Pitco Fryer not calibrated, temperature not accurate.

[russfesco]

First, check and make sure the sensing bulbs are still connected to cap tubes, Then make sure the bulbs are still mounted correctly in bracket. If all check correct then double check the calibration after the unit has reached set temp and cycled on/off at least 4 times. Also check temp in the correct location in the oil. Middle front to back. middle left to right, and 1 inch into the oil. If you have to turn the calibration screw in the thermostat, be sure to put some nail polish on the screw when done to lock it in place.

[ectofix]

Hey Bob, are you jratchets over at another forum?

 

With regard to your question.  You made a distinction between a thermostat or a sensing bulb issue in your statement.  That made me wonder whatcha got there, so I have to ask:

 

What’s the fryer model number?  There are numerous types of fryer thermostats and a model number would be useful.

 

On fryers with millivolt setups, it’s either a GS thermostat with a bleed combination valve, thereby using gas pressure for operation of the main valve.  It also could have a KX thermostat, where a thermopile output often powers the main valve heat.  In either case, the thermostat and the sensing bulb are one in the same.

 

Protocol (over at the other forum) brought up a good point..  On either of those two thermostats, if the tstat bulb is mounted correctly and you’re that far off, then replace the thermostat.  Most manufacturers will state that if a thermostat had suddenly gone off-kilter by more that 50 degrees. Something’s wrong with it and it’s a goner.

 

However, depending on the model number (which would be helpful), some fryers use an electronic temperature control with a temperature probe.  Those two components ARE separate items.

 

Of the three types of electronic probes commonly used in cooking equipment, fryers usually use a thermistor.  A simple test on a thermistor is to follow a manufacture’s testing procedure in their service manual.

Otherwise, other manufactures will provide a resistance-to-temperature table.  In either case, get a good temperature reading of the oil using a quality pyrometer or digital thermometer, then take a resistance reading of the unit’s temperature probe.  That resistance can then be crossed to a temperature in their table.  Compare that temperature to what you read with your thermometer.  If the probe is faulty, then what the table gives you will be way off from what the actual temperature is.  Replace the probe.

If the probe reading was correct, then something is out of whack with the temperature control.  That can be something as simple as a knob that had fallen off and got stuck back on by an employee in some arbitrarily indexed position.  It could also be a faulty connection between the probe and control.  OR…it could be that the controller’s circuitry has failed and the entire board would need replaced.

 

I hope this is some help to you.  I don’t know how experienced you are on troubleshooting fryers, so I offered quite a bit that you may already know.

 

Let us know how it turns out.

[roberte]

Thank you russfesco and ectofix for the help,

 

Sorry it took me so long to reply to you, i was unable to respond to you as a guest and had create an account.

I was working on an old Pitco AG14S. This has an electronic temperature control.

 

Per your instructions I Ohm’d out the temperature probe and was getting next to no resistance thankfully, i am sure the cost of the control would have been steep.

Replaced the temp probe with part number B3316801-C and everything ran smoothly.

 

Not sure why cleaning the unit would have caused this probe to fail, any ideas? Want to instruct the owner if there is anything they can do in the future to prevent this from happening again.

 

Bob

[bustedknuckles]

Sharp blows while cleaning, or spraying with cold water immediately after draining it hot could shock it with a contraction and damage it. If replacing the probe alone fixed it, we’re not looking at the temp control unless moisture is an issue. If sprayed with water and it was present in the controller or molex plugs that could have caused any number of erratic issues including temp and it could have dried out by the time the probe was replaced. These are speculations of course since we have no obvious physical damage…