초록 ▼

A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building. The water heater includes a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building, a means for heating the water in the tank, a base member supporting the tank outside

A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building. The water heater includes a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building, a means for heating the water in the tank, a base member supporting the tank outside of the building, and a plurality of water pipes communicating with the water tank. The water heater also includes a manifold that is mounted to the base member and includes a plurality of pipe unions adapted to interface between the plumbing system and the plurality of pipes to provide cold water to the tank and to remove heated water from the tank for use in the building.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater comprising: a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building; means for heating the water in said tank; a base membe

What is claimed is: 1. A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater comprising: a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building; means for heating the water in said tank; a base member supporting said tank outside of the building; a plurality of water pipes communicating with said water tank; a manifold mounted to said base member and including a plurality of pipe unions adapted to interface between the plumbing system and said plurality of pipes to provide cold water to said tank and to remove heated water from said tank for use in the building; and a cabinet supported by said base and weather-tightly enclosing said water tank, means for heating, and plurality of pipes. 2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said manifold is rigidly affixed to said base member to resist movement of said water pipes with respect to said manifold. 3. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said manifold unions are rigidly fixed with respect to said base and wherein said plumbing system of the building is connectable to and disconnectable from said unions without regard to whether said plurality of pipes are connected to said unions. 4. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a gasket interposed between said manifold and said base member to create a substantially water-tight seal therebetween. 5. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said unions extend through said base such that said plurality of pipes interconnect with said unions on one side of said base and the plumbing system interconnects with said unions on the other side of said base. 6. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said means for heating includes at least one electrical element converting electricity into heat energy for heating the water within said tank. 7. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said means for heating includes a gas fuel burner creating hot products of combustion and a flue tube within said tank for the flow of the products of combustion. 8. A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater comprising: a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building; means for heating the water in said tank; a base member supporting said tank outside of the building; a plurality of water pipes communicating with said water tank; and a manifold mounted to said base member and including a plurality of pipe unions adapted to interface between the plumbing system and said plurality of pipes to provide cold water to said tank and to remove heated water from said tank for use in the building; wherein said base member includes a roof curb adapted to be mounted on a roof of the building around a hole in the roof such that the water heater and plumbing system are interconnected through the hole. 9. A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater comprising: a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building; means for heating the water in said tank; a base member supporting said tank outside of the building; a plurality of water pipes communicating with said water tank; and a manifold mounted to said base member and including a plurality of pipe unions adapted to interface between the plumbing system and said plurality of pines to provide cold water to said tank and to remove heated water from said tank for use in the building; wherein said base member includes a concrete pad mounted on the ground outside of the building. 10. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said base member is elevated above a predicted flood level of the area surrounding said water heater such that said water tank is supported by said base member above the flood level. 11. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a bleed vent in the highest point of at least one of said plurality of pipes to facilitate bleeding air from said at least one pipe. 12. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said tank includes a rounded surface, said water heater further comprising a mounting bracket affixed to said rounded surface, and a wedge-shaped support supported by said base member and interconnected with said mounting bracket to support said tank above said base member. 13. The water heater of claim 12, further comprising a thermally insulated spacer interposed between said mounting bracket and said wedge-shaped support. 14. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising an outlet spud and an inlet spud mounted on said tank and communicating between the inside of said tank and selected ones of said plurality of pipes. 15. A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater comprising: a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building; means for heating the water in said tank; a base member supporting said tank outside of the building; a plurality of water pipes communicating with said water tank; a manifold mounted to said base member and including a plurality of pipe unions adapted to interface between the plumbing system and said plurality of pipes to provide cold water to said tank and to remove heated water from said tank for use in the building; an outlet spud and an inlet spud mounted on said tank and communicating between the inside of said tank and selected ones of said plurality of pipes; and at least one recirculation pump for simultaneously displacing water in selected pipes of the plumbing system into said tank through at least one of said manifold unions, at least one of said plurality of pipes, and said inlet spud and replacing the so-displaced water with water from said tank through said outlet spud, at least one of said plurality of pipes, and at least one of said manifold unions. 16. The water heater of claim 15, wherein said recirculation pump includes an integral check valve permitting the flow of water in only one direction through said pump. 17. The water heater of claim 15, wherein said at least one recirculation pump includes a hot water recirculation pump and a separate mixed water recirculation pump for the displacement and replacement of hot water and mixed water, respectively, in the plumbing system. 18. The water heater of claim 15, further comprising a flow control valve communicating between the plumbing system and said plurality of pipes to limit the rate of flow of displaced water into said tank. 19. The water heater of claim 18, wherein said selected rate is about four gallons per minute. 