Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting a water heater on the roof of a building or at another location outside of the building. A roof curb surrounds a hole in the roof, and a base member is mounted to the roof curb. Alternatively, the base member is mounted on a concrete pad at ground level. A water tank is mounted to the base member with the longitudinal axis of the water tank extending horizontally. Support rails are mounted to the base member, and wedge-shaped supports are mounted to the support rails. The wedge-shaped supports are interconnected with tank mounted brackets that are mounted to the sides of the water tank. Thermally insulated spacers are interposed between the wedge-shaped supports and the tank mounting brackets.

Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank adapted to contain water; a flue extending through the water tank and having a first end communicating with the water heater's combustion chamber for the flow of products of combustion through the tank; a damper communicating with the flue; and an apparatus for creating a flow of air proximate the second end of the flue to resist the flow of warm air out of the second end of the flue due to standby convection. The apparatus for creating airflow may be a fan or an ionic wind generator. Additionally, the airflow may be directed into or across the end of the flue at the top of the water heater to either create a downdraft or an air curtain for containing warm air within the flue.

Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank, a combustion chamber below the tank and communicating with the flue tube, and a flue system. The flue system includes a flue tube, and V-shaped fins that are metallurgically bonded to the flue tube wall to divide the flue tube into four flue chambers extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flue tube. The V-shaped fins include radially extending apertures that reduce the thermal expansion of the V-shaped fins with respect to the flue tube to reduce stress at the joint between the fins and the flue tube. The flue system also includes a removable baffle hanging in each flue chamber. The baffles include adjustable turbulation surfaces to control the quality of combustion in the water heater.

Abstract: A water heater adapted to be mounted on the rooftop of a building includes a substantially cylindrical tank having a horizontally-oriented longitudinal axis. A U-shaped flue tube has a burner end and an exhaust end, both ends being mounted in a head portion of the tank. The legs of the flue tube define a flue plane that is preferably angled 30°-60° with respect to vertical. An inlet tube and an outlet tube also extend through the head of the tank. The inlet tube is positioned at the bottom of the tank and has holes that open downwardly only; the outlet tube is positioned at the top of the tank and has holes that open upwardly only. The tank is weather-tightly enclosed by a cabinet. A base member of the cabinet is supported by a roof curb and supports the water tank. The base member includes a drain opening for draining water from the inside the cabinet to the sewage system of the building, and a water pipe opening through which extend a plurality of pipes communicating with the tank.

Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank, a combustion chamber below the tank and communicating with the flue tube, and a flue system. The flue system includes a flue tube, and V-shaped fins that are metallurgically bonded to the flue tube wall to divide the flue tube into four flue chambers extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flue tube. The V-shaped fins include radially extending apertures that reduce the thermal expansion of the V-shaped fins with respect to the flue tube to reduce stress at the joint between the fins and the flue tube. The flue system also includes a removable baffle hanging in each flue chamber. The baffles include adjustable turbulation surfaces to control the quality of combustion in the water heater.

Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank, a combustion chamber below the tank and communicating with the flue tube, and a flue system. The flue system includes a flue tube, and a cruciform fin metallurgically bonded to the flue tube wall and dividing the flue tube into four flue chambers extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flue tube. The flue system also includes a removable baffle hanging in each flue chamber. The baffles include adjustable turbulation surfaces to control the quality of combustion in the water heater.

Abstract: A water heater includes a spud connected to a tank wall and surrounding an opening in the tank wall. A support surface is provided in the spud, preferably by the tank wall, that supports a heat trap within the spud. A pipe is inserted into the spud and a portion of the heat trap is disposed between the end of the pipe and the support surface. The heat trap preferably includes and elongated portion that acts as a dielectric between the tank and the pipes.

Abstract: A self-cleaning water heater element is provided. The water heater element is plated with a layer of gold such that the gold surface has a low surface roughness. The smooth gold surface inhibits scale formation on the water heater element. The gold-plated smooth-surfaced water heater element may be manufactured by coating a standard water heater element with an adhesion layer, electroplating a layer of bright nickel on the adhesion layer, and electroplating a gold layer on top of the bright nickel layer.

Abstract: A scale-inhibiting water heater element is provided. The water heater element is coated with a diamond-like coating which has low surface tension to keep scale from forming, and is thermally conductive, which helps prevent overheating. The scale-inhibiting water heater element may be manufactured, for example, by coating a standard water heater element with an amorphous silicon adhesion layer, and then applying a diamond-like coating using a pulsed-glow discharge process.

