Hot water supply system, water heater and hot water supply control method

摘要

A hot water supply system includes a plurality of water heaters, one of which is designated as a master, and the rest(s) of which is/are designated as (a) slave(s). A control unit that is provided for each of the water heaters operates a water heater, for which the control unit is provided, as the master or the slave, the master controls the slave(s), and the master and the slave(s) control hot water supply.

主权项

1. A hot water supply system comprising:
a water supply pipe; a hot water supply pipe; a plurality of water heaters that are connected to the water supply pipe and the hot water supply pipe, one of the water heaters being designated as a master and one or more water heaters other than the water heater designated as the master being designated as one or more slaves; a control unit that is provided for each of the water heaters; a flow adjustment valve that is provided for each of the water heaters, the flow adjustment valve adjusting a flow rate of water; and a flow sensor that is provided for each of the water heaters, the flow sensor detecting a flow of incoming water, wherein each control unit is capable of operating a water heater for which it is respectively provided as the master or the slave, wherein information as to the flow of the incoming water detected by each flow sensor is inputted into the control unit being provided for the water heater for which said each flow sensor is respectively provided, wherein the control units each execute and control hot water supply of the water heaters for which they are provided respectively by occurrence of the flow of the incoming water, wherein the control unit provided for the water heater designated as the master transmits a first command to the water heater designated as the slave, and opens the flow adjustment valve provided therein to operate the water heater whose the flow adjustment valve opens when the flow of the incoming water through the water heater designated as the master is over a first set value, wherein the control unit provided for the water heater designated as the master selects an operational water heater by using operating times of the water heaters to stop the selected operational water heater when the flow of the incoming water through the water heater designated as the master is smaller than a second set value being smaller than the first set value; transmits a second command to the selected operational water heater to close the flow adjustment valve provided therein when the water heater designated as the slave is selected; and closes the flow adjustment valve provided for the water heater designated as the master, and passes a designation of the master to the water heater designated as the slave or one of the water heaters designated as the slaves when the water heater designated as the master is selected, and wherein the passing the designation of the master includes selecting one of operational water heaters by using the operating times of the water heaters, changing the water heater designated as the master to the slave, and transmitting a third command to the one of the operational water heaters to change the one of the operational water heaters to the master.