What to do

[ccservicefitter]

I have been asked by my new manager to keep an open mind...I have been doing commercial/industrial hvac/r (mainly supermarket work) my whole career. Manager wants me to learn how to work on restaurant hot equipment-ovens, fryers. I really think it might be time find a different mechanical contractor to work for. I just don't like the thought of restaurants period. Any thoughts?

[Dowadudda]

I feel the same way. I am not interested in doing food equipment. It's a trade unto itself in my opinion. I know others feel it's a part of what we do.

[Dchappa21]

Yep anything in Restaurants sucks!

[pauls heating &]

Yep anything in Restaurants sucks!

aint nothing worse than an old deepfryer...

[Kevin_1963]

I've made the transition.

Mechanically, it can be the same. If you can light a pilot on a water heater, you can light a pilot on a fryer. Sometimes its not too bad. But yes, there are times when you're knee deep in grease with your arm up inside some old POS hot grill on a Friday afternoon wondering why you decided to choose this profession.

However, the more you know, the more you're worth. I do make more than the refrig only guys or the hot-side only guys.

[pdrake65]

Having started out as a service tech in the restaraunt biz I can speak from experience. It is a dirty job to say the least. lots of grease and cramped kitchens with people bumping into you every 2 seconds..not fun. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who already has experience in hvac&r. It is a good starting point for some...learning controls,gas,mechanics,etc. Another note: these techs generally make less money than we make...your boss might have you at a different pay rate when you do this kind of work.

[crackertech]

Restaurants suck.

[K_Neil]

Suffer up here from (only tech to be found)itis in a small town. Being self employed is a big advantage though. When they do call they have already found out they have to wait on a restarant service tech for a week or so.
I have an emergency rate and a regular rate. Restarants never call unless it's an emergency.

[Dowadudda]

There has been a trend in this area where the larger refrigeration outfits are starting to add to their service offerings the food equipment. But they also have done it correctly in my opinion by having a totally separate department that specializes in the Hot side.

I would love to do a hot side department down the road. Why not.

Lusker, on here convinced me a long time ago it's a worth while endeavor. A new kitchen install is big bucks. Food isn't going anywhere.

It's just a separate skill set though. And I am sticking to my guns on that part.

There are shops here who are basically light commercial who do offer it all and the techs do it all. But I have found in my experience that these guys skills in the HVAC/R side of it are not very strong.

I guess there is the occasional tech who is talented enough, but there is not many of those. You could not assemble a crew of 5 that could be aces on it all. It's just the nature of things.

As far as taking a supermarket refrigeration and HVAC guy and making them do food equipment is a stretch and I am certain most of these types, which to remind everyone I just finished being one, it would sure be hard to get them to do it. If you got to work for a chain, the ones here expect you to do it.

[Dowadudda]

The best place to be gunning for as a guy who wants to move on from being a supermarket refrigeration and HVAC guy would be to move into chillers. That seems to be the progression that makes the most sense to me.

[crackertech]

The best place to be gunning for as a guy who wants to move on from being a supermarket refrigeration and HVAC guy would be to move into chillers. That seems to be the progression that makes the most sense to me.

We now have chillers in supermarkets this is a forever learning trade I just love it.:D

[powell]

Lusker, on here convinced me a long time ago it's a worth while endeavor.


Years ago (20+) when I worked with Lusker I would occasionally work on the hot side.

I'd tell him it was a great way to oil all my tools. :yes:

Messy, messy messy

[icemeister]

I have been asked by my new manager to keep an open mind...I have been doing commercial/industrial hvac/r (mainly supermarket work) my whole career. Manager wants me to learn how to work on restaurant hot equipment-ovens, fryers. I really think it might be time find a different mechanical contractor to work for. I just don't like the thought of restaurants period. Any thoughts?

If your employer is willing to send you to some factory training schools to learn the ropes the "right" way, then by all means take advantage of that.

If he simply intends to toss you into the hot side, sink or swim, then I'd be looking for another job.

I say this partly because I have zero experience with anything to do with gas fired equipment, and as such I refuse to even look at a fryer, pizza oven or whatever because I know my own limitations...and fears. ;)

[pdrake65]

If your employer is willing to send you to some factory training schools to learn the ropes the "right" way, then by all means take advantage of that.

If he simply intends to toss you into the hot side, sink or swim, then I'd be looking for another job.

