Rubberized Plaster of Paris

[BC847]

You've seen it, some sort of a reach-in cooler sitting next to a deep-fat frier. Let's say there's chicken wings dipped in flour. Gather some of the wings, shake them in the basket prior to putting them in the frier.

- All the now air-borne flour.
- Oil vapors from the frier.

All collecting on the refrigeration unit's condenser coil. A little heat and time and there you go . . . . "Rubberized Plaster of Paris".


What do you use to remove it from the condenser coil?

- The standard coil cleaners don't effect it. Repeated applications only eat the aluminum fins.


What do you do? :confused:

[iraqveteran]

Its called put a filter on the condenser coils and prevent the issues your having....



Other than that, theres a good degreaser/condenser coil cleaner that comes in a can. Cost like 10 bucks at the Stone.

[pecmsg]

Use the same degreaser they have in the kitchen but dilute it two times the recommendations. Rinse off with a pressure washer carefully. Repeat several times.

Or replace with a steel finned condenser.

[crackertech]

Or replace with a steel finned condenser.

:D:D:D

[BC847]

"Its called put a filter on the condenser coils and prevent the issues your having...."

- Duh! If all were new installations, that would go a long way in preventing the problem. However, think of this as being your first visit to a long established kitchen. What to do?


"Use the same degreaser they have in the kitchen but dilute it two times the recommendations. Rinse off with a pressure washer carefully. Repeat several times".

- Reading the MSDS for those and the typical potions we use to clean coils in general finds that the majority use some form of a buffered Sodium Hydroxide (caustic lye). As such it's relatively ineffective on the "Rubberized Plaster of Paris". Repeated applications only eat more and more of the fins.
While a steel finned coil obviously withstands the caustic chemicals, one still finds the cleaners are VERY slow if effective at all on the plaster mess.


In a "perfect World", I could roll the equipment out back and spend some time flushing with a LOT of hot water. But as you folks know, the customer's gonna whine about the exaggerated labor costs.

I suppose I'm looking for that obscure method that some Old-Timer has found that works best and is most cost effective. ;)

Thanks for the replies. :cool:

[iraqveteran]

"Its called put a filter on the condenser coils and prevent the issues your having...."

- Duh! If all were new installations, that would go a long way in preventing the problem. However, think of this as being your first visit to a long established kitchen. What to do?


"Use the same degreaser they have in the kitchen but dilute it two times the recommendations. Rinse off with a pressure washer carefully. Repeat several times".

- Reading the MSDS for those and the typical potions we use to clean coils in general finds that the majority use some form of a buffered Sodium Hydroxide (caustic lye). As such it's relatively ineffective on the "Rubberized Plaster of Paris". Repeated applications only eat more and more of the fins.
While a steel finned coil obviously withstands the caustic chemicals, one still finds the cleaners are VERY slow if effective at all on the plaster mess.


In a "perfect World", I could roll the equipment out back and spend some time flushing with a LOT of hot water. But as you folks know, the customer's gonna whine about the exaggerated labor costs.

I suppose I'm looking for that obscure method that some Old-Timer has found that works best and is most cost effective. ;)

Thanks for the replies. :cool:



Simple is as simple does......Stupid is as stupid does....


Its like this. Your new customer obviously didn't take care of the equipment. And he can't blame anyone but himself....

Your best bet would be to move the equipment either out back or close to a floor drain where you can use a hot water hose and some Ace Foam and Clean....yes, its gonna cost the customer a lot but it is most likely the only solution. Then filter it and try to keep it running from there...


Preventative maintanence cannot resurect a unit from the dead. All you can do and all your customer can expect is that you maintain the current condition of the equipment. Nothing more. You can't stop normal wear and tear and you can't turn back the hands of time....



I would make a deal with the customer where his employees do all the leg work....you set up outside with what you need.....they roll the equipment out back to you, you clean it for 10 minutes and they roll it back in.....thats pretty cost effective right there......everyone wins. You get the contract, and the customer is satisfied with the level or repair, the timely manner in which it was performed, the communication and teamwork, and most of all the price...

[jpsmith1cm]

Con-coil is the best coil cleaner I have ever found.
It is a strong acid based cleaner.

The drawback to it is, as an acid, it can quickly and easily damage condenser coils if not flushed and neutralized adequately.

Many of my customers have actually set rules in place prohibiting its use because of that damage.

I have posted elsewhere about a condenser spray gun that operates as a venturi, drawing water into the CO2 stream as you spray. That acts as a mini-pressure washer and does a very good job, but I doubt that it will clean out that crap.

Sadly, it seems that these have been discontinued at every outlet I've ever seen them at.

As Iraqveteran said, there is no substitute for regular and consistent PMs. You may have to prepare your customer for a single large bill for a single, heavy duty cleaning, then keep up regular maintenance and filters.

[A1 Burt]

I use a brass bristle brush move it through the fin's & try not too get cut on the sharp edges
If it is gress I have melt it out of the bristie's with hot water many time's befor I can even use the cleaner
I get the shop vac out & vac up the slug's that melt's out of the condensor it might take a few time's too get it clean then I clean the fan bald or bald's
And let costermer know that compressor's dont run long when thay get cooked :rolleyes:

[r404a]

BC847

You and the customer may not want to hear it, but in some instances, the only EFFECTIVE solution is to cut it out and clean. I had one that was installed under a hood next to a couple of fryers and had been in there for years, even got wet when they cleaned the hood and that mixture of grease and water did a number. We couldn't move it in the cramped area and cleaning in place was a joke.
It is their issue. You have to do what you can.


r404a

[moe663]

I've been there. You have to move the entire unit or pull the coil. That's the your best option. I know you want to make the customer happy but its not a hard fix. I think you know the anwer to your question. I try to make customers happy myself but you have the next call to worry about.

The easiest thing is to have them to move the unit & you take over from there. I know you want to help but there's nothing you can do other than the obvious.;)