JP2016205650A - Hot water supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve construction performance of a hot water supply system which includes a plurality of units of water heaters connected in a communicable manner and one terminal device.SOLUTION: A hot water supply system includes: a plurality of units of water heater (hot water storage type water heaters 1A-1D) connected in a communicable manner and having control devices 4A-4D respectively; a terminal device (remote controller 5) connected to one out of the plurality of units of water heaters in a communicable manner; and notification means. Each of the control devices 4A-4D of the water heaters respectively includes: first communication determination means for determining whether or not communication with the terminal device is possible; and second communication determination means for determining, in the case where the communication with the terminal device is determined to be possible by the first communication determination means, whether or not the communication with other water heaters is possible. The notification means notifies system information which is the information determined by the second communication determination means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot water supply system.

  There is known a hot water supply system in which a plurality of water heaters are connected in parallel to one hot water supply path. In the hot water supply system, there may be a configuration in which one water heater is a master water heater and another water heater is a slave water heater, and the master water heater sends a command to the slave water heater.

  The hot water supply system of Patent Document 1 is configured as follows. Connect multiple water heaters by communication line. Each water heater includes a master control unit and a slave control unit. The master control unit and the slave control unit are accommodated in a control box having a front opening. A detachable front plate that closes the front opening is mounted on both the master and slave control units. Selection of both the master and slave control units is performed by removing one of the front plates. The water heater selected by the master control unit controls the water heater selected by the slave control unit.

JP 2001-317810 A

  In the hot water supply system of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to remove one of the front plates of the master control unit and the slave control unit without mistakes in each water heater during construction, and the workability is not good. When the wrong front plate is removed, work to replace the front plate occurs, and workability is further deteriorated. Further, when changing the configuration of the hot water supply system, in order to reset the master and slave water heaters, the same work is required, and a complicated work is required.

  The present invention was made to solve the above-described problems, and is intended to improve the workability of a hot water supply system including a plurality of hot water heaters that are communicably connected and one terminal device. Objective.

  A hot water supply system according to the present invention is communicably connected, a plurality of hot water heaters each having a control device, and a terminal device connected to be communicable with any one of the plurality of hot water heaters A first communication determination means for determining whether or not the communication with the terminal device is possible, and a first communication determination that the communication with the terminal device is possible. And a second communication determination unit that determines whether or not communication with another hot water heater is possible when the unit determines, and the notification unit is information determined by the second communication determination unit. System information is reported.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to make workability | operativity of a hot-water supply system provided with the several hot water heaters connected so that communication is possible, and one terminal device favorable.

It is a block diagram which shows the hot water supply system of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hot water storage type water heater with which the hot water supply system of Embodiment 1 of this invention is provided. It is a block diagram which shows the function which the control apparatus of the hot water storage type hot water heater in Embodiment 1 of this invention has. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process which the hot water supply system of Embodiment 1 of this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process which the hot water supply system of Embodiment 1 of this invention performs.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Elements common to the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is simplified or omitted. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the hot water supply system of the present embodiment includes a plurality of hot water storage type hot water heaters 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B, 1 </ b> C, 1 </ b> D and a remote controller 5. In addition, in the following description, although the hot water supply system provided with the four hot water storage type hot water heaters 1A-1D was illustrated, this invention is applied also to the hot water supply system provided with two, three, or five or more hot water heaters. Is possible.

  The hot water storage type water heaters 1A to 1D supply hot water to a common hot water supply target (not shown). The hot water storage type water heater 1A includes a tank unit 2A, a heat pump unit 3A, and a control device 4A. The hot water storage type hot water heater 1B includes a tank unit 2B, a heat pump unit 3B, and a control device 4B. The hot water storage type water heater 1C includes a tank unit 2C, a heat pump unit 3C, and a control device 4C. The hot water storage type water heater 1D includes a tank unit 2D, a heat pump unit 3D, and a control device 4D.

  The tank units 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D have a function of supplying hot water stored in a hot water storage tank to a hot water supply target. The tank units 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D are connected to a common hot water header 19 described later. The heat pump units 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D are examples of heating means for heating (boiling) the low-temperature water introduced from the tank units 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, respectively. The control devices 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D are control units provided in the hot water storage hot water heaters 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, respectively. The control devices 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D control the operating states of the hot water storage hot water heaters 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, respectively.

