value within the corresponding range category, and
• calculating the set temperature threshold based on the recorded preliminary CCT value.

A gas fueled water heater appliance, comprising:

• a tank for storage of water for heating;
• a chamber wall defining a combustion chamber;
• a gas burner positioned within the combustion chamber to heat the water in the tank;
• a chamber sensor configured to detect temperature within the combustion chamber;
• an ambient sensor spaced apart from the chamber sensor, the ambient sensor being configured to detect temperature outside of the combustion chamber;
• and
• a controller mounted to the gas fueled water heater appliance in operable communication with the gas burner, the ambient sensor, and the chamber sensor, the controller being configured to direct a water heating operation comprising
• detecting an ambient temperature (AT) value at the ambient sensor during a contemporaneous cycle of the gas burner,
• selecting, based on the detected AT value, a set temperature threshold from a plurality of temperature thresholds, selecting the set temperature threshold comprising selecting, according to the detected AT value, a corresponding range category from a plurality of range categories, each range category corresponding to a predetermined AT range,
• detecting a combustion chamber temperature (CCT) value at the chamber sensor during the contemporaneous cycle,
• comparing the detected CCT value to the set temperature threshold, and
• directing heating at the gas burner based on comparing the detected CCT value to the set temperature threshold,
• wherein each temperature threshold of the plurality of temperature thresholds corresponds to a discrete range category of the plurality of range categories,
• wherein the water heater operation further comprises determining, prior to the contemporaneous cycle, the set temperature threshold, determining the set temperature threshold comprising
• detecting a preliminary AT value during a preliminary cycle of the gas burner,
• selecting, according to the detected preliminary AT value, the corresponding range category from the plurality of range categories,
• detecting a preliminary CCT value during the preliminary cycle,
• recording the preliminary CCT value within the corresponding range category, and
• calculating the set temperature threshold based on the recorded preliminary CCT value and a plurality of preliminary cycles within a set time period.