Method and apparatus for monitoring a refrigeration-cycle system

1. A method of monitoring operation of a refrigerant-cycle system, the method comprising:

measuring operating characteristics of the refrigerant-cycle system using a plurality of sensors, the refrigerant-cycle system including a condenser unit and an evaporator unit, the condenser unit including a condenser and a compressor, and the evaporator unit including an evaporator and a fan;

using a processing system, receiving the measurements from the plurality of sensors and outputting data regarding operation of the refrigerant-cycle system to a remote monitoring system;

calculating an efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the data;

determining an expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system; and

based on a comparison of the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system with the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system, selectively performing at least one of:

notifying an owner of the refrigerant-cycle system that the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system is low,

notifying the owner of the refrigerant-cycle system to seek service for the refrigerant-cycle system, and

adjusting operation of the refrigerant-cycle system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the operating characteristics of the refrigerant-cycle system includes measuring an electrical quantity indicative of power consumption of the refrigerant-cycle system using an electrical sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising calculating an amount of work done by the refrigerant-cycle system, wherein the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system is calculated based on the amount of work done by the refrigerant-cycle system and the power consumption of the refrigerant-cycle system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system is determined based on an identification code of the refrigerant-cycle system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system is determined based on an identification code of the refrigerant-cycle system; and

the method further includes determining a relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system and the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising notifying an owner of the refrigerant-cycle system that the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system is low in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising notifying an owner of the refrigerant-cycle system to seek service for the refrigerant-cycle system in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising selectively adjusting operation of the refrigerant-cycle system in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value for at least a predetermined period.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting an instruction to a thermostat to adjust a setpoint temperature in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value for a predetermined period, wherein the thermostat controls operation of the condenser unit and the evaporator unit based on the setpoint temperature.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system on a display.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing at least one of charts and plots of data related to the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system.

12. A monitoring system for monitoring operation of a refrigerant-cycle system, the monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of sensors measuring operating characteristics of the refrigerant-cycle system, the refrigerant-cycle system including a condenser unit and an evaporator unit, the condenser unit including a condenser and a compressor, and the evaporator unit including an evaporator and a fan;

a processing system that (i) receives the measurements from the plurality of sensors, (ii) outputs data regarding operation of the refrigerant-cycle system, and (iii) calculates an efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the data; and

a remote monitoring system that:

determines an expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the data output by the processing system; and

based on a comparison of the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system with the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system, selectively performs at least one of:

notifying an owner of the refrigerant-cycle that the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle is low,

notifying the owner of the refrigerant-cycle system to seek service for the refrigerant-cycle system, and

adjusting operation of the refrigerant-cycle system.

13. The monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of sensors include an electrical sensor measuring an electrical quantity indicative of power consumption of the refrigerant-cycle system.

14. The monitoring system of claim 13 wherein the processing system:

calculates an amount of work done by the refrigerant-cycle system; and

calculates the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the amount of work done by the refrigerant-cycle system and the power consumption of the refrigerant-cycle system.

15. The monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the remote monitoring system determines the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on an identification code of the refrigerant-cycle system.

16. The monitoring system of claim 12 , wherein the remote monitoring system:

determines the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on an identification code of the refrigerant-cycle system; and

determines a relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the expected efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system and the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system.

17. The monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the remote monitoring system notifies an owner of the refrigerant-cycle system that the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system is low in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value.

18. The monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the remote monitoring system notifies an owner of the refrigerant-cycle system to seek service for the refrigerant-cycle system in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value.

19. The monitoring system of claim 16 wherein the remote monitoring system selectively adjusts operation of the refrigerant-cycle system in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value for at least a predetermined period.

20. The monitoring system of claim 16 wherein:

the remote monitoring system transmits an instruction to a thermostat to adjust a setpoint temperature in response to the relative efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system being less than a predetermined value for a predetermined period, and

the thermostat controls operation of the condenser unit and the evaporator unit based on the setpoint temperature.

21. The monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the processing system displays the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system on a display.

22. The monitoring system of claim 12 wherein the processing system provides at least one of charts and plots of data related to the calculated efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system.