Part of what we do at Tundra Restaurant Supply is helping you save money. The easiest way to do that is with a little DIY. Unlike other companies, our customer service department is made up of those who have actually been in the restaurant industry as chefs, service technicians and more—so they not only understand your problems but have solutions for you as well. We’re here to help you with your restaurant needs, so be sure to call us at 888-388-6372, live chat with us on the website, or contact us via email at https://www.etundra.com/about/contact-us/.
Today’s batch of questions revolve around the heavy hitters in the kitchen: ovens and fryers. Read on to find out if any of these problems sound familiar!
Question #1 – Pilot doesn’t say lit
“I have a Blodgett 1000 that has everything new. Pilot stays alight as long as the oven is off. 10 minutes after the main burner is turned on, everything shuts off. Could the gas pressure be an issue?” – Bob
Answer: Check the airflow
The most common cause of this issue is airflow. You need to make sure everything is clean in the burner compartment. These units will suck in air from around the door in the front, so it’s important to run a screwdriver under the door to dig out any debris that might be blocking the airflow. Also, you might check to see if the hood above the unit is pulling enough air up and out of the area which would induce better airflow in the unit. Of course, gas pressure can come into play, but with burners that large the more likely solution is airflow.
Other possible causes:
- Low gas pressure
- Incorrect orifice sizing
- Bad thermocouple
Question #2 – Out of control flames
“I have an Imperial Fryer model RS40 and everything is working fine except every so often flames shoot up from the exhaust port about an inch. Is this normal because it makes the staff uneasy. Thanks” – Ben
Answer: Keep it clean
Flames aren’t something you want to see shooting out of your fryer. Our first question is, how clean is the unit? You’ll want to make sure it’s not just burning off excess soot/carbon/grease. However, there could be something more serious going on like a valve or regulator not providing a consistent gas flow. Give us a call at 1-888-388-6372 or contact us online and we’d be happy to talk you through it.
Question #3 – Convection oven deduction
“I have a problem with one of my Blodgett convection ovens. I turn on the gas and then the fan and the oven will not start. Is there an issue with the fan? It is plugged into the same outlet as my other oven and the other one is working fine. What should I do?” – Nicholas
Answer: Power issue
We’re guessing that the power is going through a safety switch in the motor. If the motor is not turning, the unit won’t let anything else fire up. The capacitor on the motor could be bad or the motor itself could be bad. Without seeing the unit or talking to you directly, we can’t be sure. If the problem persists, give us a call at 1-888-388-6372 or contact us online.