Fluid heater with improved heating elements controller

A heater powered by an alternating current source for substantially instantaneous heating of a fluid, the heater comprising:

• a housing defining at least one chamber therein having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
• a plurality of electrically powered heating elements each within one of the at least one chamber for heating the fluid;
• one or more temperature sensors each in fluid communication with the heated fluid;
• and
• a controller for selectively activating each of the plurality of heating elements at a first zero crossing of alternating current and deactivating the activated heating element at a second zero crossing of alternating current in response to the one or more temperature sensors, the controller activating a first of a plurality of heating elements for a predetermined first period of time and activating a second of a plurality of heating elements for a predetermined second period of time, the controller initiating activation of the second heating element within no more than 32 half cycles of the alternating current source after initiating activation of the first heating element, such that each of the first and second heating elements contributes to the heating of the fluid passing through the heater.

A heater powered by an alternating current source for substantially instantaneous heating of a fluid, the heater comprising:

• a housing defining a plurality of chambers therein and having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
• a plurality of electrically powered heating elements each within a respective one of the plurality of compartments for heating the fluid;
• one or more temperature sensors each in fluid communication with the heated fluid;
• and
• a controller for selectively activating each of the plurality of heating elements at a first zero crossing of alternating current and deactivating the activated heating element at a second zero crossing of alternating current in response to the one or more temperature sensors, the controller activating a first of a plurality of heating elements for a predetermined first period of time equal to or greater than 1 half cycle and no greater than 32 half cycles of the alternating current source and activating a second of a plurality of heating elements for a predetermined second period of time equal to or greater than 1 half cycle and no greater than 32 half cycles of the alternating current source, the controller initiating activation of the second heating element within no more than 8 half cycles after the initiating activation of the first heating element, such that each of the first and second heating elements contributes substantially equally to the heating of the fluid passing through the heater.