Single bank resistance heater for an air conditioner unit

Abstract

A method for operating an air conditioner unit includes a step of initiating a resistance heating cycle of the air conditioner unit. The method further includes a step of determining a plug personality of a plug of the air conditioner unit. The method also includes a step of determining a nominal voltage rating of the air conditioner unit. The method further includes a step of determining, based on the plug personality and the nominal voltage rating, a pulse width modulation rate percentage for a single bank resistance heater of the air conditioner unit. The method may also include a step of setting, within a memory of a heater controller, the determined pulse width modulation rate percentage for the single bank resistance heater.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for operating an air conditioner unit, the method comprising:
 initiating a resistance heating cycle of the air conditioner unit;   determining a plug personality of a plug of the air conditioner unit, wherein the plug personality is an amperage limit of the plug;   determining a nominal voltage rating of the air conditioner unit;   determining, based on the plug personality and the nominal voltage rating, a pulse width modulation rate percentage for a single bank resistance heater of the air conditioner unit; and   setting, within a memory of a heater controller, the determined pulse width modulation rate percentage for the single bank resistance heater.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determined plug personality corresponds to a first value, wherein the determined nominal voltage rating corresponds to a second value, and wherein the determined pulse width modulation rate percentage is based on the first value and the second value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plug personality is determined to be 15 A, 20 A, or 30 A. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the plug personality being determined to be 15 A a first value is set to ½. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the plug personality being determined to be 20 A a first value is set to ⅔. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the plug personality being determined to be 30 A a first value is set to 1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nominal voltage rating is determined to be 230V or 265V. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein in response to the nominal voltage rating being determined to be 230V a second value is set to ¾. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein in response to the nominal voltage rating being determined to be 265V a second value is set to 1. 
     
     
         10 . An air conditioner unit comprising:
 a plug for providing an electrical connection to the air conditioner unit;   a single bank resistance heater for selectively heating a flow of air; and   a heater controller operable for:
 initiating a resistance heating cycle of the air conditioner unit; 
 determining a plug personality of the plug, wherein the plug personality is an amperage limit of the plug; 
 determining a nominal voltage rating of the air conditioner unit; 
 determining, based on the plug personality and the nominal voltage rating, a pulse width modulation rate percentage for the single bank resistance heater; and 
 setting the determined pulse width modulation rate percentage for the single bank resistance heater. 
   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the determined plug personality corresponds to a first value, wherein the determined nominal voltage rating corresponds to a second value, and wherein the determined pulse width modulation rate percentage is based on the first value and the second value. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the plug personality is determined to be 15 A, 20 A, or 30 A. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 12 , wherein in response to the plug personality being determined to be 15 A a first value is set to ½. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 12 , wherein in response to the plug personality being determined to be 20 A a first value is set to ⅔. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 12 , wherein in response to the plug personality being determined to be 30 A a first value is set to 1. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 10 , wherein the nominal voltage rating is determined to be 230V or 265V. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 16 , wherein in response to the nominal voltage rating being determined to be 230V a second value is set to ¾. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner unit of  claim 16 , wherein in response to the nominal voltage rating being determined to be 265V a second value is set to 1.