My pfc perfect fry is making the store smell like an oil vat. I have changed the oil and the filter twice. I even had an exhaust fan installed in the kitchen. Nothing has worked. It is not the door gasket either. Someone told me it was the fan. Does

[fixbear]

You never stated what model you have.  But let me cover some basics with this machine.  First off,  one must use a high quality of fryer oil.  If you are having smoke problems or smell problems, is ussually comes down to the oil.  Second, mostly these machines are used for frozen products.  They have to come right from the freezer to the fryer. If they set out for any period of time they form a moisture layer from condensation on the surface that makes the oil foam and bothers the filters.  Moisture is the big no no with fryers. If using fresh product one must dry if before frying.  Now, let’s consider heated oil.  Oil kept hot and not in use will smell.  If you have short periods of non use, you machine has a standby mode that drop’s the temp a bit.  There by preventing the oil from oxidizing.  Lastly, the filter system has to be maintained.A max change with low usage is 2  months, but in a high usage situation it can be weekly. Same with oil. I have had accounts that change the oil every 4 hours. Low usage would be two weeks max. You should also filter the oil daily. 

 

Lastly, it is impossible to fry food without a frying aroma.. Containing it to a individual room is the key. That’s why commercial kitchens have both intake and exhaust air systems.

[ectofix]

That fryer will actually prevent its usage if the fan quits working, so I don’t think that’s it.

 

Despite that fryer’s intended design of having its own built-in hood system to eliminate the need for a kitchen hood, it’s not exactly a “perfect” setup for capturing grease.  After some significant usage, oil may migrate ABOVE the air filter, into the exhaust fan

..and will accumulate within the fire-actuated damper. 

I said it’s not perfect MAINLY because it must be maintained perfectly – and I’ve never seen that happen.

 

Look on page 9 of this parts manual for a breakdown of the “Filter Area”:

EXPLODED PARTS MANUAL PFA / PFC / SFC MODELS

 

While I’m posting manuals, here’s the owners manual:

PFC SERIES MODELS OWNER’S MANUAL

 

The three biggest problems I encounter on these that cause grease migration ABOVE the filter:

Failure to replace the air filter in a timely manner Failure to clean the fryer unit properly and at the prescribed intervals Failure of the the door gasket

 

 

I realize you’d said “it’s not the door gasket”.  However…just to be sure, make sure the piece that I’m calling the “intermediate gasket” is in place (see picture below).  That’s the most important section of it.   I realize that the so-called “door gasket” is nothing more than some over-priced adhesive weatherstripping.  But…theoretically, it’s there to seal the door so that ALL grease vapor gets captured by the grease filter…and undesirable aroma gets caught by the air filter.

 

 

 

 

 

SO…if that fryer’s been in use for a few years, it may be time for a technician to tear it down and clean up the upper section.

 

CAUTION: This is NOT a DIY endeavor.  There are fire links up in there.  There are electrical connections up in there.  There’s a certain way for reassembling it which, if not done correctly, may alter or compromise the safety features built into the unit if it’s not done correctly.