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US 2026/0258972 A1Published application
Water heater and methods for operating the same
AssigneeBradford White Corporation
InventorsJohn Adams, Benjamin DeJager
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water heater includes at least one heating system for heating water. Control circuitry is configured to determine electrical parameters of individual components of the at least one heating system. The electrical parameters are utilized to determine operating conditions of the water heater. The operating conditions can be utilized to control at least some aspect of the water heater.
Claims20
A water heater comprising:
- a tank for holding water;
- a resistance heating element;
- a heat pump;
- current detection circuitry that communicates a first signal indicative of current drawn by the heat pump and the resistance heating element;
- voltage detection circuitry that communicates a second signal indicative of a system voltage;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- activate the resistance heating element for a first activation period;
- monitor the first signal during the first activation period;
- deactivate the resistance heating element to end the first activation period;
- determine a calculated resistance of the resistance heating element based on the second signal and the first signal monitored during the first activation period;
- and
- calculate a first current drawn by the resistance heating element using the second signal during the during a second activation period subsequent to the first activation period and the calculated resistance.
10 more elements
A water heater comprising:
- a tank for holding water;
- a resistance heating element;
- current detection circuitry that communicates a first signal indicative of current drawn by at least the resistance heating element;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- activate the resistance heating element for an activation period;
- monitor the first signal during the activation period;
- deactivate the resistance heating element to end the activation period;
- and
- determine a calculated resistance of the resistance heating element based on a system voltage and the first signal monitored during the activation period.
7 more elements
A method for determining a resistance of a resistance heating element of a water heater, the method comprising:
- communicating a first signal indicative of current drawn by at least the resistance heating element;
- activating the resistance heating element for an activation period;
- monitoring the first signal during the activation period;
- deactivating the resistance heating element to end the activation period;
- and
- determining a calculated resistance of the resistance heating element based on a system voltage and the first signal monitored during the activation period.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.