Energy saving controller
An energy saving controller for an air handler having a heater and a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed via a gas furnace controller, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and having: input terminals configured to connect to corresponding thermostat output terminals and receive output signals; a microcontroller configured to: process the output signals into revised signals; and cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan; drivers configured to receive the revised signals and use the revised signals to actuate mechanical relays; wherein the mechanical relays are configured to actuate the fan or the compressor via ESC output terminals.
1. An energy saving controller for an air handler for conditioning air of a space, the air handler having a heater and a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed at least twice in a heating cycle via a gas furnace controller, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and comprising:
a plurality of input terminals configured to connect to a corresponding plurality of thermostat output terminals and receive thermostat output signals from the thermostat;
a microcontroller connected to the plurality of input terminals and being configured to:
receive the thermostat output signals,
process the thermostat output signals into a set of revised energy saving signals; and
cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan; and
a plurality of drivers connected to the microcontroller and also connected to a plurality of relays, the plurality of drivers being configured to receive the set of revised energy saving signals from the microcontroller and to use the set of revised energy saving signals to actuate the plurality of relays;
wherein the plurality of relays is configured to actuate the dual speed fan or the compressor via a plurality of energy saving controller output terminals;
a power source for powering the plurality of relays, the microcontroller, and the plurality of drivers; and
wherein the alternation between the first speed and the second higher speed is caused by:
defaulting to making electrical contacts with and provide line voltage to a first fan speed terminal to run the dual speed fan at the first speed, and,
when the second higher speed is needed, energizing a control coil of the air handler at least twice over the heating cycle, the control coil being connected to a two-pole contactor configured to break the electrical contacts with the first fan speed terminal and make the electrical contacts with and provide line voltage to a second higher fan speed terminal to run the dual speed fan at the second higher speed; and
a temperature sensor embedded in the energy saving controller, the temperature sensor being configured to provide temperatures detected at the installation location of the energy saving controller to the microcontroller;
wherein the microcontroller is further configured to:
determine that the installation location is inside of the space if the detected temperatures follow a pattern of rising when the heating cycle is on or a pattern of falling when a cooling cycle is on, and cause the alternation; or
determine that the installation location is outside of the space if the temperature changes do not follow the pattern of rising when the heating cycle is on or the pattern of falling when the cooling cycle is on, and bypass the alternation when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a first predetermined temperature, or when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a second predetermined temperature.
2. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed is determined by monitoring by the microcontroller of ON and OFF durations of the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed in at least one previous cycle and in a current cycle, and basing the alternation on the monitored durations.
3. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed occurs at variable intervals of time which are determined by analysis by the microcontroller of the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor.
4. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed occurs at an equal interval of time.
5. The energy saving controller of claim 4 , wherein the equal interval of time is two minutes.
6. The energy saving controller of claim 4 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed occurs at a variable length of time.
7. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , wherein the second predetermined temperature is −40 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , wherein the outputted floating state signal is outputted to control the compressor, the heater, or the fan via the plurality of energy saving controller output terminals.
10. The energy saving controller of claim 1 , further comprising a floating state detector connected to the plurality of input terminals, the floating state detector being configured to detect when a floating state signal is outputted by the thermostat; and the microcontroller being connected to the floating state detector and being further configured to process the floating state signal into an OFF state.
11. An energy saving controller for an air handler for conditioning air of a space, the air handler having a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed at least once in a heating cycle via a gas furnace controller and at least a member of a group consisting of a heater and a compressor, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and comprising:
a plurality of input terminals configured to connect to a corresponding plurality of thermostat output terminals and receive thermostat output signals from the thermostat;
a microcontroller connected to the plurality of input terminals and being configured to:
receive the thermostat output signals,
process the thermostat output signals into a set of revised energy saving signals; and
cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan;
a plurality of drivers connected to the microcontroller and also connected to a plurality of relays, the plurality of drivers being configured to receive the set of revised energy saving signals from the microcontroller and to use the set of revised energy saving signals to actuate the plurality of relays;
wherein the plurality of relays is configured to actuate the dual speed fan or the compressor via a plurality of energy saving controller output terminals;
a power source for powering the plurality of relays, the microcontroller, and the plurality of drivers; and
a temperature sensor embedded in the energy saving controller, the temperature sensor being configured to provide temperatures detected at the installation location of the energy saving controller to the microcontroller;
wherein the microcontroller is further configured to:
determine that the installation location is inside of the space if the detected temperatures follow a pattern of rising when the heating cycle is on or a pattern of falling when a cooling cycle is on, and cause the alternation; or
determine that the installation location is outside of the space if the temperature changes do not follow the pattern of rising when the heating cycle is on or the pattern of falling when the cooling cycle is on, and bypass the alternation when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a first predetermined temperature, or when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a second predetermined temperature.
12. The energy saving controller of claim 11 , wherein the first predetermined temperature is 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
13. The energy saving controller of claim 11 , wherein the second predetermined temperature is −40 degrees Fahrenheit.
14. The energy saving controller of claim 11 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed occurs at variable intervals of time which are determined by analysis by the microcontroller of the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor.
15. The energy saving controller of claim 11 , further comprising a floating state detector connected to the plurality of input terminals, the floating state detector being configured to detect when a floating state signal is outputted by the thermostat; and the microcontroller being connected to the floating state detector and being further configured to process the floating state signal into an OFF state.
16. An energy saving controller for an air handler for conditioning air of a space, the air handler having a dual speed fan adapted to switch between a first speed and a second higher speed via a gas furnace controller and at least a member of a group consisting of a heater and a compressor, the energy saving controller being configured to be mounted between a thermostat and the gas furnace controller, and comprising:
a plurality of input terminals configured to connect to a corresponding plurality of thermostat output terminals and receive thermostat output signals from the thermostat;
a microcontroller connected to the plurality of input terminals and being configured to:
receive the thermostat output signals,
process the thermostat output signals into a set of revised energy saving signals; and
cause the gas furnace controller to alternate between the first speed and the
second higher speed to mimic a behavior of a variable speed fan; and
a plurality of drivers connected to the microcontroller and also connected to a plurality of relays, the plurality of drivers being configured to receive the set of revised energy saving signals from the microcontroller and to use the set of revised energy saving signals to actuate the plurality of relays;
wherein the plurality of relays is configured to actuate the dual speed fan or the compressor via a plurality of energy saving controller output terminals;
a power source for powering the plurality of relays, the microcontroller, and the plurality of drivers; and
means for causing the alternation between the first speed and the second higher speed wherein line voltage is provided to either a first fan speed terminal of the dual speed fan or a second higher fan speed terminal of the dual speed fan.
17. The energy saving controller of claim 16 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed is determined by monitoring by the microcontroller of ON and OFF durations of the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed in at least one previous cycle and in a current cycle, and basing the alternation on the monitored durations.
18. The energy saving controller of claim 16 , wherein the alternation between the first fan speed and the second higher fan speed occurs at equal intervals of time.
19. The energy saving controller of claim 18 , wherein the equal interval of time is two minutes.
20. The energy saving controller of claim 16 , further comprising a floating state detector connected to the plurality of input terminals, the floating state detector being configured to detect when a floating state signal is outputted by the thermostat; and the microcontroller being connected to the floating state detector and being further configured to process the floating state signal into an OFF state.