Systems and methods for gathering data from and diagnosing the status of an air conditioner

A method for monitoring and servicing an air conditioning system using a wireless diagnostic system, the air conditioning system including refrigerant, a condensing unit, an evaporator, a return, a return vent, a supply, and a first supply vent, the condensing unit including a condensing coil, and a compressor, the compressor including a suction port and a discharge port, the evaporator being nearer to the first supply vent than to any other supply vent, the method comprising:

• positioning a first transmitter adjacent to the condensing unit and connected to the condenser by at least one port;
• at the first transmitter, sensing a suction pressure at the suction port, sensing a discharge pressure at the discharge port, sensing a refrigerant temperature at the suction port, sensing a refrigerant temperature at the discharge port, sensing an air temperature at the condensing coil, and wirelessly transmitting data representative of the sensed suction pressure, discharge pressure, refrigerant temperature at the suction port, refrigerant temperature at the discharge port, and air temperature at the condensing coil directly to a receiver using a unique transmitter identifier;
• positioning a second transmitter adjacent to the return vent;
• at the second transmitter, sensing a return air temperature and a return air humidity at the return, and wirelessly transmitting data representative of the return air temperature directly to the receiver using a unique transmitter identifier;
• positioning a third transmitter adjacent to the supply vent with a sensor portion of the transmitter inserted through the supply vent into the supply, such that an elongate sensing portion of the transmitter extends through adjacent slats of the grill of the supply vent into the supply, so as to accurately sense parameters of the air in the supply;
• at the third transmitter, sensing a supply air temperature at the supply, and wirelessly transmitting data representative of the supply air temperature directly to the receiver using a unique transmitter identifier;
• sending data received at the receiver to a computing device;
• analyzing the data with the computing device in order to determine information regarding the status of refrigerant in the air conditioning system;
• determining and reporting a status of refrigerant in the air conditioning system;
• and adding refrigerant to the air conditioning system, if the status of refrigerant in the air conditioning system is an undercharged status, or removing refrigerant from the air conditioning system, if the status of refrigerant in the air conditioning system is an overcharged status, through a manifold on the first transmitter while the first transmitter is connected to at least one port,
• wherein the suction pressure is sensed by a first pressure sensor attached to the first transmitter, the discharge pressure is sensed by a second pressure sensor attached to the first transmitter, the refrigerant temperature at the suction port is sensed by a first temperature sensor attached to the first transmitter, the refrigerant temperature at the discharge port is sensed by a second temperature sensor attached to the first transmitter, the air temperature at the condensing coil is sensed by a third temperature sensor attached to the first transmitter, the return air temperature is sensed by a first temperature sensor attached to the second transmitter, the return air humidity is sensed by a first humidity sensor attached to the second transmitter, and the supply air temperature is sensed by a first temperature sensor attached to the third transmitter and wherein each of the transmitters comprises a wireless output module configured to transmit data on a plurality of frequencies and to select one of the plurality of frequencies to avoid interference from other devices.

A portable system for diagnosing the condition of an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including a condensing unit, a return, and a supply, the system comprising:

• a first transmitter comprising at least one pressure sensor, at least one temperature sensor, and an output module configured to wirelessly send data using a first unique transmitter identifier to at least one receiver, wherein the first transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the condensing unit and connected to the condenser by at least one port;
• a second transmitter comprising at least one temperature sensor and an output module configured to wirelessly send data using a second unique transmitter identifier to the at least one receiver, wherein the second transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the return vent;
• a third transmitter comprising at least one temperature sensor and an output configured to wirelessly send data using a third unique transmitter identifier to the at least one receiver, wherein the third transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the supply vent with the at least one temperature sensor inserted through the supply vent into the supply;
• the at least one receiver adapted to wirelessly receive information from the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and the third transmitter;
• and
• a computing device configured to receive information from the at least one receiver and adapted to analyze information received from the at least one receiver in order to determine a status of the air conditioning system,
• wherein the second transmitter senses at least one temperature parameter of the return, and the third transmitter senses at least one temperature parameter of the supply.

A portable system for diagnosing the condition of an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including refrigerant, a condensing unit, an evaporator, a return, a return vent, a supply, and first supply vent, the condensing unit including a condensing coil, and a compressor, the compressor including a suction port and a discharge port, the evaporator being nearer to the first supply vent than to any other supply vent, the system comprising:

