Patent ID: 8165482

Claim:
An image forming apparatus that operates by an electric power from a commercial power source, comprising: a fixing unit adapted to fix a developed image transferred to sheet material; a temperature detection unit adapted to detect a temperature of said fixing unit; a control unit adapted to determine a fixing electric power supplied to said fixing unit based on the temperature detected by said temperature detection unit; an electric current detection unit adapted to detect an electric current flowing into the image forming apparatus from the commercial power source; and a failure detection unit adapted to determine whether said electric current detection unit breaks down, wherein said control unit determines the fixing electric power so that the electric power consumption determined based on the electric current detected by said electric current detection unit does not exceed a limit value, and wherein said control unit determines the fixing electric power so as not to exceed a predetermined electric power without using the output of said electric current detection unit when said failure detection unit determines that said electric current detection unit breaks down.