  The remote controller 5 is installed in a home (for example, a bathroom, a kitchen, etc.). The remote controller 5 is a device that performs operations for changing the operating state of the hot water supply system and changing various set values. The remote controller 5 is a device for reporting operation information of the hot water supply system. The remote controller 5 is an example of a terminal device. The remote controller 5 can be connected to any one of the plurality of hot water storage type hot water heaters 1A to 1D provided in the hot water supply system. In the present embodiment, the remote controller 5 is connected to the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A via the remote control communication line 6. The remote controller 5 can perform two-way data communication with the control device 4A via the remote control communication line 6. The user can adjust the hot water supplied to the hot water supply object to a desired temperature by operating the remote controller 5. In this hot water supply system, the hot water storage type hot water heater 1 </ b> A connected so as to be able to communicate directly with the remote controller 5 serves as a master (main device). The other hot water storage type water heaters 1B to 1D are slaves (slave devices). For this reason, in the following description, it may be expressed as “master hot water storage water heater 1A”, “slave hot water storage water heaters 1B to 1D”, or the like.

  The remote controller 5 includes a display unit (not shown) that displays operation information of the hot water supply system. The said display part is an example of an alerting | reporting means. The notification means in the present invention is not limited to the display unit. Instead of the display unit, an announcement device that notifies by voice may be provided as a notification unit. Further, the notification means in the present invention may be provided at a place other than the remote controller 5.

  The configuration of the slave hot water heaters 1B to 1D is the same as that of the master hot water heater 1A except that the control devices 4B to 4D are not directly connected to the remote controller 5. The control devices 4A to 4D of the hot water storage hot water heaters 1A to 1D are connected to each other via a hot water heater communication line 7 so that data communication is possible. The control devices 4A to 4D of the hot water storage hot water heaters 1A to 1D have setting means capable of setting an identification number. The setting means can be constituted by, for example, a dip switch (slide switch, push lock switch, rotary switch, or the like). At the time of construction of the hot water supply system, the construction operator operates each setting means of the control devices 4A to 4D of the hot water storage water heaters 1A to 1D, so that the hot water storage water heaters 1A to 1D are different from each other. An identification number is set. The control devices 4A to 4D of the hot water storage water heaters 1A to 1D can identify each of the hot water storage water heaters 1A to 1D based on the set identification number.

  The control device 4A of the master hot water storage type hot water heater 1A transmits a communication command to the control devices 4B to 4D of the slave hot water storage type water heaters 1B to 1D in response to a command from the remote controller 5, so that the slave hot water storage type Controls the water heaters 1B to 1D.

  In this specification, the temperature of the hot water supplied from the hot water supply header 19 to the hot water supply target is expressed as “hot water supply temperature”, and the target value of the hot water supply temperature is expressed as “target hot water supply temperature”. Moreover, the temperature of the hot water supplied to the hot water supply header 19 from each of the hot water storage type water heaters 1A to 1D is expressed as “individual hot water supply temperature”, and the target value of the individual hot water supply temperature is expressed as “individual target hot water supply temperature”. The remote controller 5 sets a target hot water supply temperature by a user operation.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water storage type hot water heater 1A provided in the hot water supply system of the present embodiment. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2, the configuration of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1 </ b> A as a representative among the hot water storage type hot water heaters 1 </ b> A to 1 </ b> D will be described. As described above, the configuration of the hot water storage type hot water heaters 1B to 1D is the same as the configuration of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A described below except that the control devices 4B to 4D are not directly connected to the remote controller 5. .

  The tank unit 2A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A includes a hot water storage tank 8, a water supply port 9, a first water supply pipe 9a, a second water supply pipe 9b, a third water supply pipe 9c, a pressure reducing valve 10, a hot water supply temperature sensor 11, and a heat pump outgoing pipe 13. , A heat pump return pipe 14, a hot water supply mixing valve 15, a first hot water pipe 16a, a second hot water pipe 16b, a hot water inlet 17 and the like. The hot water storage tank 8 stores the high temperature water heated by the heat pump unit 3A. In the lower part of the hot water storage tank 8, a low temperature water inlet 8a and a low temperature water outlet 8b are provided. A hot water inlet 8 c and a hot water outlet 8 d are provided at the upper part of the hot water storage tank 8.

