JP2002349966A - Controller for hot water storage electric water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hot water storage electric water heater, capable of making automatic determination of power rate systems with for misjudgements. SOLUTION: A controller comprises a timer means for detecting and accumulating the energization time of a heater 3 by a power source 8 and a time- counting means for counting time. If the accumulated time of the time-counting means is a specified time or longer, when the time-counting means clocks the time of one day, a control program is changed to a time-zone power rate system; and if the accumulated time is not more than the specified time, the control program is changed to a midnight power rate system. Since the changed power rate system is stored in a storage means, even if the power supply for heating is temporarily interrupted, the power rate system which has been in use immediately prior to the interruption of power service can be restored, by reading the power rate system from a storage means at restoration time from the power interruption.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for a hot-water storage type electric water heater, which is compatible with a plurality of lighting rates.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A hot-water storage type electric water heater receives a power supply from a power supply line dedicated to late-night power supply and boils hot water only during a late-night power time zone. Power is supplied for 24 hours in the same manner as commercial power.
There is a hot water storage type electric water heater for hourly rates corresponding to an hourly rate system in which electric power cheaper than other time zones can be used in a specific power time zone within a time period.

[0003] Therefore, the hot water storage type electric water heater for late night electric power only needs to perform the boiling operation while the midnight electric power is supplied, and is realized by a relatively simple control device. On the other hand, a hot water storage type electric water heater for hourly rates requires a display unit with a 24-hour clock or a remote control to determine the time, and also enables boiling using normal commercial power during the day, This is a relatively sophisticated control device that performs operation control that does not cause any problems.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Conventional hot water storage type electric water heaters are manufactured separately for the nighttime light rate system and for the hourly rate system, due to the above-mentioned difference in configuration.
If the user changed from a late-night light tariff to a hourly tariff, or vice versa, the water heater had to be replaced.

[0005] Recently, the cost of the control device has been reduced, and some of them are compatible with both electric powers. However, setting and changing works such as switching of switches corresponding to the electric power rate system are required, which is troublesome and error. There was also a risk of producing.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a hot water storage tank, heating means for boiling water in the hot water storage tank, and a time-based lamp fee system utilizing daytime power and late-night power. A control program for performing boiling in accordance with each of the late-night electric power rate systems using only late-night electric power, control means for controlling power supply to the heating means based on the control program, and switching for switching the control program Means, a storage means for storing the lamp fee system switched by the switching means, a timer means for detecting and integrating the energizing time of the power supply of the heating means, and a clock means for counting the time. Does not switch control programs until the day has elapsed,
The control program is controlled by a control program corresponding to a lamp fee system stored in the storage means. If the integrated time of the timer means is equal to or longer than a predetermined time when the clock means detects one day, the control program is changed according to the time zone. The system is switched to a tariff system, and if it is shorter than another predetermined time, the system is switched to a midnight light tariff system.

According to the above invention, there are provided timer means for detecting and integrating the energizing time of the power supply of the heating means and clock means for counting the time. When the clock means detects one day, the timer means integrates. If the time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time, switch the control program to the hourly lighting fee system,
If it is shorter than the predetermined time, it is switched to the midnight light rate system, and the switched light rate system is stored in the storage means, so even if the heating power is temporarily not supplied, the storage means is restored when the power failure is restored. You can immediately return to the previous lighting system by calling the lighting system from.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that only a hot water tank, a heating means for boiling the hot water in the hot water tank, an hourly electricity rate system using daytime electric power and late-night electric power, and only late-night electric power are used. A control program for performing boiling corresponding to each of the late-night light rate systems using, control means for controlling power supply to the heating means based on the control program, switching means for switching the control program, A storage means for storing the lamp fee system switched by the switching means, a timer means for detecting and integrating the power-on time of the power supply of the heating means, and a clock means for counting the time. The control program is not switched until the elapsed time is detected. When the stage detects one day, if the integrated time of the timer means is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the control program is switched to a time zone-based light rate system, and if the accumulated time is less than or equal to another predetermined time, the control program is switched to a midnight light rate system. Even if the electricity rate system is changed, it can be switched automatically, and even if power for heating is temporarily stopped due to power supply and power outage during maintenance, power outage due to an accident, etc. By calling the system, you can immediately return to the previous lighting system. Also,
Regardless of how many times a temporary power failure occurs, the accumulated time is counted, so that there is an effect that erroneous determination of the light rate system is unlikely to occur.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the predetermined time for judging the integration time of the timer means is set to a different value, and that the time-based light rate system determination side is longer than the midnight light rate system side. Automatic determination that is less likely to be erroneously determined than the invention described in 1 can be performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the clock means is configured to operate on a power supply backed up by a battery or the like, so that the time determination of one day can be correctly counted even if there is a power failure of the control power supply. This makes it possible to perform automatic determination that is less likely to be erroneously determined.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, since the storage means is constituted by a non-volatile memory, even if there is a power outage of the control power supply, the power tariff before the power outage is recorded in the non-volatile memory after the recovery. Can be returned to the control for the light bill system before the power failure.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the storage means can be switched between a time-based light rate system and a late-night light rate system by operating an operation unit, so that automatic determination can be made when the light rate system is changed. Can be changed immediately without having to wait one day. In addition, even if an incorrect setting is made, it is possible to return to the correct lighting rate system by automatic discrimination one day later.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electric water heater that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention utilizing a midnight lighting fee system. 1 is a water supply pipe, 2 is a tank as a hot water storage tank, 3 is a heater as a heating means, 4 is a hot water supply pipe, 5 is a control device, 6 is a hot water temperature detector, and a control device 5 controls energization of the heater 3. Then, the water in the tank 2 is boiled until the temperature of the hot water temperature detector 6 reaches a predetermined temperature.

