Fan-on detection and correction
A fan-on Fault Detection Diagnostic (FDD) and correction method comprising at least one method selected from the group consisting of: detecting a Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) fan is controlled by a fan-on duration setting or a continuous or intermittent fan-on duration setting or schedule, and performing at least one action selected from the group consisting of: providing at least one fan-on alarm message, overriding the fan-on duration setting or the fan-on duration schedule, and turning off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the fan-on duration setting or schedule. Turning off the HVAC fan is based on at least one method selected from the group consisting of: a variable duration, skipping a scheduled fan-on duration setting, based on a call for cooling/heating, based on a geofencing or occupancy sensor signal, and based on a user-selected fan-on duration setting or a user-selected fan-off duration schedule.
1. A Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) fan control method, the method comprising:
detecting a HVAC fan is controlled by at least one fan-on duration control selected by a user;
wherein the at least one fan-on duration control operates the HVAC fan to recirculate air in a conditioned space for the at least one fan-on duration selected by the user; and
performing at least one action selected from the group consisting of:
providing at least one fan-on alarm message prior to overriding the at least one fan-on duration control, and
automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user, the overriding to save energy.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user is selected from the group consisting of:
a continuous fan-on duration setting or schedule,
an intermittent fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a variable fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a recurring fan-on duration setting or schedule, and
a fractional fan-on duration setting or schedule.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control is selected from the group consisting of:
turning off the HVAC fan,
turning off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration,
turning off the HVAC fan for a variable or a fixed fan-off duration of the at least one fan-on duration,
not turning on the HVAC fan for at least one of the at least one fan-on duration,
skipping at least one of the at least one fan-on duration and not turning on the HVAC fan for the at least one fan-on duration,
turning off the HVAC fan based on a geofencing-signal, and
turning off the HVAC fan based on an occupancy sensor signal.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control further includes turning off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration based on at least one diagnostic method selected from the group consisting of:
monitoring the at least one fan-on duration and diagnosing the at least
one fan-on duration is greater than a Threshold Fan-on Time (TFT) duration,
monitoring an occupancy sensor signal and detecting the occupancy sensor signal is indicating the conditioned space is unoccupied, and
monitoring a geofencing signal and detecting the geofencing signal is indicating the conditioned space is unoccupied.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the TFT duration is at least one duration selected from the group consisting of: a user-selected TFT duration, a fixed TFT duration, and a variable TFT duration based on the at least one fan-on duration.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fan-on duration is selected from the group consisting of:
a continuous fan-on duration,
an intermittent fan-on duration,
a variable fan-on duration,
a fan-on duration,
a recurring fan-on duration,
a scheduled fan-on duration, and
a fraction or a percentage of a time duration.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing the at least one fan-on alarm message further at least one communication method selected from the group consisting of:
a visual display message,
a text message,
an email message,
an audio communication message, and
a voice mail message.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fan-on alarm message is selected from the group consisting of:
a first fan-on alarm message asking the user to confirm, cancel, or override the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user offering the user an option to override the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user,
a second fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to turn off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration,
a third fan-on alarm message warning the user that the at least one fan-on duration control may use a significant amount of energy,
a fourth fan-on alarm message reporting an estimated energy impact associated with the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user,
a fifth fan-on alarm message reporting the HVAC fan has been operating for a monitored duration based on the at least one fan-on duration control,
a sixth fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to select a first fan-on correction option to automatically override the fan-on duration control and turn off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration to save energy,
a seventh fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to select a second fan-on correction option to automatically override the fan-on duration control and turn off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration to save energy based on an occupancy sensor signal or a geofencing signal indicating the conditioned space is unoccupied,
an eighth fan-on alarm message reporting when the HVAC fan will be turned off based on the first fan-on correction option or the second fan-on correction option, and
a ninth fan-on alarm message reporting when the HVAC fan will be turned on again after being turned off based on the first fan-on correction option or the second fan-on correction option.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control comprises turning off the HVAC fan based on a geofencing or an occupancy sensor signal.
