Hot and cold water dispenser and method

A Sabbath and festival hot drink dispensing method comprising:

• determining a Sabbath or festival onset time and a corresponding end time, thereby to carry out dispensing in first, second and third modes, said first mode applying at all times except between said Sabbath and festival onset times and their respective end times, said second mode applying between a Sabbath onset time and said corresponding end time, and a festival mode applying between a festival onset time which is not also a Sabbath and said corresponding end time;
• prior to said Sabbath or festival onset time filling a tank and heating water in said tank such that at said Sabbath or festival onset time the tank is full with water at temperature for dispensing hot drinks;
• in said second and third modes, following said Sabbath or festival onset time, disabling electrical operation of hot and cold water outlets to leave mechanical operation of said hot and cold water outlets, and applying heating to said tank at predetermined intervals;
• dispensing said hot water upon user operation of a dispensing control;
• detecting a tank empty condition;
• and
• in the case of said second mode, on a Sabbath day, ceasing to apply said heating;
• and
• in the case of said third mode, on a festival day that is not a Sabbath day, automatically filling said tank with cold water and fully heating said cold water in said tank while disabling said mechanical operation of said hot water outlet during said full heating of said cold water, wherein said tank empty condition is detected from the height of a float in the tank.

A hot and cold water dispenser comprising:

• a water inlet;
• a hot water tank, connected to said water inlet via a first connection, for storing some of the water from the water inlet;
• a water heater associated with said hot water tank for applying heat to water in said tank;
• an electrically operated cold water outlet for dispensing cold water;
• an electrically operated hot water outlet for dispensing hot water;
• a controller for operating said water heater to ensure that water dispensed from said outlet is at a temperature suitable for a hot drink, the controller being configured with first, second and third operational mode, said first, weekday, mode, in which water in said hot water tank is heated and dispensed, and said hot water tank is refilled as needed, said second, Sabbath mode, in which said water inlet is closed, and electrical operation of said hot and cold water outlets is disabled to leave mechanical operation thereof, and said third, weekday festival mode, in which said electrical operation of said hot and cold water outlets is also disabled;
• and
• a mechanical sensor in said hot water tank for detecting a tank empty condition of said hot water tank, wherein said second, Sabbath, operation mode comprises a function to stop operating said heater under said tank empty condition, and said third, festival, operational mode comprises a function to fill and heat said tank and disable said mechanical operation of said hot water outlet during said heating, wherein said mechanical sensor comprises a float in the tank and said tank empty condition is detected from the height of said float in said tank.