Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100068073 | CONTROLLER FOR A MOTOR AND A METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE MOTOR - A method of controlling a motor operating a pumping apparatus of a fluid-pumping application. The pumping apparatus includes a pump having an inlet to receive a fluid and an outlet to exhaust the fluid, and the motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump. The method includes the acts of controlling the motor to operate the pump and monitoring the operation of the pump. The monitoring act includes monitoring a power of the motor, and determining whether the monitored power indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump. The method further includes the act of controlling the motor to cease operation of the pump when the determination indicates an undesired flow of fluid through the pump and zero or more other conditions exist. | 03-18-2010 |
20100080714 | CONTROLLER FOR A MOTOR AND A METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE MOTOR - A pump system. The pump system includes a pump, a motor coupled to the pump, a sensor coupled to a power source, and a controller. The motor operates the pump. The sensor detects an electrical characteristic of the power source. The controller executes a fault check, controls the motor, detects a change in the electrical characteristic, and suspends the execution of the fault check for a predetermined period of time when the detected change in the electrical characteristic is outside of a valid characteristic range. | 04-01-2010 |
20100291494 | FLAME ROD ANALYSIS SYSTEM - A flame rod analysis system, methods for determining a condition of a flame and a flame rod, and circuits for determining a condition of a flame and a flame rod. The flame rod analysis system comprises energy storage connectable to a flame rod, a pulsed source connected to the energy storage and providing a voltage pulse or a current pulse, and a buffer to allow a processor to measure a buffered voltage at various time points. Flame rod analysis systems can distinguish between various flame conditions (no flame, low flame, etc.) while simultaneously characterizing the condition of the flame rod (shorted to ground, contaminated, etc.). Some flame rod analysis systems can directly measure the resistance of the flame rod. | 11-18-2010 |
20110002792 | CONTROLLER FOR A MOTOR AND A METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE MOTOR - A pumping apparatus for a jetted-fluid system includes a pump having an inlet connectable to the drain, and an outlet connectable to the return. The pump is adapted to receive the fluid from the drain and jet fluid through the return. The pumping apparatus includes a motor coupled to the pump to operate the pump, a sensor connectable to the power source and configured to generate a signal having a relation to a parameter of the motor, and a switch coupled to the motor and configured to control at least a characteristic of the motor. The pumping apparatus also includes a microcontroller coupled to the sensor and the switch. The microcontroller is configured to generate a derivative value based on the signal, and to control the motor based on the derivative value. | 01-06-2011 |
20110211612 | TEMPERATURE SENSOR ARRAY AND METHOD OF ANALYZING A CONDITION OF WATER IN A TANK OF A WATER HEATING SYSTEM - A system for determining a temperature of a medium, such as water, in a volume, such as a water heater tank. The system includes a temperature sensor array and a variable frequency voltage supply. A first temperature sensing unit of the temperature sensor array includes a temperature sensor in parallel with a capacitor. The capacitor is selected such that the impedance is low relative to the resistance of the temperature sensor at frequencies above a threshold and high at frequencies below a threshold. A second temperature sensing unit of the array includes a second temperature sensor. The temperatures sensed by the various temperature sensors in the array are determined by selectively varying the frequency of the voltage supply. | 09-01-2011 |
20140137812 | WATER HEATER AND PRESSURE PROBE FOR A WATER HEATER - A pressure probe assembly for attachment to a venturi of a gas-fired appliance, where the venturi includes a body having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a wall defining a mixing chamber extending from the inlet end to the outlet end about an axis. A support member is detachably coupled to the mixing chamber. A first pressure probe is coupled to the support member and has a first pressure tap disposed substantially adjacent the axis. A second pressure probe is coupled to the support member and has a second pressure tap disposed substantially adjacent the mixing chamber wall. Also disclosed is a gas-fired appliance, such as a water heater, including the pressure probe assembly. | 05-22-2014 |
20140137851 | COMMON VENTING SYSTEM FOR WATER HEATERS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - A water heater venting system, the water heater venting system comprising a main exhaust vent; and a first water heater in communication with a second water heater. The first water heater including an inlet, a blower assembly including a motor, an exhaust vent coupled to the main exhaust vent, a fluid flowpath created by fluid communication between the inlet, the blower assembly, and the exhaust vent, a sensor positioned along the fluid flowpath, and a controller electrically coupled to the sensor and the motor of the blower assembly, the controller controlling the speed of the motor based on at least one of an input from the sensor and an input from the second water heater. | 05-22-2014 |
20140262822 | SACRIFICIAL ANODE CONTROL - Systems and methods are described for controlling the current of a sacrificial anode based on the conductivity state of the water. An unregulated current of the sacrificial anode relative to the water tank is measured and a conductivity state of the water is identified based on the measured unregulated current. A maximum current limit for the sacrificial anode is determined based on the conductivity state of the water and the current of the sacrificial anode is limited such that the current does not exceed the determined maximum current limit. | 09-18-2014 |
20140277816 | WATER HEATER AND METHOD OF OPERATING A WATER HEATER - A water heater that includes a tank for holding water, a heat source, a temperature sensor, a communication module operable to communicate with an external controller remote from the water heater, and a controller including a processor and a computer readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to operate the water heater. The communication module receives commands from the external controller for further operating the water heater. | 09-18-2014 |