20. The water heater of claim 14, wherein said plurality of pipes includes a cold water inlet pipe communicating through one of said manifold unions between the cold water supply of the plumbing system and said inlet spud, a hot water outlet pipe communicating through one of said manifold unions between said outlet spud and the hot water supply pipes of the plumbing system, a hot water return pipe communicating through one of said manifold unions between said inlet spud and the hot water pipes of the plumbing system, a mixing valve communicating between said hot water outlet pipe and said cold water inlet pipe, a mixed water outlet pipe communicating through one of said manifold unions between said mixing valve and the mixed water pipes of the plumbing system, and a mixed water return pipe communicating through one of said manifold unions between said inlet spud and the mixed water pipes of the plumbing system. 21. The water heater of claim 20, wherein said mixing valve includes an integral check valve permitting flow of water in only a single direction through said mixing valve. 22. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said cabinet includes front and rear panels and first and second side panels extending between said front and rear panels, said front and rear panels being substantially identical to each other and said side panels being substantially identical to each other. 23. The water heater of claim 22, wherein said front, rear, and side panels are interconnected with each other without the use of fasteners. 24. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said base member includes a drain therethrough for draining water from inside said cabinet, and wherein said drain provides the only path for water outside of said plurality of pipes to escape through said base member. 25. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a mixing valve; wherein said mixing valve provides for the delivery of mixed hot and cold water to the plumbing system through one of said manifold unions, said mixing valve being disposed within said cabinet. 26. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said unions extend through said base such that said plurality of pipes interconnect with said unions within said cabinet and the plumbing system interconnects with said unions outside of said cabinet. 27. The water heater of claim 1, wherein said means for heating includes a gas burner and a flue tube within said tank communicating with said gas burner for the flow of hot products of combustion from said burner through said flue to heat water in said tank, said water heater further comprising a vent communicating with said flue for the removal of the products of combustion from said flue and out of said cabinet, said vent including first and second ducts within said cabinet and extending through first and second sides, respectively, of said cabinet. 28. The water heater of claim 27, wherein said vent is substantially T-shaped. 29. The water heater of claim 27, wherein said first and second ducts are interconnected with a slip-fit connection including a sealing member to resist the escape of products of combustion through said slip-fit connection. 30. The water heater of claim 27, further comprising a blocking member resisting the flow of products of combustion out of one of said ducts, and a vent outlet mounted to the end of the other duct to weather-tightly exhaust the products of combustion out of said cabinet. 31. The water heater of claim 30, wherein said vent outlet includes a vertical riser extending upwardly outside of said cabinet to elevate the products of combustion with respect to said water heater prior to exhausting said products of combustion to the atmosphere surrounding said water heater. 32. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising at least one recirculation pump for simultaneously displacing water in the pipes of the plumbing system into said tank through at least one of said manifold unions and at least one of said plurality of pipes and replacing the so-displaced water with water from said tank through at least one of said plurality of pipes and at least one of said manifold unions, said at least one recirculation pump being disposed within said cabinet. 33. The water heater of claim 32, wherein said at least one recirculation pump includes a hot water recirculation pump and a separate mixed water recirculation pump for the displacement and replacement of hot water and mixed water, respectively, in the plumbing system; and wherein both of said hot water and mixed water recirculation pumps are disposed within said cabinet. 34. A water heater adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater comprising: a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building; a gas burner; a flue tube within said tank communicating with said gas burner for the flow of hot products of combustion from said burner through said flue tube to heat water in said tank; a cabinet surrounding said tank and supporting said tank outside of the building; and a vent communicating with said flue tube for the removal of the products of combustion from said flue tube and out of said cabinet, said vent including first and second ducts within said cabinet and extending through first and second sides, respectively, of said cabinet; wherein said first and second ducts are interconnected with a slip-fit connection including a sealing member to resist the escape of products of combustion through said slip-fit connection. 35. The water heater of claim 34, wherein said vent is substantially T-shaped. 36. The water heater of claim 34, further comprising a blocking member resisting the flow of products of combustion out of one of said ducts, and a vent outlet mounted to the end of the other duct to weather-tightly exhaust the products of combustion out of said cabinet. 37. The water heater of claim 36, wherein said vent outlet includes a vertical riser extending upwardly outside of said cabinet to elevate the products of combustion with respect to said water heater prior to exhausting said products of combustion to the atmosphere surrounding said water heater. 38. A water heater assembly adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater assembly comprising: a water heater including a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building, means for heating the water in said tank, and a plurality of water pipes communicating with said water tank; a cabinet surrounding the water heater; and a manifold mounted to said cabinet to interface between the plumbing system and said plurality of pipes to provide cold water to said tank within the cabinet and to remove heated water from said tank and said cabinet for use in the building; wherein said cabinet includes a base member elevated above a predicted flood level of the area surrounding said water heater such that said water tank is supported by said base member above the flood level. 39. A water heater assembly adapted to be positioned outside of a building and to interface with the plumbing system of the building, said water heater assembly comprising: a water heater including a water storage tank adapted to store water outside of the building, means for heating the water in said tank, and a plurality of water pipes communicating with said water tank; a cabinet surrounding the water heater; and a manifold mounted to said cabinet to interface between the plumbing system and said plurality of pipes to provide cold water to said tank within the cabinet and to remove heated water from said tank and said cabinet for use in the building; wherein said cabinet includes a base supporting said water heater, said cabinet weather-tightly enclosing said water heater; and wherein said cabinet includes front and rear panels and first and second side panels extending between said front and rear panels, said front and rear panels being substantially identical to each other and said side panels being substantially identical to each other. 40. The water heater assembly of claim 39, wherein said front, rear, and side panels are interconnected with each other without the use of fasteners.