Interactive outdoor display

Abstract

An outdoor unit for a building HVAC system includes one or more sensors configured to measure temperature and pressure values. The unit also includes a user interface coupled to the outdoor unit. The user interface is configured to display information to a user. The unit includes a controller including a processing circuit. The processing circuit configured to record the temperature values and the pressure values via the sensors and cause the user interface to display temperature values and pressure values.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outdoor unit for a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the unit comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to measure temperature and pressure values;   a user interface coupled to the outdoor unit, wherein the user interface is configured to display information to a user; and   a controller comprising a processing circuit, the processing circuit configured to:
 record the temperature values and the pressure values via the sensors and cause the user interface to display the temperature values and the pressure values. 
   
     
     
         2 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a subcool value and a superheat value for the HVAC system based on the temperature values and the pressure values and cause the user interface to display the subcool value and the superheat value. 
     
     
         3 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises a door switch, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine if the door switch is activated or deactivated and turn the user interface on if the switch is activated and turn the user interface off if the switch is deactivated. 
     
     
         4 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises an enclosure and a door, wherein the door is attached to the enclosure and covers the user interface, wherein the door switch is activated and deactivated based on the position of the door. 
     
     
         5 . The outdoor unit of  claim 4 , wherein the door comprises a connector and the enclosure comprises a connector receiver, wherein the connector and the connector receiver are structured to hold the door to the enclosure when the door is closed. 
     
     
         6 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a compressor speed of a compressor of the outdoor unit and cause the user interface to display the compressor speed. 
     
     
         7 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive input from a user;
 wherein the processing circuit is configured to select an operating mode for the outdoor unit based on input received via the user interface.   
     
     
         8 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensors comprise:
 temperature sensors configured to measure refrigerant temperature of a liquid line, a discharge line and a suction line of the HVAC system.   
     
     
         9 . The outdoor unit of  claim 8 , wherein the pressure sensors comprise:
 pressure sensors configured to measure refrigerant pressure of a liquid line, a discharge line and a suction line of the HVAC system.   
     
     
         10 . The outdoor unit of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause the user interface to display the liquid line pressure, the discharge line pressure, the suction line pressure, the liquid line temperature, the discharge line temperature, and the suction line temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit comprises one or more fans, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine an airflow value and a fan speed value of the fans and cause the user interface to display the airflow values and the fan speed values. 
     
     
         12 . The outdoor unit of  claim 11 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the airflow values of the one or more fans based on one or more flow meters. 
     
     
         13 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit further comprises a variable speed drive configured to control a compressor of the outdoor unit and one or more sensors configured to measure power consumption of the variable speed drive;
 wherein the processing circuit is configured to measure the power consumption of the variable speed drive via the one or more sensors and cause the user interface to display the measured power consumption.   
     
     
         14 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein outdoor unit further comprises an electronic expansion valve (EEV), wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine a step value of the EEV and cause the user interface to display the step value of the EEV. 
     
     
         15 . The outdoor unit of  claim 1 , wherein the outdoor unit is configured to determine if the HVAC system is properly charged via the temperature sensors and the pressure sensors and cause the user interface to display an indication of the charge of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         16 . A method for operating an outdoor controller of an HVAC system, the method comprising:
 recording, via the controller, temperature values and pressure values of the HVAC system via temperature sensors and pressure sensors;   causing, via the controller, a user interface to display the temperature values and the pressure values;   determining, via the controller, a subcool value and a superheat value for the HVAC system based on the temperature values and the pressure values and causing, via the controller, the user interface to display the subcool value and the superheat value;   determining, via the controller, if a door switch is activated or deactivated;   causing, via the controller, the user interface to turn on in response to determining that the door switch is activated; and   causing, via the controller, the user interface to turn off in response to determining that the door switch is deactivated.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the door switch is activated and deactivated based on a position of a door, wherein the door is connected to an enclosure of the outdoor controller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the method further comprising:
 determining, via the controller, a compressor speed of a compressor of the HVAC system; and   causing, via the controller, the user interface to display the compressor speed.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive input from a user;
 wherein the processing circuit is configured to select an operating mode for the outdoor unit based on input received via the user interface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature sensors comprise temperature sensors configured to measure refrigerant temperature of a liquid line, a discharge line and a suction line of the HVAC system;
 wherein the pressure sensors comprise pressure sensors configured to measure refrigerant pressure of a liquid line, a discharge line and a suction line of the HVAC system.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises causing, via the controller, the user interface to display the liquid line pressure, the discharge line pressure, the suction line pressure, the liquid line temperature, the discharge line temperature, and the suction line temperature. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, via the controller, an airflow value and a fan speed value of one or more fans of the HVAC system and causing, via the controller, the user interface to display the airflow values and the fan speeds, wherein determining, via the controller, the airflow values comprises determining the airflow values of the one or more fans based on one or more flow meters.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, via the controller, the power consumption of a variable speed drive measured by one or more sensors; and   causing, via the controller, the user interface to display the measured power consumption.   
     
     
         24 . An air conditioner and heat pump (AC/HP) unit for a building HVAC system, the unit comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to measure temperature and pressure;   a variable speed drive configured to control a compressor of the AC/HP unit and a current sensor and a voltage sensor configured to measure the power consumption of the variable speed drive;   a user interface coupled to the AC/HP unit, wherein the user interface is configured to display information to a user; and   a controller comprising a processing circuit, the processing circuit configured to:
 cause the user interface to display the measured temperature values and the measured pressure values; 
 determine a subcool value and a superheat value based on the measured temperature values and the measured pressure values and cause the user interface to display the subcool value and the superheat value; and 
 determine the power consumption of the variable speed drive based on the measured power consumption of the variable speed drive by the current sensor and the voltage sensor and cause the user interface to display the power consumption. 
   
     
     
         25 . The AC/HP unit of  claim 24 , wherein the AC/HP unit further comprises a door switch, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine if the door switch is activated or deactivated and turn the user interface on if the switch is activated and turn the user interface off if the switch is deactivated. 
     
     
         26 . The AC/HP unit of  claim 25 , wherein the AC/HP unit further comprises an enclosure and a door, wherein the door is attached to the enclosure and covers the user interface, wherein the door switch is activated and deactivated based on the position of the door.