Air conditioner unit having a control board with multiple preset personalities

Abstract

An conditioner appliance, including methods for operating the same, is provided herein. The air conditioner appliance may include a housing, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor heat exchanger, a bulkhead, an outdoor fan, an indoor fan, one or more sensors, and a substitute control board. The housing may define an outdoor portion and an indoor portion. The outdoor fan may be disposed in the outdoor portion to direct an airflow across the outdoor heat exchanger. The indoor fan may be disposed in the indoor portion to direct an airflow across the indoor heat exchanger. The one or more sensors may be mounted within the housing. The substitute control board may be operably coupled to the outdoor fan, the indoor fan, and the one or more sensors. The substitute control board may be configured to initiate a service operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating an air conditioner unit comprising an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in an outdoor portion and an indoor heat exchanger disposed in an indoor portion, the method comprising:
 activating a substitute control board within the air conditioner unit;   detecting one or more sensors from voltage signals received from a predetermined plurality of potential sensors;   selecting an operating personality from a plurality of preset personalities based on the one or more detected sensors; and   directing rotation of one or more fans within the air conditioner unit according to the selected operating personality.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an indoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the indoor portion, and an indoor refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an indoor outlet temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air exiting the indoor portion, an outdoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the outdoor portion, and an outdoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the outdoor portion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each sensor of the predetermined plurality of potential sensors is a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an indoor outlet temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air exiting the indoor portion, wherein detecting one or more sensors comprises detecting the indoor outlet temperature sensor, and wherein selecting an operating personality comprises selecting a high voltage personality in response to detecting the indoor outlet temperature sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an outdoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the outdoor portion, wherein detecting one or more sensors comprises detecting the outdoor ambient temperature sensor, and wherein selecting an operating personality comprises selecting a heat pump personality in response to detecting the outdoor ambient temperature sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an outdoor refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for the outdoor heat exchanger, wherein detecting one or more sensors comprises detecting the outdoor refrigerant temperature sensor, and wherein selecting an operating personality comprises selecting a heat pump personality in response to detecting the outdoor refrigerant temperature sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing a speed of a refrigerant compressor according to the selected operating personality. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing a reversible refrigerant valve according to the selected operating personality. 
     
     
         10 . An air conditioner unit, comprising:
 a housing defining an outdoor portion and an indoor portion;   an outdoor heat exchanger disposed in the outdoor portion;   an indoor heat exchanger disposed in the indoor portion;   a bulkhead disposed between the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger along a transverse direction, the bulkhead defining the indoor portion and the outdoor portion;   an outdoor fan disposed in the outdoor portion to direct an airflow across the outdoor heat exchanger;   an indoor fan disposed in the indoor portion to direct an airflow across the indoor heat exchanger;   one or more sensors mounted within the housing; and   a substitute control board operably coupled to the outdoor fan, the indoor fan, and the one or more sensors, the substitute control board being configured to initiate a service operation, the service operation comprising
 activating the substitute control board, 
 detecting the one or more sensors from voltage signals received from a predetermined plurality of potential sensors, 
 selecting an operating personality from a plurality of preset personalities based on the one or more detected sensors, and 
 directing rotation of the indoor fan and the outdoor fan according to the selected operating personality. 
   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an indoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the indoor portion, and an indoor refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for the indoor heat exchanger. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined plurality of potential sensors comprises an indoor outlet temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air exiting the indoor portion, an outdoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the outdoor portion, and an outdoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the outdoor portion. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises an indoor outlet temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air exiting the indoor portion, and wherein selecting an operating personality comprises selecting a high voltage personality in response to detecting the indoor outlet temperature sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises an outdoor ambient temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for air entering the outdoor portion, and wherein selecting an operating personality comprises selecting a heat pump personality in response to detecting the outdoor ambient temperature sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises an outdoor refrigerant temperature sensor configured to detect temperature for the outdoor heat exchanger, and wherein selecting an operating personality comprises selecting a heat pump personality in response to detecting the outdoor refrigerant temperature sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the service operation further comprises directing a speed of a refrigerant compressor according to the selected operating personality. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioner appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the service operation further comprises directing a reversible refrigerant valve according to the selected operating personality.