Abstract: A water heater appliance may include a housing, a tank, a heating element, one or more temperature sensors, and a controller. The tank may be attached to the housing. The tank may define an interior volume. The heating element may be configured to heat water in the tank. The one or more temperature sensors may be attached to the housing. The controller may be mounted to the housing in operable communication with the heating element and the one or more temperature sensors. The controller may be configured to direct a water heating operation. The water heating operation may include directing a programmed diagnostic heating cycle, detecting an appliance temperature during the programmed diagnostic heating cycle, selecting an appliance model based on the detected appliance temperature, applying a predetermined model setting based on the selected appliance model, and directing a functional heating cycle according to the predetermined model setting.

Abstract: A power circuit configuration for a water heater appliance is provided. The water heater appliance includes a tank, a gas valve, a blower, and a power circuit. The power circuit includes a gas valve controller on a gas valve control printed circuit board. The power circuit includes a first power conductor that is coupled to a blower motor of the water heater appliance. The power circuit also includes a second power conductor that is coupled to the blower motor of the water heater appliance through a relay such that the power circuit for the blower motor bypasses the gas valve control printed circuit board.

Abstract: A water heater appliance for a recreational vehicle includes a tank and a flue disposed within the tank. The flue forms a U-shape that extends to and from an external side of the tank. A gas supply is in fluid communication with the flue. A burner assembly is disposed at an inlet of the flue. A baffle disposed within the flue. The baffle includes a plurality of restrictors configured to the baffle and the flue, and a flue collar mounted to the flue. The flue collar is configured to secure the baffle to the flue.

Abstract: A gas fueled water heater appliance may include a tank, a chamber wall, a gas burner, a chamber sensor, and a controller. The gas burner may be positioned adjacent to the tank and within a combustion chamber to heat water in the tank. The chamber sensor may be attached to the chamber wall. The chamber sensor may be configured to detect a temperature within the combustion chamber. The controller may be configured to direct a water heating operation that includes detecting a combustion chamber temperature (CCT) value during a contemporaneous cycle of the gas burner, determining a contemporary temperature-change rate based on the detected CCT value, comparing the determined contemporary temperature-change rate to a set rate, and directing heating at the gas burner based on comparing the determined contemporary temperature-change rate to the set rate.

Abstract: The gas fueled water heater appliance may include a tank, a chamber wall, a gas burner, a chamber sensor, and a controller. The chamber sensor may be configured to detect temperature within the combustion chamber. The controller may be mounted to the gas fueled water heater appliance in operable communication with the gas burner and the chamber sensor. The controller may be configured to direct a water heating operation. The water heating operation may include detecting an ambient temperature (AT) value during a contemporaneous cycle of the gas burner, selecting, based on the detected AT value, a set temperature threshold from a plurality of temperature thresholds, detecting a combustion chamber temperature (CCT) value at the chamber sensor during the contemporaneous cycle, comparing the detected CCT value to the set temperature threshold, and directing heating at the gas burner based on comparing the detected CCT value to the set temperature threshold.

Abstract: A water heater for a recreation vehicle and method for control are provided. The water heater includes a tank including a plenum configured to hold water within the tank. A flue forms a flowpath including an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A flow control device is positioned to selectively allow flow through the outlet opening from the flowpath. The flow control device forms a closed position and an open position. A motor is operably coupled to the flow control device and configured to articulate the flow control device to the closed position and the open position.

Abstract: A water heater for a recreation vehicle and method for control are provided. The water heater includes a tank including a plenum configured to hold water within the tank. A flue forms a flowpath including an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A flow control device is positioned to selectively allow flow through the outlet opening from the flowpath. The flow control device forms a closed position and an open position. A motor is operably coupled to the flow control device and configured to articulate the flow control device to the closed position and the open position.