  The water supply port 9 is connected to a water source such as city water. A first water supply pipe 9 a is connected to the water supply port 9. A second water supply pipe 9 b and a third water supply pipe 9 c are connected to the first water supply pipe 9 a through a pressure reducing valve 10. The second water supply pipe 9 b introduces the low temperature water adjusted to a specified pressure by the pressure reducing valve 10 into the low temperature water inlet 8 a of the hot water storage tank 8. The low temperature water outlet 8b of the hot water storage tank 8 is connected to the inflow side of the heat pump unit 3A via the heat pump outgoing pipe 13. The outflow side of the heat pump unit 3 </ b> A is connected to the hot water inlet 8 c of the hot water storage tank 8 through the heat pump return pipe 14.

  During the boiling operation of the hot water storage type water heater 1A, the low temperature water taken out from the low temperature water outlet 8b of the hot water storage tank 8 to the heat pump outlet pipe 13 is heated by the heat pump unit 3A to become high temperature water. This hot water flows into the hot water inlet 8c of the hot water storage tank 8 through the heat pump return pipe 14. Thereby, hot water is stored in the hot water storage tank 8 so that the water temperature becomes higher toward the upper side. A plurality of temperature sensors (not shown) are attached to the surface of the hot water storage tank 8 at different height positions. The control device 4A detects the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank 8 based on the output of these temperature sensors, and controls the start and stop of the boiling operation based on the amount of hot water.

  The hot water supply mixing valve 15 mixes the high temperature water taken out from the high temperature water outlet 8d of the hot water storage tank 8 to the first hot water pipe 16a and the low temperature water supplied from the pressure reducing valve 10 to the third water supply pipe 9c. By adjusting the flow ratio between the two, hot water (medium temperature water) having a desired temperature is generated. The intermediate hot water generated by the hot water supply mixing valve 15 is supplied to the hot water supply port 17 through the second hot water piping 16b. The second hot water piping 16b is provided with a hot water supply temperature sensor 11 for detecting the temperature of the hot water supplied from the hot water supply port 17 to the hot water supply header 19 (individual hot water supply temperature). The control device 4A controls the hot water supply mixing valve 15 based on the detection result of the hot water temperature sensor 11, thereby adjusting the individual hot water temperature so that the individual hot water temperature matches the individual target hot water temperature. The operation of various valves and pumps mounted on the tank unit 2A and the heat pump unit 3A including the hot water mixing valve 15 is controlled by the control device 4A.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hot water supply ports 17 of the individual hot water storage type hot water heaters 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D are connected to the hot water supply header 19 through hot water supply pipes 18A, 18B, 18C, and 18D, respectively. The hot water supply header 19 joins hot water supplied from the hot water storage type hot water heater 1 </ b> A and the hot water storage type hot water heaters 1 </ b> B to 1 </ b> D into one channel and supplies the hot water to the hot water supply target. The hot water supply header 19 includes a hot water supply port 19a connected to a hot water supply target.

(Hot water temperature control)
Next, hot water supply temperature control of the hot water supply system described above will be described. First, when the user operates the remote controller 5 to set or change the target hot water supply temperature, the remote controller 5 transmits information including the target hot water supply temperature to the master hot water storage water heater 1A via the remote control communication line 6. Send to 4A. 4 A of control apparatuses memorize | store the information received from the remote control 5, and transmit the said information to the control apparatuses 4B-4D of the slave water storage type hot water heaters 1B-1D via the communication line 7 between hot water heaters. As a result, the target hot water temperature set by the remote controller 5 is shared by the control devices 4A to 4D of all the hot water storage water heaters 1A to 1D as the individual target hot water temperature in each of the hot water storage water heaters 1A to 1D.