When the hot water is discharged from the hot water supply pipe 4, water is supplied from the water supply pipe 1 into the tank 2 and the hot water is stored in the tank 2 in a state of being separated into an upper part and a lower part due to a difference in specific gravity. Reference numeral 7 denotes a remaining hot water detector for detecting the amount of remaining hot water in the tank 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes a 200 V power supply, 9 denotes a time switch for supplying power only in the late night time zone, 10 denotes an integrated watt hour meter for counting the amount of electricity used in the late night power, and 11 denotes a breaker. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the electric water heater in the case of using the hourly lamp fee system. In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a two-hour integrated watt hour meter for separately counting the amount of electricity used during the daytime and the amount used at midnight.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to a flowchart (FIG. 3) of a control program constituting the control device 5. S1 is a determination routine of a light rate system, which is processed at an appropriate cycle in the entire program. In S2, it is confirmed whether the heater power is currently supplied. If not supplied, the process skips S3 and proceeds to S4. If supplied, the flow proceeds to S3, where the accumulated time is counted, and the flow proceeds to S4. Next, in S4, it is determined whether the current time is 23:00. When it is not 23:00, the lamp fee system determination process S1 exits without performing the determination process.
At 23:00, the process proceeds to S5, where it is determined whether the integrated time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. The predetermined time in the embodiment is set to 16 hours so that erroneous determination is difficult with a value between 8 hours and 24 hours of the midnight power time. If it is longer than the predetermined time, it is determined that the time period is different, and the process proceeds to S6. If it is shorter than another predetermined time, it is determined that the power is late at night and S
The process proceeds to step S7, and the light rate system is switched to midnight power, and the process proceeds to step S8. In S8, the integrated time is set to 0 hour to initialize. Subsequently, in S9, the power rate system as a result of the switching is stored. Thus, the lamp fee system determination process S1 ends, and the process proceeds to the next process.

Next, the boiling processing routine of S10 will be described. This processing is also performed at an appropriate cycle in the entire program, as in S1. In S11, the stored light rate system is called to confirm which system. If the lamp fee system is different for each time zone, the process proceeds to S12, and control for each time zone is performed. For example, when the amount of remaining hot water in the tank 2 decreases from the remaining hot water detector 7, boiling is performed even during daytime to prevent running out of hot water. If the light rate system is midnight power in S11, the process proceeds to S13 to control the midnight power.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the accumulated time during which the heating power is supplied is counted, and after one day has passed by the clock means, the judgment and switching of the lamp fee system are performed and stored. Even if the electricity rate system is changed, it can be switched automatically, and even if power for heating is temporarily stopped due to power supply and power outage during maintenance, power outage due to an accident, etc. By calling the system, you can immediately return to the previous lighting system. Also, no matter how many temporary power outages occur,
Since the accumulated time is counted, there is an effect that it is difficult to make an erroneous determination of the light rate system.

(Second Embodiment) A differential is provided at a predetermined time in S5 of the first embodiment. For example, when the time is 18 hours or more, which is more than 16 hours in the first embodiment, it is determined that the time zone is different and S6 is performed.
Then, the lighting fee system is switched for each time zone, and the process proceeds to S8.
If the time is less than 14 hours, which is shorter than 16 hours, it is determined that the power is late at night, and the process proceeds to S7, and the lamp fee system is switched to the late night power S8.
Proceed to. From 14 hours to 18 hours, it is undefined and the process proceeds to S8 without switching. Even if power is supplied for 10 hours or less in the daytime due to maintenance or the like at midnight power, it does not switch. In addition, even if there is a power outage within 10 hours due to maintenance or the like at different time zones, switching is not performed.