Abstract: A water heater appliance for a recreational vehicle includes a tank and a flue disposed within the tank. The flue forms a U-shape that extends to and from an external side of the tank. A gas supply is in fluid communication with the flue. A burner assembly is disposed at an inlet of the flue. A baffle disposed within the flue. The baffle includes a plurality of restrictors configured to the baffle and the flue, and a flue collar mounted to the flue. The flue collar is configured to secure the baffle to the flue.

Abstract: The efficiencies of illustrative embodiments of vertical center flue type fuel-fired base water heaters are improved by installing in the water heaters variously configured tubular condensing type secondary heat exchangers of smaller diameters than the associated center flues. The efficiency increases are achieved with components and manufacturing processes similar to those utilized in the base water heaters and secondary heat exchanger materials similar to those in the tank portions of the base water heaters.

Abstract: The efficiencies of illustrative embodiments of vertical center flue type fuel-fired base water heaters are improved by installing in the water heaters variously configured tubular condensing type secondary heat exchangers of smaller diameters than the associated center flues. The efficiency increases are achieved with components and manufacturing processes similar to those utilized in the base water heaters and secondary heat exchanger materials similar to those in the tank portions of the base water heaters.

Abstract: An instantaneous type fuel-fired water heater has a variable speed blower that discharges combustion air into a fuel burner utilized to heat water flowing through a heat exchanger portion of the water heater. A portion of the air discharged from the blower bypasses the burner and associated heat exchanger, flows around the heat exchanger, and then mixes with flue gases being discharged from the heat exchanger portion into the flue portion of the water heater. In this manner, such flue gases are cooled by the bypassing blower discharge air to an extent permitting the flue portion to be formed from a low cost plastic material instead of a high temperature metal material such as stainless steel.

Abstract: A representatively pumpless water heater system has an instantaneous water heater coupled in series with a storage water heater by piping circuitry incorporating a bypass valve and a mixing valve and useable to route pressurized incoming cold water sequentially through the instantaneous and storage type heaters. A control system (1) operates the bypass valve to cause a selectively variable portion of the incoming cold water to bypass the instantaneous heater and flow to the mixing valve, and (2) operates the mixing valve to blend the bypassed cold water with hot water exiting the storage heater to maintain a predetermined temperature of heated water exiting the system. Another system embodiment adds a directional bypass valve operable by the control system to selectively divert to the mixing valve a portion of the heated water exiting the instantaneous heater for delivery to the storage heater.

Abstract: An instantaneous type fuel-fired water heater has a variable speed blower that discharges combustion air into a fuel burner utilized to heat water flowing through a heat exchanger portion of the water heater. A portion of the air discharged from the blower bypasses the burner and associated heat exchanger, flows around the heat exchanger, and then mixes with flue gases being discharged from the heat exchanger portion into the flue portion of the water heater. In this manner, such flue gases are cooled by the bypassing blower discharge air to an extent permitting the flue portion to be formed from a low cost plastic material instead of a high temperature metal material such as stainless steel.

Abstract: A specially configured fuel-fired water heater production platform may be used as a natural draft water heater. Alternatively, by modifying an upper end portion of the production platform using associated conversion apparatus, the same platform may be converted to a power vented water heater subassembly, a natural draft direct vent water heater subassembly, or a powered direct vent water heater subassembly to thereby lower the overall production costs for these different types of fuel-fired water heaters.

Abstract: A point-of-use electric water heater is provided with a unique configuration permitting it to be selectively used in (1) a wall or ceiling-mounted horizontal orientation, (2) a floor or wall-supported vertical orientation, or (3) a wall-supported inverted vertical orientation without any substantial modification of the water heater, thereby advantageously avoiding the previous necessity of manufacturing differently configured water heaters for mounting in these various operational orientations. Specially designed mounting brackets are provided to support the water heater in any of its wall or ceiling-mounted orientations. In one embodiment of the water heater a dual element electric resistance type immersion heater is provided with an integral temperature control structure illustratively in the form of a separate sensing tube having operatively mounted therein a pair of thermistors each operatively associated with a different one of the two heating elements.