Heating system for a bathing unit

Abstract

A control system suitable for use with a bathing unit system having a water receptacle is provided. The control system comprises first and second heating modules and a controller for controlling operation of the first and second heating modules to heat the water of the water receptacle. The controller is also configured for deriving energy consumption information that may be used, amongst other, to convey energy savings and/or cost savings associated with use of the second heating module in comparison to the use of the first heating module. In some implementations, the derived energy consumption information may be instead/also be used as a parameter in the selection of either one or both the first and second heating modules to heat the water of the receptacle.

1 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A control system suitable for use with a bathing unit system having a water receptacle, said control system comprising:
 a) a first heating module for heating the water of the receptacle;   b) a second heating module for heating the water of the receptacle;   c) a controller in communication with said first heating module and said second heating module, said controller being configured for controlling the operation of the first heating module and the second heating module to heat the water of the receptacle both when the spa is in use by a bather for bathing and when the spa is not in use by the bather for bathing, said controller including a processor programmed for:
 i) selecting one of said first heating module and said second heating module for heating the water of the water receptacle; 
 ii) deriving energy consumption information associated with operating said second heating module; and 
 iii) presenting information on a display screen conveying energy consumption information associated with the bathing unit system, said energy consumption information associated with the bathing unit system conveying the energy consumption information associated with said second heating module relative to energy consumption information associated with said first heating module. 
   
     
     
         25 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with the bathing unit system conveys cost savings associated with use of said second heating module in comparison to use of said first heating module. 
     
     
         26 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with the bathing unit system conveys a number of hours said second heating module has been in use in comparison to said first heating module. 
     
     
         27 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with the bathing unit system conveys a percentage of time said second heating module has been in use in comparison to said first heating module. 
     
     
         28 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said control system includes a control panel comprising the display screen, the control panel being in communication with said controller. 
     
     
         29 . A control system as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said controller is configured for releasing a signal conveying the energy consumption information associated with operating said second heating module to an auxiliary I/O device. 
     
     
         30 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , said control system further comprising an output module establishing a communication link with an auxiliary I/O device, said output module transmitting a signal to the auxiliary I/O device over the communication link, the signal conveying the energy consumption information associated with the bathing unit system. 
     
     
         31 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said control system comprises the display screen. 
     
     
         32 . A control system as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said controller includes a non-transitory computer readable memory medium, said controller being configured for storing said energy consumption information in said non-transitory computer readable memory medium. 
     
     
         33 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the processor is configured for activating the first heating module to heat the water in the receptacle without activating the second heating module. 
     
     
         34 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the processor is configured for activating the first heating module together with the second heating module to heat the water. 
     
     
         35 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the first heating module is a primary heating module and wherein the second heating module is an auxiliary heating module. 
     
     
         36 . A control system as defined in  claim 35 , wherein the primary heating module requires a first amount of electrical power to be operated and wherein the auxiliary heating module requires a second amount of electrical power to be operated. 
     
     
         37 . A control system as defined in  claim 36 , wherein the first amount of electrical power required for operating the primary heating module is greater than the second amount of electrical power required for operating the auxiliary heating module. 
     
     
         38 . A control system as defined in  claim 24 , wherein the primary heating module is configured to emit a first level of heat when operated and wherein the auxiliary heating module is configured to emit a second level of heat when operated. 
     
     
         39 . A control system as defined in  claim 38 , wherein the first level of heat emitted by the primary heating module when operated is greater than the second level of heat emitted by the auxiliary heating module when operated. 
     
     
         40 . A control system suitable for use with a bathing unit system having a water receptacle, said control system comprising:
 a) a primary heating module for heating the water of the receptacle, said primary heating module requiring a first amount of electrical power to be operated;   b) an auxiliary heating module for heating the water of the receptacle, said auxiliary heating module requiring a second amount of electrical power to be operated, wherein the first amount of electrical power required for operating the primary heating module is greater than the second amount of electrical power required for operating the auxiliary heating module;   c) a controller in communication with said first heating module and said second heating module, said controller being configured for controlling the operation of the first heating module and the second heating module to heat the water of the receptacle both when the spa is in use by a bather for bathing and when the spa is not in use by the bather for bathing, said controller including a processor programmed for:   i) selecting one of said first heating module and said second heating module for heating the water of the water receptacle;   ii) deriving energy consumption information associated with operating said second heating module; and   iii) processing the derived energy consumption information associated with operating said second heating module to present information conveying at least one of energy savings and cost savings associated with use of said second heating module in comparison to use of said first heating module.   
     
     
         41 . A control system suitable for use with a bathing unit system having a water receptacle, said control system comprising:
 a) a first heating module for heating the water of the receptacle;   b) a second heating module for heating the water of the receptacle;   c) a controller in communication with said first heating module and said second heating module, said controller including a memory unit and being configured for:
 i) deriving energy consumption information associated with said second heating module; and 
 ii) selecting one of said first heating module and said second heating module at least in part by processing said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module. 
   
     
     
         42 . A control system as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module is indicative of a number of hours said second heating module has been in use. 
     
     
         43 . A control system as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module is indicative of a percentage of time said second heating module has been in use in comparison with said first heating module. 
     
     
         44 . A control system as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module conveys cost savings associated with the use of said second heating module. 
     
     
         45 . A control system as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said control system includes a control panel comprising a display screen in communication with said controller, said controller being operative to display information conveying said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module on the display screen. 
     
     
         46 . A control system as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module is stored in the memory unit. 
     
     
         47 . A control system as defined in  claim 46 , wherein said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module stored in said memory unit can be accessed by a user via downloading to an auxiliary I/O device. 
     
     
         48 . A control system as defined in  claim 47 , said control system further comprising an output module for establishing a communication link with an auxiliary I/O device, said output module transmitting a signal to the auxiliary I/O device over the communication link, the signal conveying said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module. 
     
     
         49 . A control system as defined in  claim 41 , wherein said control system comprises a display screen in communication with said controller, said controller being operative to display information conveying said energy consumption information associated with said second heating module on the display screen.