  In this state, when a hot water supply operation such as opening a hot water tap is performed by the user, in each of the hot water storage type hot water heaters 1A to 1D, the temperature is adjusted by the control devices 4A to 4D so as to coincide with the individual target hot water temperature. Then, the intermediate temperature water is generated, and the intermediate temperature water is supplied to the hot water supply target via the hot water supply pipes 18 </ b> A to 18 </ b> D and the hot water supply header 19. Thereby, the user can receive hot water supply at a desired hot water temperature according to the setting content of the remote controller 5. As described above, in the hot water temperature control, if the communication state between the control devices 4A to 4D is normal, the setting information of the remote controller 5 is received by the control device 4A of the master hot water storage water heater 1A, and this setting information is the slave. The hot water supply temperature of the entire system can be controlled by being transmitted to the control devices 4B to 4D of the hot water storage hot water heaters 1B to 1D.

  In the present embodiment, the setting information of the remote controller 5 other than the hot water supply temperature can be shared by a plurality of hot water storage type hot water heaters 1A to 1D of the entire system in the same manner as described above. For this reason, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to change the setting information of the plurality of hot water storage type water heaters 1A to 1D of the entire system by operating one remote controller 5, and the usability is excellent.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating functions of the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A according to the present embodiment. The control device 4A includes a first communication determination unit 41, a second communication determination unit 42, a self-recognition unit 43, and a hot water supply operation control unit 44. The first communication determination unit 41 determines whether or not communication with the remote controller 5 is possible. When the first communication determination unit 41 determines that communication with the remote controller 5 is possible, the second communication determination unit 42 determines whether communication with another hot water storage type hot water heater is possible. The self-recognizing unit 43 recognizes itself as a master (main device) when communication with the remote controller 5 is possible. The self-recognizing unit 43 recognizes itself as a slave (slave device) when communication with the remote controller 5 is impossible. The hot water supply operation control unit 44 controls hot water supply operations such as the above-described boiling operation control and hot water supply temperature control.

  The configuration of the control devices 4B to 4D is the same as that of the control device 4A. That is, each of the control devices 4B to 4D includes a first communication determination unit 41, a second communication determination unit 42, a self-recognition unit 43, and a hot water supply operation control unit 44. Although illustration is omitted, each of the control devices 4A to 4D includes a processor and a memory. Memory is an example of storage means. The functions of the control devices 4B to 4D are achieved by the processor executing a program stored in the memory. Each of the control devices 4B to 4D may include a plurality of processors. Each of the control devices 4B to 4D may include a plurality of memories. That is, the functions of the control devices 4B to 4D may be achieved by cooperation of a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories.

  FIG.4 and FIG.5 is a flowchart which shows an example of the process which the hot water supply system of this Embodiment performs. Each of the control devices 4A to 4D of the plurality of hot water storage type water heaters 1A to 1D executes a routine shown in the flowchart.

  First, in step S <b> 1 of FIG. 4, the first communication determination unit 41 of each of the control devices 4 </ b> A to 4 </ b> D determines whether direct communication with the remote controller 5 is possible. For example, the first communication determination unit 41 transmits a confirmation signal for confirming the communication state to the remote controller 5. When receiving the confirmation signal, the remote controller 5 returns a response signal to the control device 4A. When receiving a response signal from the remote controller 5, the first communication determination unit 41 determines that communication with the remote controller 5 is possible. If the first communication determination unit 41 does not receive a response signal from the remote controller 5 within a certain time after transmitting the confirmation signal, the first communication determination unit 41 determines that communication with the remote controller 5 is impossible.

  If the first communication determination unit 41 determines in step S1 that communication with the remote controller 5 is possible, the process proceeds to step S2. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the remote controller 5 is directly connected to the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A. For this reason, the first communication determination unit 41 of the control device 4 </ b> A determines that direct communication with the remote controller 5 is possible. As a result, the control device 4A proceeds to step S2. In step S2, the self-recognizing unit 43 of the control device 4A recognizes itself (the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A) as a master (main device). After step S2, the control device 4A proceeds to step S3.

  If the first communication determination unit 41 determines in step S1 that communication with the remote controller 5 is impossible, the process proceeds to step S26. In the present embodiment, the remote controller 5 is not directly connected to the control devices 4B to 4D of the hot water storage water heaters 1B to 1D. For this reason, each first communication determination unit 41 of each of the control devices 4B to 4D determines that direct communication with the remote controller 5 is impossible. As a result, each of the control devices 4B to 4D proceeds to step S26. In step S26, each of the self-recognizing units 43 of the control devices 4B to 4D recognizes itself (the hot water storage type water heaters 1B to 1D) as a slave (secondary device). The control devices 4B to 4D that have recognized themselves as slaves end the processing of this routine after step S26.

