Methods of configuring and controlling hot water supply installations

2:

• The method of claim 1, wherein the signals are provided to the operator by means of an app on a wireless transmission/reception unit.

3:

• The method of claim 1, wherein increasing hot water supply temperature from a pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius to a disinfection temperature comprises increasing a temperature of the energy storage medium in the energy store.

4:

• The method of claim 3, wherein increasing the temperature of the energy storage medium in the energy store involves supplying heat from an electrical heating arrangement associated with the energy store, or from a heat pump or from a solar water heating arrangement.

(canceled)

6:

• The method of claim 1, wherein increasing hot water supply temperature from a pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius to a disinfection temperature comprises applying heat to water in a supply line intermediate the energy store and the plurality of controllable hot-water outlets.

7:

• The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of signals to the operator is controlled so that the operator is guided to open the controllable hot-water outlets in sequence starting from the outlet that has the shortest flow path distance from the energy store.

8:

• The method of claim 1, wherein water heated by the energy store is supplied to the plurality of controllable hot-water outlets by one or more branched supply lines, and the providing of signals to the operator is controlled so that the operator is guided to open the controllable hot-water outlets in sequence along a supply line branch starting from the outlet on the branch that has the shortest flow path distance from the energy store.

9:

• The method of claim 1, wherein the disinfection periods for the different outlets are substantially the same, or wherein the disinfection period for an outlet is selected based, at least in part, on the flow path distance from the energy store to the outlet.

(canceled)

11:

• The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling a disinfection event.

12:

• The method of claim 11, wherein the future disinfection event is a scheduled disinfection event that is scheduled to take place within a predetermined time, optionally within one hour, 45 minutes, 30 minutes, 20 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes, or 5 minutes.

13:

• The method of claim 1, wherein the disinfection event is only performed on the condition that the operator indicates consent to the performance of the event.

(canceled)

15:

• The method of claim 1, further comprising inferring which water outlet has provided a demand for heated water and setting a heating characteristic based on the outlet and inferred transit path to the outlet.

16:

• The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-event temperature of less than 60 Celsius is a hot water supply temperature regulated by a controller of the hot water supply system.

17:

• A hot-water supply installation having a plurality of controllable hot-water outlets, the installation including:
• a source of hot water with an outlet having a controllable outflow temperature, the source including an energy storage arrangement containing a mass of energy storage medium to store thermal energy and a heat exchanger that is coupled between the hot-water supply installation and a heat pump or a solar water heating arrangement, and a system controller configured to perform the method of claim 1.

18:

• The hot-water supply installation of claim 17, wherein the energy storage arrangement also comprises an electrical heating arrangement coupled to the system controller.

19:

• The hot-water supply installation of claim 17, wherein an additional heating arrangement is provided in the hot water flow path from the energy storage arrangement to the plurality of controllable hot-water outlets, the additional heating arrangement being coupled to the system controller.

20:

• The hot-water supply installation of claim 17, wherein the system controller is configured to limit the temperature at which water is supplied from the outlet of the source of hot water to less than 60 Celsius except during disinfection events.

21:

• The hot-water supply installation of claim 17, wherein the system controller is coupled to a radio frequency transceiver for signalling to a WTRU of an operator.

(canceled)

24:

• A method according to claim 23 further comprising inferring which water outlet has provided a demand for heated water and setting the heating characteristic based on the outlet and inferred transit path to the outlet.