(Embodiment 3) By configuring the clock means for determining the current time in S4 to operate on a power supply backed up by a battery or the like, even if there is a power outage of the control power supply, it is possible to maintain one clock.
The time determination of the day is correctly counted, and an automatic determination that is less likely to be erroneously determined can be performed. Further, even if the control power supply and the heating power are constituted by the same power supply, the clock means can count the time even at the time of a power failure, and correct processing can be performed after the recovery from the power failure.

(Embodiment 4) In the case where the storage means is constituted by a non-volatile memory, when there is a power outage in the control power supply in the third embodiment, the power rate system before the power outage recorded in the non-volatile memory after recovery is derived after the recovery. You can revert to the control for the light tariff prior to the power outage.

(Embodiment 5) The storage means can be switched between the hourly light rate system and the late-night light rate system by operating the operation unit, so that one day for automatic discrimination when the light rate system is changed is waited. Can be changed immediately without any changes. In addition, even if an incorrect setting is made, it is possible to return to the correct lighting rate system by automatic discrimination one day later.

[0023]

As apparent from the above description, the control device for a hot water storage type electric water heater according to the present invention has the following effects.

In addition to automatically switching to the contracted lighting fee system at the time of installation or contract change, even if power for heating is temporarily stopped due to power supply and power outage during maintenance, power outage due to accident, etc. By recalling the light rate system from the storage means when the power failure is restored, it is possible to immediately return to the previous light rate system. In addition, no matter how many times a temporary power failure occurs, the accumulated time is counted, so that an erroneous determination of the light rate system is less likely to occur.

In addition, even if there is an energization other than a long time at midnight or a power failure due to an accident, maintenance, or the like, automatic switching can be performed without being switched even if there is a power failure.

Also, even if there is a power failure of the control power supply, the clock means is correctly counted, and the automatic determination which is less likely to be erroneously performed can be performed. Furthermore, even if the control power supply and the heating power are constituted by the same power supply, the clock means can count the time even at the time of power failure and can perform the correct processing after the power failure recovery, so that another power supply for the control power supply can be omitted.

In addition, it is possible to set a clock in advance at the time of shipment from the factory, and it is possible to save labor for installation work.

Further, since the storage means is constituted by a non-volatile memory, even if there is a power failure in the control power supply, it is possible to derive the pre-power failure light rate system recorded in the non-volatile memory after recovery, and to obtain the power rate before the power failure. Automatic return to institutional control.

Further, the charge system can be switched by operating the operation unit, and the storage means can be changed immediately without having to wait one day for automatic discrimination when changing the lamp charge system. Also,
Even if the wrong setting is made, it is possible to return to the correct lighting rate system by automatic discrimination one day later.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a control device of a hot-water storage type electric water heater according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another configuration diagram of the control device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control program constituting the control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 tank 3 heater 5 controller

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Junichi Hattori 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A hot water storage tank, heating means for boiling the hot water in the hot water storage tank, a time-based light rate system using daytime power and late-night power, and a midnight light rate system using only late-night power. A control program for performing the heating, a control means for controlling the power supply to the heating means based on the control program, a switching means for switching the control program, and a lamp fee system switched by the switching means. It comprises a storage means for storing, a timer means for detecting and integrating the energizing time of the power supply of the heating means, and a clock means for counting time.
The switching of the control program is not performed until the passage of the day is detected, and the control is performed by a control program corresponding to the lamp fee system stored in the storage unit. A control device for a hot-water storage type electric water heater characterized in that the control program is switched to a time-based light rate system when the integrated time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, and is switched to a midnight light rate system when the integrated time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time. 2. If the accumulated time of the timer means is equal to or more than a predetermined time, the control program is switched to a time zone-based lighting fee system. The control device for a hot-water storage type electric water heater according to claim 1, wherein the time is a time. 3. The clock means according to claim 1, wherein the clock means is operated by a power supply backed up by a battery or the like.
The control device of the hot water storage type electric water heater described in the above. 4. The control device for a hot-water storage type electric water heater according to claim 3, wherein the storage means comprises a non-volatile memory. 5. The control of the hot water storage type electric water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the storage means is switchable between a time-based light rate system and a late-night light rate system by operating an operation unit. apparatus.