  The control device 4A that has recognized itself as the master determines whether or not the system recognition flag is cleared in step S3. The system recognition flag is a flag that indicates whether or not the master control device 4A recognizes the configuration of the hot water supply system (for example, the number of hot water storage hot water heaters connected). Information relating to the configuration of the hot water supply system recognized by the master control device 4A is referred to as “system information”. The system information includes information on the number of slave hot water storage water heaters. When the system recognition flag is cleared, the master control device 4A determines that the configuration of the hot water supply system has not yet been recognized. When the system recognition flag is set, the master control device 4A determines that the configuration of the hot water supply system has already been recognized.

  If the system recognition flag is cleared in step S3, the process proceeds to step S4. If the system recognition flag is set in step S3, the process proceeds to step S17 (FIG. 5).

  When the system recognition flag is cleared, the second communication determination unit 42 of the master control device 4A determines whether or not communication with another hot water storage type hot water heater is possible as follows. To do. First, in step S4, a confirmation signal is transmitted from the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A to the control device 4B of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1B. When the control device 4B receives the confirmation signal, it returns a response signal to the control device 4A.

  After step S4, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S5, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A determines whether a response signal from the control device 4B has been received. When the response signal from the control device 4B is not received in step S5, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A proceeds to step S7.

  If the response signal from the control device 4B is received in step S5, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A recognizes the hot water storage hot water heater 1B having the response signal as a slave hot water storage hot water heater. For example, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A sets the recognition flag for the hot water storage hot water heater 1B to recognize the hot water storage hot water heater 1B as a slave hot water storage hot water heater. After step S6, the process proceeds to step S7.

  In step S7, a confirmation signal is transmitted from the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A to the control device 4C of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1C. When receiving the confirmation signal, control device 4C returns a response signal to control device 4A.

  After step S7, the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A determines whether a response signal from the control device 4C has been received. When the response signal from the control device 4C is not received in step S8, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A proceeds to step S10.

  When the response signal from the control device 4C is received in step S8, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A recognizes the hot water storage hot water heater 1C having a response signal as a slave hot water storage hot water heater. For example, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A sets the recognition flag for the hot water storage type hot water heater 1C to recognize the hot water storage type hot water heater 1C as a slave hot water storage type hot water supply machine. After step S9, the process proceeds to step S10.

  In step S10, a confirmation signal is transmitted from the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A to the control device 4D of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1D. When receiving the confirmation signal, the control device 4D returns a response signal to the control device 4A.

  After step S10, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A determines whether or not a response signal from the control device 4D has been received. If the response signal from the control device 4D is not received in step S11, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A proceeds to step S13.

  When the response signal from the control device 4D is received in step S11, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A recognizes the hot water storage hot water heater 1D having the response signal as a slave hot water storage hot water heater. For example, the second communication determination unit 42 of the control device 4A sets the recognition flag for the hot water storage hot water heater 1D to recognize the hot water storage hot water heater 1D as a slave hot water storage hot water heater. After step S12, the process proceeds to step S13.

  In step S <b> 13, the control device 4 </ b> A determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the determination operation of the second communication determination unit 42. When the predetermined time has not yet elapsed in step S13, the control device 4A proceeds to step S4. In this way, the control device 4A repeatedly executes the process of step S12 after step S4 until the predetermined time elapses. If the predetermined time has elapsed in step S13, the control device 4A proceeds to step S14.

  In the present embodiment, when the control devices 4B to 4D of the hot water storage type hot water heaters 1B to 1D are normally connected to the control device 4A via the communication line 7 between hot water heaters, the second communication determination unit described above. By the determination operation performed by 42, the three hot water storage hot water heaters 1B to 1D are recognized as slave hot water storage hot water heaters. Although omitted in FIG. 4, the second communication determination unit 42 sequentially transmits response signals to the maximum number of hot water storage hot water heaters that can be connected to the control device 4 </ b> A. The maximum number is set in advance. 4 A of master control apparatuses can recognize all the other hot water storage type hot water heaters normally connected via the communication line 7 between hot water heaters as a slave by the determination operation | movement which the 2nd communication determination part 42 performs.

