Imperial Griddle Top Range Smothering

[olivero]

Wha…

 

“Smother on the outside burners” What on earth does that even mean?

[gasman]

griddle has three burners the one on the left and right the “outside” burners are smothering not the center one.

[olivero]

Smothering as in the flame dies out?

 

Air shutters adjusted?

 

Are staff passing out due to lack of oxygen?

[gasman]

No plenty of air for everyone. Just the burners under the griddle are having the problem. the burners are adjusted fine

[badbozo2315]

>Are staff passing out due to lack of oxygen?

Heh.  I’ve been in small nursing home kitchens up north where, when it was cold out, they wouldn’t turn on the exhuast hood.  After being on the floor working on something for an hour, I was fading out, lemmetellya…

 

>griddle has three burners the one on the left and right the “outside” burners are smothering not the center one. 

First, make sure the flue is clear. Poke with a section of 3/8″ copper if you’re not sure.

Make sure the unit is level, or rising to the back a little.

Make sure there is no makeup air down current at the flue. Take a flattened cardboard box and hold it about 12 inches over the flue, directing the flue gasses forward. Does the flame straighten out?

[ectofix]

I’ve never heard of the term “smothering” from a tech before, Mr. Gasman.

 

Is this at a Sonic drive-in???

 

Never mind.  Try this:

Pull the griddle out from the wall so you can get behind it. Get some cardboard to lay out a path to walk so your shoes don’t get all greasy. Getcha a nice LED flashlight and get behind the griddle. Watch out for the filthy wall and griddle as you make that venture – lest you inadvertently begin wearing some of it. Shine the flashlight down inside the flue.

 

Do you see the piles of greasy, crumby buildup in there blocking the vent flue?

 

Probably the problem.  Blocked air flow.  So remove the flue and clean ALL of that out. Check the burner-tops too.  Might have to remove and clean those as well.

Then tell the cooks to quit using the griddle’s flue as a storage/burn-off space for their greasy spatulas.

 

Glad I could help. 

[ectofix]

OMG!  A Badbozo showed up!

[fixbear]

Interesting.  Smother: to choke, starve of oxygen, cover,   So you are saying that the flame goes yellow and long. Eventually lapping out from under the griddle and up the stack.  You never specified the gas type.  It does make a difference..

[olivero]

Well I am glad everyone is breathing fine.

 

I think the other guys here are onto something, is there supply air coming into the flue, is it under a hood at all?

[badbozo2315]

Yeah, I’m still alive, despite the best efforts of PT Holdings et all…