Humidifier control means

Claim 1

An electrode water boiler, preferably for the humidification of air, comprising a boiler, at least two electrodes in the boiler adapted to be connected to an electrical supply and between which current flows through the water during operation of the boiler in order to heat the water and generate steam, a steam outlet from the boiler, water feed means connected to the boiler for feeding water into the boiler, water discharge means leading from the boiler for discharging water therefrom, electrode current sensing means for sensing the current in at least one of the electrodes, and boiler water control means connected to the electrode current sensing means in order to control the supply of water to and the discharge of water from the boiler in response to changes in the electrode current sensed by the electrode current sensing means, in which the boiler water control means are constructed and arranged to: (a) initiate the water feed means to supply water to the boiler when the electrode current sensed by the electrode current sensing means is below a predetermined lower value; (b) initiate the water discharge means to discharge water from the boiler after the electrode current sensed by the electrode current sensing means has risen above a predetermined higher value; and (c) again initiate the water feed means, following the above initial initiation of the feed water means, when the electrode current sensed by the electrode current sensing means subsequently rises to a predetermined intermediate value between the said lower value and the said higher value to effect the introduction, into the boiler, of a fixed measured quantity of feed water.