Abstract: The disclosure relates to a plug-in connector including a housing having at least two contact terminals received in adjacent terminal receiving cavities. An electric identification device is arranged in the housing and adapted to simultaneously contact the at least two terminals. The electric identification device including a unique identifier, wherein one of the at least two terminals is an output terminal of the identification device, and wherein the unique identifier of the electric identification device is adapted to be read out via the output terminal for authenticating an original equipment manufacturer's parts, such as a plug-in authenticator.

Abstract: A header tube assembly is disclosed and can include an outer tube, an inner tube, and a flow valve. Each of the outer and inner tubes can include an open end and a closed end, as well as a plurality of apertures extending through a sidewall of the outer tube and inner tube, respectively. The apertures of the inner tube can permit a flow of refrigerant between an internal volume of the inner tube and a gap between the inner and outer tubes, and the apertures of the outer tube can permit a flow of refrigerant between the internal volume of the outer tube and a plurality of refrigerant circuits in a heat exchanger. The flow valve can be configured to selectively prevent refrigerant from flowing between the gap and the open end of the outer tube, depending on a direction of refrigerant flow through the header tube assembly.

Abstract: A water heater includes a leak detection system. The leak detection system includes a leak sensor assembly that is disposed in a bottom pan of the water heater. The leak sensor assembly includes a sensor housing that has a sensor channel that is formed therein such that the sensor channel is disposed at an elevation from a base of the bottom pan when the sensor housing is disposed on the base of the bottom pan. Further, the leak sensor assembly includes a leak sensor that is disposed in the sensor channel of the sensor housing. The leak sensor detects water that leaks from the water heater and accumulates in the bottom pan when a level of the water in the bottom pan rises to the elevation of the sensor channel and the leak sensor that is disposed therein.

Abstract: A combination water heating, air conditioning refrigerant system is described. The combined system includes a plurality of independently adjustable electronic expansion valves. The expansion valves can independently modulate the delivery of high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant to either a water heat exchanger or an outside condenser. A controller can receive input signals, including temperature signals from one or more temperature sensors that indicate the temperature at various locations of the system. The temperature signals include one or more of water temperature signals, ambient air temperature signals, or refrigerant super heat temperatures signals. In response to the input signals, the controller can output control signals to one or more of the plurality of electronic expansion valves.

Abstract: A mixing valve assembly is disclosed. The mixing valve assembly can include a cold water connector, a hot water connector, an electronic valve system, and a tube. The cold water connector can have a through-hole configured to slideably receive at least a portion of a first tubular portion of a cold water inlet, and the hot water connector can have a through-hole configured to slideably receive at least a portion of a second tubular portion of a hot water outlet. The electronic valve system can be configured to transition a valve between an open configuration and a closed configuration such that cold water can be selectively permitted to flow from the cold water connector to the hot water connector. The mixing valve assembly can be configured to selectively permit cold water to bypass the tank of water heater.

Abstract: An electric water heater has upper and lower electric resistance type heating elements respectively controlled by a single pole, double throw upper thermostat and a single pole, single throw lower thermostat. The upper and lower thermostats are operatively interconnected by a wiring harness having outer conductor end portions that are connected to a terminal block portion of an external junction box to provide the water heater with a variety of heating element operating modes without having to replace either of the thermostats, vary the wiring harness interconnections therebetween, or vary the connection between the outer conductor end portions and the terminal block. The water heater may thus be advantageously manufactured in a single variant that may be easily and quickly modified in the field to selectively alter the heating element control mode of the water heater.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a climate control system including a first heat exchanger having a plurality of first channels to allow flow of water therethrough, a burner to heat the water in the first channels of the first heat exchanger, and an inducer disposed proximal to the burner to direct combustion air towards the burner for combustion, and vent products of combustion. The system further includes a hydronic coil-to-air heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, to receive the heated water from the first heat exchanger. The hydronic coil-to-air heat exchanger includes a plurality of second channels to allow flow of heated water therethrough. The system also includes a blower to blow air across the plurality of second channels of the hydronic coil-to-air heat exchanger, whereby the air is heated by the heated water.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a heat pump water heater can include a heat pump water heater system having an evaporator, a condenser, a vapor injection line, a compressor, and a multi-fluid heat exchanger. The vapor injection line can include an expansion valve to transition refrigerant received from the condenser at a first pressure to a second pressure. The compressor can be configured to circulate refrigerant through the condenser, the multi-fluid heat exchanger, the vapor injection line, and the evaporator. The multi-fluid heat exchanger can be configured to receive refrigerant at a first pressure from the condenser, refrigerant at a second pressure from the vapor injection line, and water. The multi-fluid heat exchanger can further facilitate heat transfer between the refrigerants at the first and second pressures and the water to preheat the water before the water is passed through the condenser.