  In step S <b> 14, control device 4 </ b> A of hot water storage type hot water heater 1 </ b> A that is a master transmits system information including information of hot water storage type water heaters 1 </ b> B to 1 </ b> D recognized as a slave to remote controller 5. In step S14, the remote controller 5 displays the system information on the display unit, thereby notifying the system operator of the system information. The said system information may also contain the information of each recognition flag of the hot water storage type water heater 1B-1D recognized as a slave. The system information may include information on the number of hot water storage water heaters 1B to 1D recognized as slaves. The system information may include information on the total number of hot water storage water heaters 1B to 1D recognized as slaves and the master hot water storage water heater 1A. The said system information may also contain the information of each identification number of the hot water storage type water heaters 1B-1D recognized as a slave.

  A construction worker or the like can easily confirm whether or not the plurality of hot water storage type hot water heaters 1A to 1D are normally connected via the communication line 7 between hot water heaters based on the notified system information. For example, when the number of hot water storage type hot water heaters in the notified system information is smaller than the actual number, the construction worker or the like can easily know that there is a disconnection or forgetting connection of the communication line 7 between hot water heaters. I can guess.

  After step S14, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the master control device 4A sets a system recognition flag. After step S15, the process proceeds to step S16. In step S16, the master control device 4A stores the system information in a memory. The master control device 4A preferably stores system information in a nonvolatile memory. The master control device 4A can correctly recognize the other hot water storage hot water heaters 1B to 1D as slaves based on the system information stored in the nonvolatile memory even after recovery from an abnormal state such as a power failure.

  After step S16, the process proceeds to step S17 in FIG. In step S17, the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A reads the system information (such as information on the recognition flag) stored in the memory. After step S17, the process proceeds to step S18.

  In step S18, control device 4A determines whether or not a recognition flag for hot water storage type hot water heater 1B is set. When the recognition flag for hot water storage type hot water heater 1B is not set, the process proceeds to step S20.

  When the recognition flag for the hot water storage type hot water heater 1B is set in step S18, the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, control device 4A transmits a command relating to the hot water supply operation (for example, information on the target hot water temperature received from remote controller 5) to control device 4B of hot water storage type hot water heater 1B. After step S19, the process proceeds to step S20.

  In step S20, control device 4A determines whether or not a recognition flag for hot water storage type hot water heater 1C is set. When the recognition flag for the hot water storage type hot water heater 1C is not set, the process proceeds to step S22.

  In step S20, when the recognition flag for the hot water storage type hot water heater 1C is set, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21, control device 4A transmits a command relating to the hot water supply operation (for example, information on the target hot water temperature received from remote controller 5) to control device 4C of hot water storage type hot water heater 1C. After step S21, the process proceeds to step S22.

  In step S22, control device 4A determines whether or not a recognition flag for hot water storage type hot water heater 1D is set. When the recognition flag for the hot water storage type hot water heater 1D is not set, the process proceeds to step S24.

  When the recognition flag for hot water storage type hot water heater 1D is set in step S22, the process proceeds to step S23. In step S23, control device 4A transmits a command relating to the hot water supply operation (for example, information on the target hot water temperature received from remote controller 5) to control device 4D of hot water storage type hot water heater 1D. After step S23, the process proceeds to step S24.

  As described above, the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A that is the master is based on the system information (recognition flag information, etc.) stored in the memory, and has already been recognized as a slave. A command relating to the hot water supply operation is transmitted to each of the control devices 4B to 4D. Hot water storage type hot water heaters 1 </ b> B to 1 </ b> D that have already been recognized as slaves are hot water storage type hot water heaters that are determined to be communicable in the determination operation by second communication determination unit 42. The control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A, which is the master, transmits a command related to the hot water supply operation only to the hot water storage type hot water heater that is determined to be communicable in the determination operation by the second communication determination unit 42. For this reason, 4 A of control apparatuses can perform the operation | movement which transmits the instruction | command regarding a hot water supply operation | work quickly and without waste.

  The user can input a request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system to the remote controller 5. The request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system corresponds to a command for executing the determination operation by the second communication determination unit 42 again. When a request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system is input, the remote controller 5 transmits the request to the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A. In step S24, control device 4A of hot water storage type hot water heater 1A determines whether or not a request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system has been received from remote controller 5. If a request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system has not been received from the remote controller 5, the process proceeds to step S3.

