Convertible air conditioning unit usable as water heater

In an air conditioner system including, in operative combination, a compressor having an inlet and outlet from which flows refrigerant, a fan-forced air-cooled exterior heat exchanger for bringing refrigerant into a heat exchange relationship with an exterior environment, a fan-forced indoor heat exchanger for bringing refrigerant into heat exchange relationship with an interior environment, an improvement for converting said system into a water supply heater, comprising:

• a water cooled condenser having a refrigerant throughflow passageway and a water throughflow conduit for bringing a water supply pumped therethrough into heat exchange relationship with said refrigerant;
• a directional three-way valve for connecting the compressor outlet to an inlet of said exterior heat exchanger and to an inlet of said water cooled condenser, said air cooled exterior heat exchanger and said water cooled condenser being connected at their outlets to said indoor heat exchanger;
• and
• control means for selectively directing said three-way valve to route the refrigerant either through said water cooled condenser in a water supply heating mode or through said air-cooled exterior heat exchanger but not through both said water cooled condenser and said air cooled heat exchanger at the same time;
• (i) said control means including a water pressure switch for actuating said three-way valve to route the refrigerant from said compressor to said water cooled condenser and de-energizing the fan associated with said air-cooled exterior heat exchanger in response to inflow water pressure in said water cooled condenser exceeding a minimum pressure level, whereby said water supply heating mode is engaged,
• (ii) a refrigerant pressure activated water regulator valve mounted on the inflow side of said water throughflow conduit for regulating the amount of water flowing through said water through flow conduit in order to maintain a desired level of refrigerant pressure, and
• (iii) a thermostat for actuating said three-way valve to route refrigerant from said compressor to said air-cooled exterior heat exchanger and energizing the fan associated therewith in response to the temperature of said water supply exceeding a threshold temperature level, whereby said water supply heating mode is disengaged.