Heating Assemblies for Water Heaters

Abstract

A heating assembly for a water heater may include a base, a first electric heating element secured to the base, and a second electric heating element secured to the base. The second electric heating element is electrically isolated from the first electric heating element. The first and second electric heating elements are independently switchable to provide a first heat rating of the heating assembly and a second heat rating higher than the first heat rating. A water heater assembly may include a tank defining a chamber for holding a volume of water, and the heating assembly coupled to the tank. The water heater assembly may include a second heating assembly, and may further include a controller configured to control the first and second heating assemblies to provide heating at same or different heat ratings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating assembly for a water heater, the heating assembly comprising:
 a base;   a first electric heating element secured to the base; and   a second electric heating element secured to the base,   wherein the second electric heating element is electrically isolated from the first electric heating element, and   wherein the first and second electric heating elements are independently switchable on or off to provide a first heat rating of the heating assembly and a second heat rating of the heating assembly that is higher than the first heat rating.   
     
     
         2 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat rating is provided by switching on only the first heating element, and wherein the second heat rating is provided by switching on only the second heating element. 
     
     
         3 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat rating is provided by switching on only one of the first and second heating elements, and wherein the second heat rating is provided by switching on both of the first and second heating elements. 
     
     
         4 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electric heating elements have a same wattage. 
     
     
         5 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first electric heating element comprises a first looped body, and the second electric heating element comprises a second looped body; and
 wherein the first looped body comprises a first bar and the second looped body comprises a second bar, wherein the first and second bar each have a circular cross-section.   
     
     
         6 . The heating assembly of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first looped body and the second looped body defines a single bend. 
     
     
         7 . The heating assembly of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first looped body and the second looped body respectively comprises a first bar and a second bar substantially parallel to the first bar, and wherein the second bar is connected to the first bar by a bend. 
     
     
         8 . The heating assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the second looped body comprises a foldback heating element, wherein the bend is a first bend, wherein at least one of the first looped body and the second looped body further comprises a third bar coupled to the first bar by a second bend and a fourth bar coupled to the second bar by a third bend. 
     
     
         9 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second electric heating element is longer than the first electric heating element. 
     
     
         10 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first electric heating element extends at least partially along a first plane, and wherein the second electric heating element extends at least partially along a second plane transverse to the first plane. 
     
     
         11 . The heating assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second plane is normal to the first plane. 
     
     
         12 . The heating assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second electric heating elements comprise a metal, an alloy, or a ceramic, and wherein the base comprises an insulating material. 
     
     
         13 . A water heater assembly comprising:
 a tank defining a chamber for holding a volume of water; and   a heating assembly coupled to the tank and configured to heat the volume of water in the chamber, the heating assembly comprising:
 a base; 
 a first electric heating element secured to the base; and 
 a second electric heating element secured to the base, 
 wherein the second electric heating element is electrically isolated from the first electric heating element, and 
 wherein the first and second electric heating elements are independently switchable on or off to provide a first heat rating of the heating assembly and a second heat rating of the heating assembly that is higher than the first heat rating. 
   
     
     
         14 . The water heater assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a controller configured to control the heating assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The water heater assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of water within the chamber and configured to send a signal to the controller indicative of the temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The water heater assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to operate one of the first or second electric heating elements in response to detecting a failure of the other of the first or second electric heating elements. 
     
     
         17 . The water heater assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the heating assembly is a first heating assembly, and wherein the water heater assembly further comprises a second heating assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The water heater assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second heating assemblies differ in at least one characteristic selected from a number of heating elements, a length of at least one heating element, an operational voltage of at least one heating element, a wattage of at least one heating element, or a heat rating magnitude. 
     
     
         19 . The water heater assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the first heating assembly is positioned relatively higher along the tank than the second heating assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The water heater of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively energize one or both of the first heating assembly and the second heating assembly to provide at least one of:
 (i) a lower heat rating of both the first and second heating assemblies;   (ii) a lower heat rating of one of the first and second heating assemblies and a higher heat rating of the other of the first and second heating assemblies; and   (iii) a higher heat rating of both the first and second heating assemblies.