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I need help with an electric steam table -
Anybody here do kitchen equipment service ?
A guy over at the country club asked me today about an electric steam table. Apparently the refrigeration works so well now that they assume I can fix anything.
They have had the steam "fixed" repeatedly and the heating elements keep burning out.
Which sounds like they are leaving it on all night and running it out of water to me.
Of course they deny that.
Are there burn-out proof / run-dry elements available for these things? How about a float switch? These can't be the only people in the world having these problems.
Anybody here work on this stuff?
PHM
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When faced with the choice between changing one's mind, and proving that there is no need to do so, most tend to get busy on the proof.
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Theres gotta be some sort of emersion probe that can be used to break a circuit in case of no water.
Never worked on one though.
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Responding from your last post in the reefer section. The high limit is normally mounted right next to the element. Do you have the model and serial #'s?
http://acfwb.com/
"The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today"
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Not yet - but I have a good excuse - want to hear it?
PHM
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Originally Posted by
smurphy
Responding from your last post in the reefer section. The high limit is normally mounted right next to the element. Do you have the model and serial #'s?
PHM
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When faced with the choice between changing one's mind, and proving that there is no need to do so, most tend to get busy on the proof.
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I've worked mostly on APW Wyott hot food wells. The ones with drains should not be run dry. The ones without drains can be run wet or dry. I'm not 100% sure, but I do not believe either one has a high limit control.
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Typically there's two types of controls:
1. A thermostat. That's it...a KX thermostat.
2. An infinite switch AND a limit thermostat. The limit tstat is a little bi-metal dohicky (sp) connected directly to an element. An infinite control needs that since it doesn't sense.
Is it possibly and infinite control setup LACKING that limit tstat?
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Got a short chance to look at it today -
I could not find a maker's name anywhere on it.
Each heated pan is over a water bath. Each of the first water baths has a drain.
Under each water bath pan is what appears to be a cover/plate containing a heating element. The power is apparently controlled by a dial thermostat with a red power light on it. The sensing tube of the temperature control also leads into the heating pan/plate.
It just has a tiny space to slide into under the heating element pans. How the hell are you supposed to work on it? I can barely get one arm in there with me - two arms is impossible.
PHM
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When faced with the choice between changing one's mind, and proving that there is no need to do so, most tend to get busy on the proof.
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Originally Posted by
Poodle Head Mikey
It just has a tiny space to slide into under the heating element pans. How the hell are you supposed to work on it? I can barely get one arm in there with me - two arms is impossible.
Yeah, depending on how the wells are installed, it can be a real PITA to access the elements and controls. Some, I've had to literally lay on my back and slide under the wells to work on them. Some, you can access the heating elements and controls from the front. It depends.
With your chrome heart shining in the sun, long may you run.
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Nothing on the front but the dials for the stats
Nothing on the front but the dials for the stats.
There were apparently SS plates enclosing the under side of the heating pans and elements and wiring, but only one is presently installed.
There doesn't seem to be any safety controls and adding them seems impossible. Do they count on the stat to turn off the heating element in the event of no water?
PHM
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Originally Posted by
SandShark
Yeah, depending on how the wells are installed, it can be a real PITA to access the elements and controls. Some, I've had to literally lay on my back and slide under the wells to work on them. Some, you can access the heating elements and controls from the front. It depends.
PHM
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When faced with the choice between changing one's mind, and proving that there is no need to do so, most tend to get busy on the proof.
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If you could take a pic of the units controls and such we might be able to give you a better idea of what brand you are looking at.
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I say check your Tstat how high does it go? or add a limit switch to cut out a certain temp
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What I wanted was defrost elements
What I wanted to use was some same-wattage defrost elements as they have factory attached wires leading away - so the electrical connections can be made where there is no heat.
But the customer found that they had obtained extra (spare) elements the last time the elements were replaced - as they had been failing on a monthly basis. These were the original style with the screw/bolt-connected terminal ends. So I assembled them with hi-temp Never Seize on the screw terminals and so far (how long has it been?) all is well.
The 1000 watt (I think) defrost elements would be better I think. If these ever fail again that is what I will use. There is no high limit on this table. Just the operating stat attached to the bottom center of each water pan.
PHM
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When faced with the choice between changing one's mind, and proving that there is no need to do so, most tend to get busy on the proof.