I say this partly because I have zero experience with anything to do with gas fired equipment, and as such I refuse to even look at a fryer, pizza oven or whatever because I know my own limitations...and fears. ;)

I remember going to the Frymaster class decades ago....we went thru wiring diagrams for two days instructed by a desk jockey who never worked in the field. Same with some others. The best bet is to be trained by a service tech working on the same stuff. If you understand how a gas hvac unit operates you will have little problem understanding commercial gas equipment. the difference is the controls...mainly.

[icemeister]

I remember going to the Frymaster class decades ago....we went thru wiring diagrams for two days instructed by a desk jockey who never worked in the field. Same with some others. The best bet is to be trained by a service tech working on the same stuff. If you understand how a gas hvac unit operates you will have little problem understanding commercial gas equipment. the difference is the controls...mainly.

That's good to know.

In my case, I never really had anyone to learn from as I was always surrounded by Fridgies.

40 years ago, after losing my eyebrows a couple of times messing around with some gas stuff, I became quite afraid to tempt Fate a third time...so I haven't. ;)

[pdrake65]

That's good to know.

In my case, I never really had anyone to learn from as I was always surrounded by Fridgies.

40 years ago, after losing my eyebrows a couple of times messing around with some gas stuff, I became quite afraid to tempt Fate a third time...so I haven't. ;)

LOL! Good call! Eyebrows don't grow back very quick.

[stonewall]

If you do take on hot side work, specialize in pizza ovens. They should keep you busy enough that you can stay away from nasty fryers.

My next choice would be steamers.

Like pdrake65 said, if you know gas and electric heat then you will fit right in. thermocouples, thermopiles, thermisters, milli volts and micro amps. manifold and supply gas pressures. Single and three phase heating elements. Water level probes. interlocking door switches. combustion blower circuits, electronic timers, ect...

knowing how to troubleshoot the components and then knowing how theyare used in the sequence of operation is all it takes.

It can be nasty and dirty, but it can also be fun and challenging. If you think supermarket managers and employees are hard to deal with, kitchen crews are a whole nother level. But you get fed for free pretty regularly.

If you've never done it, I think you should try it. you might like it.

be a team player. broaden your and your companies skill set and customer base.

one other thing, there are alot of hacks roaming from kitchen to kitchen, more so than motor room to motor room. In my experience anyway.

[Joe Harper]

I have been asked by my new manager to keep an open mind...I have been doing commercial/industrial hvac/r (mainly supermarket work) my whole career. Manager wants me to learn how to work on restaurant hot equipment-ovens, fryers. I really think it might be time find a different mechanical contractor to work for. I just don't like the thought of restaurants period. Any thoughts?

Tell your "new" manager to go eff himself...Hire a hot side guy.

[ccservicefitter]

Thanks to all that responded. I have decided to see if this new manager is even going to make it. If he does make it I think that I will tell him get yourself a hot side tech or loose yourself a rack tech. No disrespect to hot side guys out there but its not appealing to me.

[crackertech]

Thanks to all that responded. I have decided to see if this new manager is even going to make it. If he does make it I think that I will tell him get yourself a hot side tech or loose yourself a rack tech. No disrespect to hot side guys out there but its not appealing to me.


Sounds like a good plan.

[james122964]

Well, increased skills is a opportunity for the company to make more revenue, should be the same for you.

Resturuants, I do them alot, only been on racks for about 8 months.

Hot side, I worked for KFC and did everything in the building, fryers and stuff are not hard, just junky type of greasy dirt.

Jim

[MwTechInc]

Well in this area hot guys make more than normal HVAC/light ind techs.

There is nobody local that does racks so I clueless there.

Have serviced Hot since '93 mixed in with cold, resturant-school sized walkin units with some hvac up to about 15 tons.

Choose not to service racks, chillers or large scale units.

One thing about hot, if your over 200 lbs with short arms it's going to be tough.
It's just the way it is.

When you are on a cookline while in operation there isn't much room.

If you have real good troubleshooting skills then the job won't be to bad, however it usually takes about 6mths to a year before you will feel comfortable.

The techs I have trained go through a tough time, they all say they will quit in the first 6 months, most do.

The biggest thing most say is the pressure of being in front of the customer all the time. You can't run back and hide in the compressor room if things aren't going well.

Strong electrical is a MUST. Without it you will fail, again, just the way it is.