Air conditioner unit and method for operating same

Abstract

Air conditioner units and methods for operating air conditioner units are provided. A method includes determining an operational mode for the air conditioner unit, the air conditioner unit comprising a plurality of heater banks, and determining a speed of a blower fan of the air conditioner unit when the operational mode is a heating mode. The method further includes comparing an input current level to a current threshold value when the speed is a low speed, and disabling one of the plurality of heater banks when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating an air conditioner unit, the method comprising:
 determining an operational mode for the air conditioner unit, the air conditioner unit comprising a plurality of heater banks;   determining a speed of a blower fan of the air conditioner unit when the operational mode is a heating mode;   comparing an input current level to a current threshold value when the speed is a low speed; and   disabling one of the plurality of heater banks when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising continuing a present operation when the operational mode is a cooling mode. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising continuing a present operation when the speed is a high speed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the speed of the blower fan comprises determining a speed setting. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the speed is a low speed when the speed setting is a low speed setting and the speed is a high speed when the speed setting is a high speed setting. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the speed of the blower fan comprises comparing an actual temperature differential to a differential threshold when the speed setting is an automatic setting, and wherein the speed is a low speed when the actual temperature differential is less than or equal to the differential threshold and the speed is a high speed when the actual temperature differential is greater than the differential threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a heater bank inactive signal when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heater banks comprises a low power heater bank, a medium power heater bank and a high power heater bank. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the low power heater bank is disabled when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value. 
     
     
         10 . An air conditioner unit comprising:
 a blower fan, the blower fan comprising a blade assembly and a motor connected to the blade assembly;   a heating unit, the heating unit comprising a plurality of heater banks;   a power source in electrical communication with the blower fan motor and the plurality of heater banks; and   a controller in operable communication with the motor and the plurality of heater banks, the controller operable for:
 determining an operational mode for the air conditioner unit, the air conditioner unit comprising a plurality of heater banks; 
 determining a speed of a blower fan of the air conditioner unit when the operational mode is a heating mode; 
 comparing an input current level to a current threshold value when the speed is a low speed; and 
 disabling one of the plurality of heater banks when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value. 
   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operable for continuing a present operation when the operational mode is a cooling mode. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operable for continuing a present operation when the speed is a high speed. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the step of determining the speed of the blower fan comprises determining a speed setting. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , wherein the speed is a low speed when the speed setting is a low speed setting and the speed is a high speed when the speed setting is a high speed setting. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 13 , wherein the step of determining the speed of the blower fan comprises comparing an actual temperature differential to a differential threshold when the speed setting is an automatic setting, and wherein the speed is a low speed when the actual temperature differential is less than or equal to the differential threshold and the speed is a high speed when the actual temperature differential is greater than the differential threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operable for transmitting a heater bank inactive signal when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of heater banks comprises a low power heater bank, a medium power heater bank and a high power heater bank. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 17 , wherein the low power heater bank is disabled when the input current level is greater than or equal to the current threshold value.