Abstract: A water heater monitoring and notification method includes determining that an intake pressure switch of a combustion system of a water heater or an exhaust pressure switch of the combustion system of the water heater is open and shutting down a blower of the combustion system in response to the intake pressure switch or the exhaust pressure switch being open.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are connectors for a tankless water heater. The connectors can comprise a flange, an aperture extending through the flange having a first diameter, one or more slots extending through the flange, a connector portion substantially surrounding the aperture and extending outward from the flange away from the tankless water heater. The aperture can correspond to an air inlet extending into the tankless water heater, and the air inlet can have a second diameter that is larger than the aperture. To keep the flange in place, the one or more slots can correspond to one or more fastening holes in the tankless water heater. The one or more slots can be substantially parallel and on opposite sides of the aperture. The connector can be in a secured state when the one or more slots are fastened to the one or more fastening holes.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating water has a tank for storing water and an air conditioning system that defines a refrigerant flow path through which refrigerant flows. The refrigerant flow path passes through the heat exchanger so that refrigerant heat is contributed to the tank. A control system controls operation of the water heating apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a water heater including a bypass conduit to allow flow of cold water from an inlet pipe to an outlet pipe, and an outlet temperature sensor coupled to the outlet pipe downstream of an outlet of the bypass conduit, to sense temperature of mixture of hot water and cold water in the outlet pipe. An electronic mixing valve is disposed along the inlet pipe to receive temperature data of water mixture from the outlet temperature sensor and compare temperature of the water mixture with a predefined temperature value. In response to determining that the water mixture is flowing through the outlet pipe, the electronic mixing valve regulates the flow of cold water through at least one of the bypass conduit and the inlet pipe until the temperature of the water mixture is within a predetermined range of the predefined temperature value.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a louvered fin including a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The surface defines a first set of holes along a first axis, a second set of holes along a second axis and offset from the first set of holes, and a third set of holes along a third axis and offset from the second set of holes. Each of the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fin. A first offset distance between the second and first set of holes is greater than a second offset distance between the third and second set of holes. The second and the third set of holes define a substantially obtuse trapezoidal matrix.

Abstract: A reheat system of an air conditioning unit includes a bypass line that fluidly couples an outlet of a reheat coil to an input end of a metering device. The reheat system includes a reheat exit line that fluidly couples the outlet of the reheat coil to an input of a condenser. A bypass valve is disposed in the bypass line and a reheat valve is disposed in the reheat exit line. A controller is configured to control the bypass valve and the reheat valve such that a refrigerant from the outlet of the reheat coil is routed to the metering device via the bypass line when an ambient temperature is greater than or equal to a cut off temperature value that is indicative of a high ambient temperature condition at which the condenser begins operating as an evaporator.

Abstract: The disclosed technology includes an air system including a first interlaced microchannel heat exchanger and a second interlaced microchannel heat exchanger. The air system can include a plurality of fluidly separated refrigerant circuits, and each of the refrigerant circuits can be configured to flow through the first interlaced microchannel heat exchanger and the second interlaced microchannel heat exchanger. The first interlaced microchannel heat exchanger can be located indoors, and the second interlaced microchannel heat exchanger can be located outdoors. Each of the refrigerant circuits can include its own compressor and expansion valve.

Abstract: The disclosed technology includes an on-demand water heater which uses a heat pump to heat the fluid. The on-demand heat pump water heater can have a low fluid capacity heating chamber which has an inlet and an outlet, a heat pump for heating the fluid, and a controller to control the heat pump and maintain the temperature of the fluid at a predetermined temperature. The on-demand heat pump water heater can include one or more temperature sensors, flow sensors, fluid mixing valves, or supplemental heat sources.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods for heating water and cooling air simultaneously, as well as other simultaneous heating and cooling operations. An example variable refrigerant flow conditioning system includes an outdoor unit having a compressor, a condenser coil, and a fan, a water heater coupled to the outdoor unit, a first air conditioning unit coupled to the outdoor unit, and a controller. The controller may be configured to determine that a cooling operation mode is active during a first time interval, cause vapor refrigerant to be directed from the outdoor unit to the water heater and liquid refrigerant to be directed from the outdoor unit to the first air conditioning unit, determine that a heating operation mode is active during a second time interval, and cause the vapor refrigerant to be directed from the outdoor unit to both the water heater and the first air conditioning unit.

Abstract: A heating unit for heating fluid is described having a first manifold having at least one inlet, a second manifold connected to the first manifold and having at least one outlet, and a third manifold. The heating unit also includes one or more heating systems which extend from the third manifold to the first manifold via the second manifold, where the one or more heating systems have an inner tube and an outer tube. Further, the heating unit includes a fluid flow path from the at least one inlet to the at least one outlet via the first manifold, an area between the inner tube and outer tube, the interior of the inner tube and the second manifold.