Abstract: A water heater including a water inlet line having an inlet opening that introduces cold water to a tank, a water outlet line having an outlet opening that withdraws heated water from the tank, and a heating element. The water heater further includes a control circuit. The heating element can be an electrical resistance heating element, a gas heating element, or a combination thereof. In one construction, the gas heating element includes a first combustive section and a second combustive section separately controlled from the first combustive section.

Abstract: A water heater including a water inlet line having an inlet opening that introduces cold water to a tank, a water outlet line having an outlet opening that withdraws heated water from the tank, and a heating element. The water heater further includes a control circuit. The heating element can be an electrical resistance heating element, a gas heating element, or a combination thereof. In one construction, the gas heating element includes a first combustive section and a second combustive section separately controlled from the first combustive section.

Abstract: A water heater includes a tank and a jacket surrounding the tank. Between the tank and jacket is defined an annular space in which a seal is positioned. The seal extends between the tank and the jacket and defines a bottom of the annular space. The seal includes a depending flange that retains a fiberglass batt against the water tank so that the batt does not interfere with lowering the jacket around the tank. The seal also includes a plurality of arms that center and round out the jacket as it is lowered over the tank. A liquid-based insulation is pumped into the annular space under pressure, and the seal substantially prevents any of the insulation from leaking through the bottom of the annular seal. The arms may be progressively longer and/or thicker from the top down to permit some of the insulation to bypass the upper arms and fill the spaces between the arms.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for measuring, collecting and responding to the measured amounts of particulate matter in a flowing air stream. Air stream filtering collects particulate matter on the filter media. At some point the collected particulate matter can clog the filter to the point where it can reduce the air flow to less than desirable levels or even block air flow to cause over heating or other dangerous conditions to occur. A fully automated and self checking electronic system is provided to monitor and control apparatus and to cause alarm or shutoff signals to be generated.

Abstract: A water heater including a water tank, a water inlet line for adding water to the water tank, a water outlet line for withdrawing water from the water tank, at least one electric resistance heating element extending into the water tank to heat water in the water tank, at least one water temperature sensor operable to sense a water temperature, and a control circuit capable of conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating element. The control circuit controls the conduction of electric power in response to the sensed water temperature and at least one of an element characteristic, a tank characteristic, an external water tank temperature, a water consistency, an ambient temperature, and a history of water use.

Abstract: A water heater including a water inlet line having an inlet opening that introduces cold water to a tank, a water outlet line having an outlet opening that withdraws heated water from the tank, and a heating element. The water heater further includes a control circuit. The heating element can be an electrical resistance heating element, a gas heating element, or a combination thereof. In one construction, the gas heating element includes a first combustive section and a second combustive section separately controlled from the first combustive section.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and multiple electric resistance heating elements extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating elements in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power. Further, activation of the heating elements by the controller is carried out in a sequential or other timed or controlled fashion to permit uniform heating of the water in the tank.

Abstract: A method of controlling the temperature of water in a water heater. The water heater includes a tank for storing water and a heating element capable of being powered by a power source. In one embodiment, the method includes the acts of determining an element characteristic of the heating element, sensing a temperature of the water in the tank, calculating an amount of power to be provided to the heating element based on the element characteristic and water temperature, and transmitting the amount of power from the power source to the heating element.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are storage type water heaters having means for improved mixing of cold water supply with water stored in the water tank of a water heater, means for limiting surges of water into and out of a water tank, and means for disrupting formation and propagation of convection currents and water streamers in a water tank.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a methods for testing operability of a thermocouple device and operability of a safety valve solenoid and ECO fuse circuit all in a fuel gas control system for a gas fired appliance. Also disclose are apparatus for carrying out such methods, the apparatus comprising a test instrument, for applying selected millivolt DC currents to the safety valve solenoid and ECO fuse circuit and for measuring millivolt DC current output of the thermocouple device, and-an adaptor for connecting the test instrument to the safety valve solenoid and ECO fuse circuit of the fuel gas control system.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and multiple electric resistance heating elements extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating elements in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power. Further, activation of the heating elements by the controller is carried out in a sequential or other timed or controlled fashion to permit uniform heating of the water in the tank.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are storage type water heaters having means for improved mixing of cold water supply with water stored in the water tank of a water heater, means for limiting surges of water into and out of a water tank, and means for disrupting formation and propagation of convection currents and water streamers in a water tank.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and multiple electric resistance heating elements extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating elements in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power. Further, activation of the heating elements by the controller is carried out in a sequential or other timed or controlled fashion to permit uniform heating of the water in the tank. Further, the controller may operate a cold water introduction valve to further enhance temperature uniformity in the tank.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and multiple electric resistance heating elements extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating elements in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power. Further, activation of the heating elements by the controller is carried out in a sequential or other timed or controlled fashion to permit uniform heating of the water in the tank.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and multiple electric resistance heating elements extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating elements in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power. Further, activation of the heating elements by the controller is carried out in a sequential or other timed or controlled fashion to permit uniform heating of the water in the tank.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and multiple electric resistance heating elements extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating elements in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power. Further, activation of the heating elements by the controller is carried out in a sequential or other timed or controlled fashion to permit uniform heating of the water in the tank.

Abstract: A paperboard container for a hot water heater or similar manufactured article. The container comprising a body having eight sides, a bottom member closing the bottom of the container body, and a top member closing the top of the container body. The bottom member having eight bottom member sides, each bottom member side in contact with one of the eight body sides, having an interior face for supporting and preventing lateral movement of the hot water heater within the container, and having an exterior face for supporting the container on a floor or other surface. A tab on each container body side is attached to the bottom member exterior face for holding the bottom member in place as the container bottom. The container employs only about 85% of the paperboard required in a square cross section container for the same size hot water heater, and has greater strength than the square cross section container.

Abstract: A water heater having a water tank and a electric resistance heating element extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank. The water heater includes a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating element in bursts. Each burst of electric power is followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element. In one embodiment, each burst of electrical power lasts for about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power.

Abstract: A water heater comprising a water tank and an electric resistance heating element extending into the water tank for heating water in the tank, including a proportional band temperature controller for conducting electric power to the electric resistance heating element in bursts, each burst of electric power followed by a period during which the temperature controller does not conduct power to the electric resistance heating element, wherein, each burst of electric power comprises about 95% or less of a cycle comprised of one burst of electric power followed by the period during which the temperature controller does not conduct electric power.

Abstract: An insulated tank construction for a water heater, including a cylindrical tank, a cylindrical shell placed around and spaced radially apart from the tank to form an annular space, and a ring-shaped form dam disposed circumferentially at a selected position in the annular space along the height of the tank. The foam dam is comprised of a resilient compressible material, preferably porous, open-cell polyurethane foam, and has an inner diameter less than the tank outer diameter and an outer diameter greater than the shell inner diameter. Thus, the foam dam is compressed into sealing engagement with both the tank wall and the shell wall. The shell inner wall, foam dam and tank outer wall form an annular chamber within the annular space. Expandable polymer foam material is injected into the annular chamber and expanded to form a jacket of insulating foam around the tank. Initially, gasses generated by expansion of the foam escape the annular chamber through the porous body of the foam dam.