Patent ID: 8461493

Claim:
An energy conservation system to selectively control the operation of the heating element of a water heater including a water storage tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet operable in an automated mode to control the temperature of water within the water storage tank comprising a plurality of temperature sensors including a cold temperature sensor and a hot temperature sensor to sense the inlet water temperature and the outlet water temperature at the tank inlet and the tank outlet respectively to generate a cold temperature signal and a hot temperature signal corresponding to the water temperature at the tank inlet and the tank outlet respectively and a tank temperature sensor to sense the tank temperature of the water within the water storage tank and generate a tank temperature signal corresponding to the water temperature within the water storage tank and a microprocessor coupled to the plurality of temperature sensors to receive the corresponding temperature signals including means to determine when there is a demand for hot water from the water storage tank and means to determine a pattern for the demand of hot water over a predetermined cycle defined by the time of day and duration of water usage events to provide a supply of hot water in response to a demand for a first quantity of hot water by heating the water for a first predetermined time prior to the demand for the first quantity of hot water or in response to a demand for a second quantity of hot water by heating the water for a second predetermined time prior to the demand for the second quantity of hot water.