Water heater leak detection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10692351-B2
Application number	US-201816054788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2018
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

The disclosure reveals a system for detecting moisture or water in a particular location. The system may incorporate a moisture detector having a control module connected to an appliance, a moisture detection circuit connected to the control module, and a voltage source connected to the moisture detection circuit and to the control module. The voltage source and the moisture detection circuit may provide voltage levels to the control module when the moisture detection circuit detects dry or wet conditions, or conditions between those conditions. A voltage level to the control module may indicate whether the appliance, such as a water heater, a washing machine, or a dish washer, has a leak. If the leak is deemed by a voltage level from the circuit to be worthy of concern, then a display, an alarm, message, or other notice mechanism may indicate an issue or what action needs to be taken.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A moisture detection system comprising:
a thermopile configured to generate a thermopile voltage;
a control module configured to control operation of a water heater;
a moisture detection circuit connected to the control module, wherein the moisture detection circuit is configured to:
have a first resistance when dry such that a draw down of the thermopile voltage caused by the first resistance is insufficient to cause the control module to shut down; and
have a decreased resistance compared to the first resistance in the presence of moisture or water such that a draw down of the thermopile voltage caused by the decreased resistance is sufficient to cause the control module to shut down.

2. The moisture detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a power storage system configured to charge from the thermopile voltage, wherein the power storage system comprises a capacitor.

3. The moisture detection system of claim 2 , wherein the control module is configured to control an amount of current delivered from the thermopile to the power storage system.

4. The moisture detection system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an information indicating mechanism powered by the power storage system,
wherein the control module is configured to cause the information indicating mechanism to generate information indicating a presence of moisture or water in response to determining that the moisture or the water is present.

5. The moisture detection system of claim 4 , wherein the information indicating mechanism comprises a speaker and wherein the information indicating the presence of moisture or water comprises an audible alarm, wherein the power storage system provides powers to the speaker.

6. The moisture detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to send a Wi-Fi signal indicating that action is needed in response to determining that the moisture or the water is present.

Assignees

• Ademco Inc

Inventors

• Hazzard Frederick
• Khosla Ravindra
• Heil David

Classifications

• G08B3/10

  using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission · CPC title

• G08B25/08

  using communication transmission lines {(G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N27/223

  for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity (rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825) · CPC title

• G08B21/20 Primary

  responsive to moisture · CPC title

• G01M3/16

  using electric detection means ({G01M3/045,} G01M3/06, G01M3/12, G01M3/20, G01M3/24, G01M3/26 take precedence) · CPC title