Pitco Fryer Troubleshooting Pitco makes some of the best deep fryers in the foodservice industry, whipping up everything delicious chicken to crispy onion rings with ease. When your unit isn’t working properly, it can cause major problems. But don’t panic! We have helpful Pitco fryer troubleshooting tips to help get your unit back on track in no time.
Pitco Fryer Troubleshooting Solutions
This guide is designed to help you identify an issue so you know what’s wrong the machine. Some of the issues outlined below will need to be resolved by an authorized service technician.
Won’t Turn on
There are a few issues that could keep power from your unit. In fact, you might even notice the pilot light on but no power in some cases. Here is what to look for.
- Faulty power switch or power cord – See if the unit’s power switch or cord on the fryer are damaged. If either are defective, have them replaced by an authorized technician immediately. When you check the power cord, make sure it’s actually plugged into the outlet before replacing.
- Tripped circuit breaker – If the fryer has a tripped circuit breaker, have the circuit reset.
Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit or Ignite
When the pilot light won’t ignite or stay on, this prevents the oil from heating properly. On select models, such as the Solstice, the controller will display “ignition failure.” When this happens, turn the controller off and check the pilot light for the following issue.
- Poor gas supply – The supply of gas could be limited by a grease or debris buildup in the burner assembly. There also could be pressure issue coming from the source supplying gas to your machine.
- Not sparking – When you open the unit, turn the control on and see if there are sparks coming out of pilot. If it’s not sparking, hit the high limit reset button. If it the button clicks, this means the unit overheated or the limit is bad. Press the button until it stops clicking. If clicking persists or the issue continues, contact an authorized service technician.
- Won’t light after setup – Make sure the yellow gas valve is on. If it is, reset the pilot knob by turning it off. Then, turn it to the “Pilot” position, and push and hold it in for 15-30 seconds. While you’re holding the knob in, light the pilot with a match or lighter. If it lights, turn the knob to the “On” position. If it won’t light, have the parts reinstalled by an authorized technician.
Pump Not Working
If the pump in your Pitco fryer is running slowly or not running at all, check from the following issues.
- Won’t run – If the circuit breaker isn’t tripped, the filter motor overload might have tripped. Have the thermal overload reset once the unit has cooled down.
- Pumping slowly – See if the filter return hose is connected correctly or tangled and fix accordingly. Another common problem is clogging in the filter’s pickup screens, bag and paper. Make sure to clean them or replace the filter media immediately if there are signs of damage. If you notice air bubbles coming from the oil discharge line, clean out the filter lines or have the defective pump replaced by an authorized technician.
Heat Failure and Airflow Issues
Your unit might be running but won’t heat or circulate properly. The following can cause temperature or airflow issues.
- Machine heating slowly – Dirty heating elements could affect the temperature. Remember to clean your fryer regularly on a daily or weekly basis. A faulty heat demand relay or element also could prevent the unit from heating properly. If either is defective, it would need to be replaced immediately by an authorized technician.
- No heat – If the unit is running without heat, there could be a defective or tripped high limit or an internal wiring error. Either problem would need to be serviced by an authorized technician.
Overheated unit with little to no airflow – An internal wiring error, failed circulation motor or improper voltage can affect the airflow of your fryer. All these problems will require an authorized service technician to conduct repairs.