With weather forecasts indicating a heatwave maybe due over the coming days, this can bring an excellent increase in sales opportunities. However, these warmer weather conditions can have an adverse effect on refrigeration equipment, causing it to work harder to keep things cooler and potentially resulting in breakdowns. Therefore, we thought that we would share with you some tips to help ensure that you obtain the optimum efficiency from your refrigerated equipment.
- Ambient conditions - Air-cooled equipments efficiency decreases as temperatures surpass 30 C. Try to maximise the flow of fresh cool air into equipment location. Ensure where fitted that air-conditioning is maximised.
- Heat Sources - Wherever possible aim to keep equipment as far away as possible from other equipment generating heat such as ovens, hot holding cabinets and other refrigeration appliances. Also where located by windows, keep equipment out of direct sunlight, which can heat metallic surfaces/panels and increase residual heat of the equipment.
- Airflow - Ensure that spacing guidelines as detailed within the equipment user manual are adhered to and free space is available around the air inlet and exhaust areas of equipment to maximise airflow both into and out of the equipment. Relocate any accessories that may be within the vicinity of the machine to optimise airflow and ensure that sundries such as cups, cones, sauce bottles and packaging materials etc. are not blocking airflow. Move equipment away from walls or other equipment where possible.
- Filters - Some of our air-cooled equipment are fitted with air filters over the air condenser. These filters capture dust and debris preventing them entering the grills/fins of the condenser. These filters need to be frequently removed and cleaned. If clogged, then they can prevent or restrict airflow into equipment reducing efficiency and/or cause overheating.
- Air Condenser - If you machine is not fitted with an air filter as detailed in point 4 then the airflow is drawn into the equipment directly across a finned/grilled air condenser. As per the air filter then this air condenser should be free of dust and debris. If this condenser requires cleaning then it is recommended that you contact our Service Desk to book an appointment for one of our skilled technicians to complete this task. Correct personal protective equipment, like gloves and goggles must be worn when completing the cleaning of this component and particular attention must be given to not flatten or damage the delicate fins/grills and ensure dust and debris are brushed or blown/sucked out of the condenser to prevent the blocking of this component.
- Pressure Switch Alarms - If conditions 1 to 5 are breached, then your equipment may display an alarm/alert. Normally “Pressure Switch”, “HP” or flashing red light on ice machines. Check all points 1 - 5 and rectify issues where highlighted. If the issue persists then please contact our Service Desk on 01432 346018.
- Liquid Mixes - Whilst most mixes used for ice cream and milkshake machines are UHT and only require ambient storage, we highly recommend that wherever possible space within your chiller, cold-room or fridge is optimised to store as much product as possible. If finished products are dispensed for example at -6C and the mix that you are pouring into you machine is at an ambient of +26C, then your machine needs to reduce the temperature by a whopping 32C!! However, if you have a ready supply of refrigerated mix at +4C, then your machine only has to reduce the temperature by 10C. This not only makes your machine more efficient and enables increased production, but it also reduces the heat load being generated within the equipment location and reduces energy costs.
- Self-Pasteurisation/Heat Treat - Where enabled & utilised on our equipment, this process involves the heating of the liquid mix within the equipment to +65C, holding at this temperature for 30 minutes and then cooling back to +4C (approximately a 3 hour cycle). Due to the increased temperature of +65C, when the machine enters the cooling phase of this process, of course ambient heat load of the available ambient air subsequently increases. We recommend therefore, that: -
- Adequate ventilation is provided with plenty of fresh air.
- Where this cycle is automated, then this should start at between 1am to 4am when ambient temperatures are cooler.
- Where this process is started manually, initiate this as late in the day as possible.
- Where air conditioning is fitted or you have air handling extraction/ventilation, then leave this running overnight, so as a majority of the ambient heat generated by the machine during this process is removed from the area.
- In locations where equipment is located within very confined and enclosed areas, with zero ventilation when closed/overnight, then consider delaying and only initiating the cycle when the area is open, so as doors and windows can be fully opened to aid and increase ventilation.
We hope that you found these tips helpful and offer our assurance that following them will maximise your equipment's uptime and efficiency during this period. If you would like any further advice or support relating to any of the points highlighted above, then please do not hesitate to reach out to our Aftersales Team on 01432 346018
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