A hybrid tank and tankless hot water system with an inlet bypass and an outlet bypass are configurable between a hybrid heater configuration and an on-demand configuration. In the hybrid heater configuration, the inlet bypass supplies cold water to a cold water inlet of a storage tank and the outlet bypass supplies hot water from an outlet manifold to a recirculation inlet of the storage tank. In an on-demand configuration, the inlet bypass supplies cold water to a cold water manifold for directly providing cold water to hot water heaters and the outlet bypass supplies hot water from the outlet manifold directly to a system hot water outlet. In the bypass configuration, a storage tank and/or recirculation pump are fluidically isolated from one or more hot water heaters to facilitate their maintenance, repair, replacement while still supplying hot water on demand from the hot water heaters.

A water heater appliance and methods for operating the same, as provided herein, may include a casing, a tank, an inlet conduit, an electric heating system, a mixing valve, and a controller. The electric heating system may be in thermal communication with the tank. The mixing valve may be mounted to the casing downstream from the tank. The controller may be operably coupled to the electric heating system and the mixing valve. The controller may be configured to initiate a mixing cycle. The mixing cycle may include detecting a flow demand at the water heater appliance, directing the mixing valve to a programmed park position in response to detecting the flow demand, determining expiration of a park period following directing the mixing valve to the programmed park position, and releasing the mixing valve from the programmed park position in response to determining expiration of the park period.

Electric fluid heater for a vehicle, including a heating block with an inlet and an outlet for the fluid, a first channel for the fluid intended to flow between the inlet and the outlet, a first tube and a second tube with opposing ends mounted in headers, the tubes having heating elements. The first channel is delimited by a top plate and a bottom plate sealingly connected to the first tube, the second tube and the headers.

A water distribution apparatus and method including cold and hot water supplies, a fan coil (or chilled beam device), a control valve having cold and hot water inlets and outlets, cold and hot water outputs configured to supply cold and hot water to the fan coil, cold and hot water return inlets configured to receive from the fan coil the water supplied by the cold and/or water outputs and outputting the cold and/or hot water to the cold and hot water supply lines, respectively, via the cold and hot water outlets, respectively. Cold and hot water is supplied from the cold and/or hot water outputs to the fan coil and received into the cold and hot water return inlets, respectively, and the cold and hot water supplied by the cold and hot water outputs to the fan coil is output to the cold and hot water supply lines, respectively.

A water distribution apparatus and method including cold and hot water supplies, a fan coil (or chilled beam device), a control valve having cold and hot water inlets and outlets, cold and hot water outputs configured to supply cold and hot water to the fan coil, cold and hot water return inlets configured to receive from the fan coil the water supplied by the cold and/or water outputs and outputting the cold and/or hot water to the cold and hot water supply lines, respectively, via the cold and hot water outlets, respectively. Cold and hot water is supplied from the cold and/or hot water outputs to the fan coil and received into the cold and hot water return inlets, respectively, and the cold and hot water supplied by the cold and hot water outputs to the fan coil is output to the cold and hot water supply lines, respectively.

A water heater system includes a water heater rack system with a plurality of vertically stacked tankless water heaters and a water heater storage tank and provides the ability to install a water heater in environments where horizontally oriented heater rack systems would not fit. The tankless water heaters comprise a bifurcated vent arrangement with separate intake and exhaust vents. Accordingly, vent pipes of diameters of two (2) inches or less may be used in comparison to coaxial vent arrangements which may have diameters of three inches or more. The smaller vent pipe diameter allows a plurality of water heaters to be stacked, one above the other, such that the water heater rack system has a maximum height of 76 inches or less. This vertical orientation may allow tankless water heaters to be installed in an environment where a horizontally configured plurality of tankless water heaters would not fit.

A diffuser for a water heater fill tubes having a tube wall with an outside diameter. The diffuser includes an elongated flexible diffuser body for positioning at the outlet end of the fill tube. The diffuser body has a sealing end for sealing with an outside surface of the fill tube wall closest to the inlet end of the fill tube, and an open end for positioning at an end closest to the outlet end of the fill tube. The open end has a diameter larger than an outside diameter of the tube wall, thereby creating an diffuser water outlet opening between the diffuser body and the tube wall for redirecting radial water flow emanating from the fill tube water outlet opening(s) toward the diffuser outlet opening. A fill tube assembly for a water heater, a water heater, and a method for heating water are also disclosed.

A water heater connectable to an external air supply and exhaust pipe includes a housing that houses a combustion device, a connecting portion, a first air supply and exhaust pipe, and a second air supply and exhaust pipe. The connecting portion includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder projecting upward from an upper surface of the housing. The first air supply and exhaust pipe and the second air supply and exhaust pipe are selectively connectable to the connecting portion. The first air supply and exhaust pipe is connectable to the connecting portion by interpolating a first air supply pipe into the outer cylinder and interpolating a first exhaust pipe into the inner cylinder, and the second air supply and exhaust pipe is connectable to the connecting portion by externally fitting a second air supply pipe onto the outer cylinder and interpolating a second exhaust pipe into the inner cylinder.

A water heater connectable to an external air supply and exhaust pipe includes a housing that houses a combustion device, a connecting portion, a first air supply and exhaust pipe, and a second air supply and exhaust pipe. The connecting portion includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder projecting upward from an upper surface of the housing. The first air supply and exhaust pipe and the second air supply and exhaust pipe are selectively connectable to the connecting portion. The first air supply and exhaust pipe is connectable to the connecting portion by interpolating a first air supply pipe into the outer cylinder and interpolating a first exhaust pipe into the inner cylinder, and the second air supply and exhaust pipe is connectable to the connecting portion by externally fitting a second air supply pipe onto the outer cylinder and interpolating a second exhaust pipe into the inner cylinder.

A water heater and a cover assembly for the water heater is provided. The water heater includes a mixing valve disposed in fluid communication with each of a hot water conduit and a cold water pipe, to regulate temperature of hot water received from the hot water conduit. The cold water pipe branches from a cold water conduit and extends along a longitudinal axis of the tank to connect with the mixing valve. The cover assembly is mounted on a tank of the water heater. The cover assembly includes a first cover to conceal the cold water pipe, and a second cover to conceal the mixing valve and the hot water conduit extending between the tank and the mixing valve. The second cover is removably coupled to the first cover via one or more coupling elements.