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Pitco Fryers Troubleshooting

Commercial deep fryers are an integral part of any quick-service establishment. With heavy-duty, daily use, even high-performance brands like Pitco can experience malfunctions from time to time. Fortunately, many of these problems can be fixed easily. We'll take you through some simple steps to try on your Pitco deep fryer first and let you know when it's best to give your service agent a call.

Use the following links to navigate and learn how to troubleshoot common Pitco fryer issues:

  1. Pitco Fryer Won't Turn On
  2. Pitco Fryer Won't Ignite or Stay Lit
  3. Pitco Fryer Won't Heat
  4. Pitco Fryer Not Draining
  5. Pitco Fryer Not Filtering
  6. Pitco Fryer Parts
Restaurant Equipment

Pitco Fryer Won't Turn On

There are a few issues that could prevent your unit from getting the power it needs to turn on. Below are a few things to check for:

No power supply. If there is no power being supplied to the fryer, check the main building power supply.

Controller isn’t turned on. Turn on the controller.

Power cord isn’t connected. Connect the power cord if it is loose or isn’t connected.

Main circuit breaker has tripped. Reset the circuit breaker.

If electric power is removed, the appliance will shut down. Wait five minutes after the power is restored before attempting to restart your fryer. This time allows any accumulated gas in the burner or tubes to dissipate. Refer to your Pitco fryer owner's manual to follow the appliance start-up procedure before operation.

Restaurant Equipment

Pitco Fryer Won't Ignite or Stay Lit

If there is no spark to ignite the pilot light or the pilot light sparks but does not ignite, it prevents the cooking oil from properly heating. If your controller displays an ignition failure, turn off the controller and check the pilot light issues. Here are some reasons the pilot light is not staying on and how to fix the problem.

Gas valve is off. The gas valve controls the flow of gas to the pilot and burners. Turn the gas valve knob to the ON position.

Gas shutoff valve is closed. The gas shutoff valve controls the gas supply to the gas valve and it features a yellow handle for easy identification. Turn on the gas shutoff valve.

Poor gas supply. Grease or debris buildup in the burner assembly could limit the gas supply and should be regularly cleaned. There can also be a pressure issue with the source that is supplying gas to your machine. Contact an authorized technician if it is a pressure issue.

Tripped high temperature limit switch. If the high temperature limit has tripped, turn off the unit and allow it to cool down. Add any oil as needed, press the high temperature reset button to reset, and start up the fryer as usual.

Pitco Fryer Won't Heat

If your Pitco fryer is turned on but isn't heating up properly, there are a few things you can look at before calling an authorized technician.

Note: if the unit will not maintain the temperature properly, it may be a faulty temperature probe or faulty high temperature limit. Contact an authorized technician to fix either of these issues.

Restaurant Equipment

Drain valve is open. If your appliance has a drain valve interlock circuit, it will stop heating if the tank drain valve is open.

Low oil level. If your appliance is equipped with a float switch, the appliance will stop heating if the oil level reaches an unsafe height. In some cases, the appliance will turn off. Turn the unit off (if it’s not already off), close the drain valve, fill the tank with oil, and then turn the unit back on. 

Tripped high temperature limit switch. If the high temperature limit has tripped, turn off the unit and allow it to cool down. Add any oil as needed, press the high temperature reset button, and start up the fryer as usual.

Self cleaning burner system (SCBS) temperature limit switch has tripped. If the switch has tripped, turn off the appliance and allow the unit to cool. Press the SCBS high limit reset button located behind the front panel at the top of the main burners. If the problem continues, contact an authorized technician.

 

Restaurant Equipment

Pitco Fryer Not Draining

Here are some issues that could be causing your Pitco deep fryer to not drain properly and how to troubleshoot them.

Drain valve is closed. If the drain valve is closed, oil cannot drain from the cook tank. Open the blue-handled drain valve.

Tank’s drain outlet is clogged. The outlet may have a buildup of old oil, grease, and food particles that is preventing it from draining oil. If there are any blockages, wait for the oil to cool before emptying your deep fryer and cleaning the outlet and fry pot.

Defective drain switch. Contact an authorized technician to replace.

Pitco Fryer Not Filtering

If your Pitco fryer is not filtering oil properly, there may be an issue with the filter pump, or something is clogged. Ensure the filter system has been assembled correctly so that food debris does not enter the pipes and clog the system. If your fryer is not running or is running too slow, check for the following issues to diagnose the problem.

Restaurant Equipment

Filter pump does not activate. Check to see if the filter pump circuit breaker has tripped. If it is tripped, press the filter pump reset button.

Pumping Slowly

If oil is returning to the tank too slowly, here are a few things to look for:

Dirty filter paper. Replace it with new paper.

Dirty strainer cap. Remove and clean.

Filter pan is not pushed in completely. Push the filter pan in.

Excessive Air Bubbles in the Oil

If there is an excessive amount of air bubbles in the oil that is being returned to the tank, here are a few things to check out:

Pickup tube screen is not tight. Tighten the cap.

Pickup tube screen cap has not been installed. Locate and install it.

Filter pan is not pushed in completely. Push the filter pan in.

Expert Tip

The cooker tank, filter media kit, filter strainer cap, filter pickup assembly, and filter pan should be cleaned daily. Reference your Pitco fryer's manual for cleaning instructions.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.

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