10. A Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) fan-on correction method, the method comprising:
detecting a HVAC fan is controlled by at least one fan-on duration control selected by a user;
wherein the at least one fan-on duration control operates the HVAC fan to recirculate air in a conditioned space for at least one fan-on duration selected by the user; and
automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user based on a geofencing signal or an occupancy sensor signal.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user is selected from the group consisting of:
a continuous fan-on duration setting or schedule,
an intermittent fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a variable fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a recurring fan-on duration setting or schedule, and
a fractional fan-on duration setting or schedule.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control is selected from the group consisting of:
turning off the HVAC fan,
turning off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on setting duration,
turning off the HVAC fan for a variable or a fixed fan-off duration of the at least one fan-on duration,
not turning on the HVAC fan for at least one of the at least one fan-on duration, skipping at least one of the at least one fan-on duration and not turning on the HVAC fan for the at least one fan-on duration,
turning off the HVAC fan based on a geofencing signal, and turning off the HVAC fan based on an occupancy sensor signal.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one fan-on duration is selected from the group consisting of:
a continuous fan-on duration,
an intermittent fan-on duration,
a variable fan-on duration,
a fan-on duration,
a recurring fan-on duration,
a scheduled fan-on duration, and
a fraction or a percentage of a time duration.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control further includes turning off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration based on at least one diagnostic method selected from the group consisting of:
monitoring the fan-on duration and diagnosing the at least one fan-on duration is greater than a Threshold Fan-on Time (TFT) duration,
monitoring an occupancy sensor signal and diagnosing the occupancy sensor signal is indicating the conditioned space is unoccupied, and
monitoring a geofencing signal and diagnosing the geofencing signal is indicating the conditioned space is unoccupied.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the turning off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration is based on diagnosing the at least one fan-on duration is greater than the TFT duration; and
the TFT duration is at least one duration selected from the group consisting of: a user-selected TFT duration, a fixed TFT duration, and a variable TFT duration based on the at least one fan-on duration.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the automatically overriding the at least one fan-on duration control comprises turning off the HVAC fan based on a geofencing or an occupancy sensor signal.
17. A Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) fan-on correction method, the method comprising:
detecting a HVAC fan is controlled by at least one fan-on duration control selected by a user;
wherein the at least one fan-on duration control operates the HVAC fan to recirculate air in a conditioned space for at least one fan-on duration; and
providing at least one fan-on alarm message indicating that the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user may increase energy use.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the providing the at least one fan-on alarm message further at least one communication method selected from the group consisting of:
a visual display message,
a text message,
an email message,
an audio communication message, and
a voice mail message.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one fan-on duration control is selected from the group consisting of:
a continuous fan-on duration setting or schedule,
an intermittent fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a variable fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a fan-on duration setting or schedule,
a recurring fan-on duration setting or schedule, and
a fraction of a fan-on duration setting or schedule.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one fan-on alarm message indicating that the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user may increase energy use further includes the at least one fan-on alarm message selected from the group consisting of:
a first fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to override the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user,
a second fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to turn off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration,
a third fan-on alarm message asking the user to confirm or cancel the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user,
a fourth fan-on alarm message reporting an estimated energy impact associated with the at least one fan-on duration control selected by the user,
a fifth fan-on alarm message reporting the HVAC fan has been operating for a monitored duration based on the at least one fan-on duration control,
a sixth fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to select a first fan-on correction option to automatically override the fan-on duration control and turn off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration to save energy,
a seventh fan-on alarm message offering the user an option to select a second fan-on correction option to automatically override the fan-on duration control and turn off the HVAC fan for a fraction of the at least one fan-on duration to save energy based on an occupancy sensor signal or a geofencing signal indicating the conditioned space is unoccupied,
an eighth fan-on alarm message reporting when the HVAC fan will be turned off or based on the first fan-on correction option or the second fan-on correction option, and
a ninth fan-on alarm message reporting when the HVAC fan will be turned on again after being turned off based on the first fan-on correction option or the second fan-on correction option.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one fan-on duration is selected from the group consisting of:
a continuous fan-on duration,
an intermittent fan-on duration,
a variable fan-on duration,
a fan-on duration,
a recurring fan-on duration,
a scheduled fan-on duration, and
a fraction of a time duration.