  If a request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system is received from the remote controller 5 in step S24, the process proceeds to step S25. In step S25, the control device 4A of the hot water storage type hot water heater 1A clears the system recognition flag. After step S25, the process proceeds to step S3. When the system recognition flag is cleared, the determination in step S3 is affirmed, so that the determination operation from step S4 to step S12 by the second communication determination unit 42 is executed again.

  As described above, in the case of the hot water supply system of the present embodiment, the master hot water heater and the slave hot water heater are automatically recognized. There is no need to set master or slave. For this reason, favorable workability is obtained. In the present embodiment, a hot water supply system can be formed by connecting a plurality of hot water storage type hot water heaters having the same configuration to each other and connecting a remote controller 5 (terminal device) to any one of them. . For this reason, a hot water supply system can be constructed easily.

  In the present embodiment, when it is necessary to re-recognize the configuration of the hot water supply system, a determination operation by the second communication determination unit 42 is performed by inputting a request for re-recognizing the configuration of the hot water supply system to the remote controller 5. Can be executed again. Therefore, when the number of hot water storage hot water heaters constituting the hot water supply system is added or reduced, or when the system is reset after repairing a failure, the determination by the second communication determination unit 42 System information can be easily reset by executing the operation again.

  In the present embodiment, a hot water supply system that connects a plurality of hot water storage type hot water heaters has been described as an example, but the present invention is also applicable to a hot water supply system that connects a plurality of hot water heaters other than the hot water storage type hot water heaters. . Further, in the present embodiment, an example in which a terminal device is wired to a control device for a water heater has been described. However, in the present invention, a wireless communication device is provided in the control device for the water heater, and the control device for the water heater is provided. The terminal device may be connected to be capable of wireless communication. Further, the connection between the water heaters is not limited to a wired connection. That is, in this invention, the structure by which communication between several water heaters is performed by radio | wireless communication may be sufficient.

1A, 1B, 1C, 1D Hot water storage type water heater, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D tank unit, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D heat pump unit, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D control device, 5 remote control, 6 remote control communication line, 7 Communication line between water heaters, 8 Hot water storage tank, 8a Low temperature water inlet, 8b Low temperature water outlet, 8c High temperature water inlet, 8d High temperature water outlet, 9 Water inlet, 9a First water supply pipe, 9b Second water supply pipe, 9c 3rd water supply piping, 10 pressure reducing valve, 11 hot water supply temperature sensor, 13 heat pump outgoing piping, 14 heat pump return piping, 15 hot water supply mixing valve, 16a first hot water piping, 16b second hot water piping, 17 hot water outlet, 18A, 18B, 18C , 18D Hot water supply piping, 19 Hot water supply header, 19a Hot water inlet, 41 First communication determination unit, 4 2 Second communication determination unit, 43 Self-recognition unit, 44 Hot water supply operation control unit

Claims (6)

A plurality of water heaters that are communicably connected and each has a control device;
A terminal device communicably connected to any one of the plurality of water heaters;
Notification means;
With
The control device for each water heater is
First communication determination means for determining whether communication with the terminal device is possible;
Second communication determination means for determining whether or not communication with the other water heater is possible when the first communication determination means determines that communication with the terminal device is possible;
With
The notification means is a hot water supply system that notifies system information that is information determined by the second communication determination means.   The hot water supply system according to claim 1, wherein the system information includes information on the number of hot water heaters.   The control device of each of the water heaters recognizes itself as a main device when communication with the terminal device is possible, and sets itself as a slave device when communication with the terminal device is impossible. The hot water supply system of Claim 1 or Claim 2 provided with the self-recognition means to recognize.   The control device of the water heater that is determined to be able to communicate with the terminal device is compared with the control device of the other water heater that is determined by the second communication determining means to be able to communicate. The hot water supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a command relating to a hot water supply operation is transmitted.   The hot water supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an instruction to execute the determination operation of the second communication determination unit again can be input to the terminal device. Storage means for storing the system information;
The said control apparatus of the said water heater connected with the said terminal device recognizes another said water heater based on the said system information memorize | stored when the power failure generate | occur | produces and it returns. The hot water supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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