• a first transmitter comprising a first pressure sensor for sensing a suction pressure at the suction port, a second pressure sensor for sensing a discharge pressure at the discharge port, a first temperature sensor for sensing a refrigerant temperature at the suction port, a second temperature sensor for sensing a refrigerant temperature at the discharge port, a third temperature sensor for sensing an air temperature at the condensing coil, and an output module configured to wirelessly send data and a first transmitter identifier directly to at least one receiver on a dedicated network, wherein the first transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the condensing unit and connected to the condensing unit by at least one port;
• a second transmitter comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the return air temperature at the return, a humidity sensor for sensing the return air humidity at the return, and an output module configured to wirelessly send data and a second transmitter identifier directly to the at least one receiver, wherein the second transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the return vent;
• a third transmitter comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the supply air temperature at the supply and an output module configured to wirelessly send data and a third transmitter identifier directly to the at least one receiver, wherein the third transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the first supply vent with the temperature sensor inserted through the supply vent into the supply;
• the at least one receiver adapted to receive information from the first transmitter, the second transmitter, and the third transmitter;
• and
• a computing device configured to receive information from the at least one receiver and adapted to analyze information received from the at least one receiver in order to determine a status of the air conditioning system, wherein the first transmitter senses the suction pressure, the discharge pressure, the refrigerant temperature at the suction port, the refrigerant temperature at the discharge port, and the air temperature at the condensing coil and transmits first data representing the suction pressure, the discharge pressure, the refrigerant temperature at the suction port, the refrigerant temperature at the discharge port, and the air temperature at the condensing coil to the receiver, the second transmitter senses the return air temperature and the return air humidity and transmits second data representing the return air temperature and the return air humidity to the receiver, the third transmitter senses the supply air temperature and transmits third data representing the supply air temperature to the receiver, the receiver receives the first, second, and third data, and sends the first, second, and third data to the computing device, and the computing device analyzes the first, second, and third data to determine a status of the air conditioning system.

A portable system for servicing an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including refrigerant, a condensing unit, an evaporator, a return, a return vent, a supply, and a first supply vent, the condensing unit including a condensing coil, and a compressor, the compressor including a suction port and a discharge port, the evaporator being nearer to the first supply vent than to any other supply vent, the system comprising:

• a first transmitter comprising:
• a first pressure sensor for sensing a suction pressure at the suction port, a second pressure sensor for sensing a discharge pressure at the discharge port, a first temperature sensor for sensing a refrigerant temperature at the suction port, a second temperature sensor for sensing a refrigerant temperature at the discharge port, a third temperature sensor for sensing an air temperature at the condensing coil,
• a wireless output module configured to transmit first data and a first transmitter identifier on a plurality of frequencies, wherein the wireless output module selects one of the plurality of frequencies based on the absence of other data traffic on the frequency;
• a data collector for receiving measurements of the sensed pressures and temperatures, converting the measurements to first data representing the measurements, and transmitting the first data via the wireless output module directly to at least one receiver on a dedicated network, the data collector having a non-volatile memory for storing the first transmitter identifier and calibration information and a microcontroller for controlling the operation of the sensors and the wireless output module, a rechargeable power source configured to provide power to the data collector, the first and second pressure sensors, the first, second, and third temperature sensors, and the wireless output module, and a manifold, a suction access port attached to the manifold, and a discharge access port attached to the manifold,
• wherein the first transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the condensing unit and connected to the condensing unit by at least one port;
• a second transmitter comprising:
• a first temperature sensor for sensing a return air temperature at the return and a first humidity sensor for sensing a return air humidity at the return;
• a wireless output module configured to transmit second data and a second transmitter identifier on a plurality of frequencies, wherein the wireless output module selects one of the plurality of frequencies based on the absence of other data traffic on the frequency;
• a data collector for receiving measurements of the sensed return air temperature and the sensed return air humidity, converting the measurements to second data representing the measurements, and transmitting the second data via the wireless output module directly to the at least one receiver on a dedicated network, the data collector having a non-volatile memory for storing the second transmitter identifier and calibration information and a microcontroller for controlling the operation of the sensors and the wireless output module;
• and
• a rechargeable power source configured to provide power to the data collector, the first temperature sensor, the first humidity sensor, and the wireless output module,
• wherein the second transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the return vent;
• a third transmitter comprising:
• a first temperature sensor for sensing a supply air temperature at the supply;
• a wireless output module configured to transmit third data and a third transmitter identifier on a plurality of frequencies, wherein the wireless output module selects one of the plurality of frequencies based on the absence of other data traffic on the frequency;
• a data collector for receiving measurements of the sensed supply air temperature, converting the measurements to third data representing the measurements, and transmitting the third data via the wireless output module directly to the at least one receiver on a dedicated network, the data collector having a non-volatile memory for storing the third transmitter identifier and calibration information and a microcontroller for controlling the operation of the sensors and the wireless output module;
• and
• a rechargeable power source configured to provide power to the data collector, the first temperature sensor, and the wireless output module, wherein the third transmitter is configured to be placed adjacent to the first supply vent with an elongate sensing portion of the temperature sensor inserted through the supply vent into the supply;
• the at least one receiver configured to directly, wirelessly receive the first data from the first transmitter, directly, wirelessly receive the second data from the second transmitter, and directly, wirelessly receive the third data from the third transmitter;
• and
• a computing device configured to receive information from the at least one receiver, the computing device being adapted to analyze the information received from the at least one receiver and to determine a status of refrigerant in the air conditioning system, wherein the first transmitter transmits the first data to the receiver, the second transmitter transmits the second data to the receiver, the third transmitter transmits the third data to the receiver, the at least one receiver receives the first, second, and third data, and the at least one receiver sends the first, second, and third data to the computing device, such that the computing device analyzes the first data, the second data, and the third data and reports a status of refrigerant in the air conditioning system.