Apparatus for heat pump malfunction detection
OwnerRobert F. Gilkeson, George C. Wiedersuminventors
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Abstract
A malfunction detection apparatus is provided for a heat pump system incorporating auxiliary resistance heaters, for detecting when the heat pump has lost efficiency, due to less than a catastrophic failure, and is therefore energizing the resistance heaters when they would not normally be energized, whereby a signal may be provided, such as a warning light, for announcing when the resistance heater has been energized while the outside temperature is above the system balance point.
Claims9
A malfunction detector circuit for a heat pump system having operation circuitry including a low-voltage transformer, a reversing valve for establishing heating and cooling modes, and having an auxiliary resistance heater as an integral part thereof, said circuit detecting a degradation in said heat pump performance resulting in premature resistance heater operation, comprising:
- means for establishing an outdoor temperature threshold above which said resistance heater operation should not be needed;
- and
- means for providing an alarm signal when said outdoor temperature is above said threshold, said heat pump is in the heating mode and said auxiliary resistance heater is operating, said alarm signal means being connected to said outdoor temperature threshold means and said operation circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.