# US 2020/0049376 A1 · Drain feature for a junction box of a water heater > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0049376 A1 - Document ID: US20200049376A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/100,304 - Filed: 2018-08-10 - Published: 2020-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-10 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Gregory L. Hutchison; Timothy David Gantt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200049376A1 ## CPC - F24H 9/16: Arrangements for water drainage - F24H 9/2021: {Storage heaters} - H05K 5/069: {Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft} - F24H 15/281: Input from user - F24H 15/395: Information to users, e.g. alarms - F24H 15/414: using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based - F24H 15/45: remotely accessible - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A water heater appliance is provided that includes features for removing water from a junction box of the water heater appliance. More particularly, a water heater is provided that includes a draining feature that drains or removes water that has seeped or leaked into a junction box that is at least partially encased in an insulation material. In one exemplary aspect, the drain feature includes a drain conduit connected to an outlet defined by the junction box. The drain conduit may drain the water from the junction box to a number of suitable locations. For instance, the water may be drained to a dedicated drain port or a cavity defined in part by an access panel removably mounted to a casing of the water heater appliance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water heater appliance, comprising: a casing; a tank positioned within the casing and defining a chamber for heating water; a heating source in thermal communication with the tank for selectively heating water within the chamber; a junction box mounted to the casing, the junction box defining an outlet; and a drain conduit in fluid communication with the outlet for draining fluid from the junction box. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, further comprising: an insulation material at least partially encasing the junction box. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, further comprising: an access panel removably mounted to the casing; an interior panel spaced from the access panel; a first dam spanning between the access panel and the interior panel; and a second dam spanning between the access panel and the interior panel, the second dam spaced from the first dam, wherein the access panel, the interior panel, the first dam, and the second dam define a cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The water heater appliance of claim 3, wherein the drain conduit extends between a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet, and wherein the conduit inlet of the drain conduit is connected to the junction box at the outlet and the conduit outlet of the drain conduit is positioned within the cavity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The water heater appliance of claim 4, wherein the water heater appliance defines a vertical direction, and wherein the access panel is removably mounted to the casing below the junction box along the vertical direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, wherein the drain conduit extends between a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet, and wherein the water heater appliance further comprises: a drain port mounted to the casing, and wherein the conduit inlet of the drain conduit is connected to the junction box at the outlet and the conduit outlet of the drain conduit is connected to the drain port. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, wherein one or more electrical wires extend through the outlet defined by the junction box. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, wherein the outlet defined by the junction box is a drain outlet, and wherein the junction box defines an electrical outlet through which the one or more electrical wires extend. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, wherein the junction box comprises one or more sidewalls and a floor defining a volume of the junction box, and wherein the floor defines the outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The water heater appliance of claim 9, wherein the water heater appliance defines a vertical direction, and wherein the floor of the junction box is slanted downward along the vertical direction toward the outlet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The water heater appliance of claim 9, wherein the water heater appliance defines a vertical direction, and wherein the outlet defined by the floor of the junction box is a drain outlet, and wherein the floor of the junction box defines an electrical outlet through which one or more electrical wires extends, and wherein the electrical outlet is positioned above the drain outlet along the vertical direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The water heater appliance of claim 1, wherein the drain conduit is formed of a non-conductive material. ### Claim 13 A water heater appliance, comprising: a casing comprising a top cover; a tank positioned within the casing and defining a chamber for heating water; a heating source in thermal communication with the tank for selectively heating water within the chamber; a junction box mounted to the top cover, the junction box defining an outlet; an insulation material at least partially encasing the junction box; and a drain conduit in fluid communication with the outlet for draining fluid from the junction box. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The water heater appliance of claim 13, wherein the water heater appliance extends between a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the casing comprises a top cover positioned at the top portion of the water heater appliance, and wherein the junction box is mounted to the top cover of the casing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The water heater appliance of claim 13, wherein one or more electrical wires extend through the outlet defined by the junction box. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The water heater appliance of claim 13, wherein the water heater appliance defines a vertical direction, and wherein the junction box comprises one or more sidewalls and a floor defining a volume of the junction box, and wherein the floor of the junction box is slanted downward along the vertical direction toward the outlet by at least thirty degrees with respect to a horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the vertical direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The water heater appliance of claim 13, further comprising: an access panel removably mounted to the casing for selectively providing access to the heating source; an interior panel spaced from the access panel; a first dam spanning between the access panel and the interior panel; and a second dam spanning between the access panel and the interior panel, the second dam spaced from the first dam, wherein the access panel, the interior panel, the first dam, and the second dam define a cavity; wherein the drain conduit extends between a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet, and wherein the conduit inlet of the drain conduit is connected to the junction box at the outlet and the conduit outlet of the drain conduit is positioned within the cavity. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The water heater appliance of claim 13, wherein the drain conduit extends between a conduit inlet and a conduit outlet, and wherein the water heater appliance further comprises: a drain port mounted to a wrapper of the casing, and wherein the conduit inlet of the drain conduit is connected to the junction box at the outlet and the conduit outlet of the drain conduit is connected to the drain port.