Abstract: A combined potable water heater and hydronic heating system including: a water tank for holding hydronic heating water; a flue extending through the tank; a burner below the flue so that heat and exhaust gases generated by the burner pass through the flue to heat the water in the tank; and a potable water container mounted in the tank so that the hydronic heating water heats the water in the potable water container and so that the hydronic water is separated from the potable water.

Abstract: A combustion burner includes a housing secured to the top of a water heater, a gas tube in fluid communication with a source of gas and depending vertically from the housing and positioned within a heat exchange tube of the water heater. The An ignition assembly depends vertically from the top of the housing through the gas tube and into the heat exchange tube. An angled nozzle, extending from the housing, transports air from an air blower through the housing and into an annulus defined between the exterior of the annular chamber and the interior of the heat exchange tube. A deflector plate having a first and second series of slots and adjacent louvers effects the mixture of the gas and air in the interior of the heat exchange tube and enables the production of a long narrow flame within the heat exchange tube.

Abstract: A water heater comprising a tank adapted to hold water, a water outlet communicating with the tank, a water inlet communicating with the tank and communicable with the outlet independently of the tank, and a temperature responsive valve in the tank for permitting unrestricted communication of heated water in the tank with the water outlet when the water temperature in the tank is below a predetermined value, and for restricting communication of heated water in the tank with the water outlet when the water temperature in the tank is above the predetermined value.

Abstract: A gas burner for a water heater and comprising a base having central passage. Gas fuel is supplied to one end of the passage and an orifice is removably connected to the other end of the passage. An inverted cup-shaped head has an inner end threaded to the base and defines a closed chamber disposed in communication with the orifice. A plurality of ports are formed in the head and provide communication between the chamber and the exterior of the burner. The ports have a greater axial length than diameter and aid in controlling the flame configuration.

Abstract: A water heater comprising a tank to contain water to be heated and having a downwardly convex lower head. A flue extends upwardly through the tank and the lower end of the flue projects downwardly beyond the lower head. A burner having a substantially smaller cross-sectional area than the flue is located adjacent the lower end of the flue, and a locator interconnects the projecting lower end of the flue with the burner for precisely positioning the burner with relation to the flue. A layer of insulation is disposed on the outer surface of the convex lower head and extends radially inward to the projecting end of the flue.

Abstract: A turbulator construction for a heat exchanger. The turbulator is fabricated from a single sheet of flat metal which is bent in the form of a double helix. When disposed in a heat exchanger tube, the turbulator defines a pair of helical passages. The upstream end of the turbulator is flat and extends diametrically across the tube to divide the tube into a pair of inlet passages of substantially equal area. Each inlet passage communicates with one of the helical passages. In one form of the invention, the turbulator is formed from an elongated rectangular sheet of metal and in the bent condition, the peripheral edges of the helix are spaced from the tube to provide gaps therebetween. In a second form of the invention, the helix is formed from an elongated sheet with the side edges formed of a series of interconnected convex edge portions. In the bent condition, the curved edge portions conform to the inner surface of the tube, so that there is no appreciable gap between the helix and the tube.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater including a tank to contain water to be heated and a flue extends axially through the tank. A burner is located at the lower end of the flue and has a smaller cross sectional area than the flue to provide an annular space between the burner and the lower end of the flue. The burner has at least one outlet port that directs a flame pattern in proximate relation to the lower end of the flue. A locator assembly supports the burner from the flue and positions the burner axially of the flue.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for a combustion unit having particular use with a water heater. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of generally parallel tubes disposed in a water heater tank in contact with the water to be heated and waste gases of combustion pass through the heat exchanger tubes. A turbulator is disposed in each tube to increase the heat transfer from the waste gases to the water in the tank. Each turbulator is formed from a generally flat strip of metal and has a plurality of transverse slits that extend more than one-half the width of the strip and terminate at a base. Generally triangular portions or tabs bordering each slit are bent outwardly and the tabs are disposed generally normal to the strip. One tab bordering each slit extends laterally from one side of the strip, while the other tab bordering that slit extends laterally from the opposite side of the strip. The end portion of the strip is bent about the base of a slit to position the end portion at an angle of about 30.degree.