A commercial fryer not heating up will render it useless, so you would want to find the cause of the problem quickly, either by yourself or by calling in a commercial kitchen appliance repair technician. Below are some of the causes of a commercial deep fryer that is powered on (lights, display, etc., are on), but not heating up.

Causes Of A Commercial Gas Deep Fryer Turning On But Not Heating Up

Bad Thermostat Or Temperature Sensor

Traditional commercial deep fryer models have a thermostat and a temperature sensor, while newer models have a temperature sensor that directly sends signals to the control board.

A temperature probe is the sensor that senses the oil temperature and signals either the thermostat (older models) or the control board (newer models) to turn on or turn off the burners.

A faulty temperature probe won’t sense the temperature correctly. For instance, the temperature would be very low, but the temperature probe will detect it as high, so it won’t signal the thermostat or control board to turn on the burners, and the fryer won’t heat up. So, have the temperature probe checked and replaced if faulty.

Apart from that, if your gas fryer model has a thermostat, it can malfunction as well. The temperature problem may detect the correct temperature, but the faulty thermostat won’t act on it, so the fryer won’t heat up. A fryer thermostat can be calibrated or replaced.

Pilot Light Not Staying Lit

Older commercial gas fryers have a pilot light – a small flame that stays lit and acts as an igniter for the burners. So, if it’s out unexpectedly or has a weak flame, the burners won’t turn on when required and the fryer won’t heat up.

Pilot light problems can be due to a gas supply issue, dirty or clogged pilot light orifice, a faulty thermocouple (senses the flame and opens the gas valve), misaligned pilot light position, airflow problems blowing out the pilot light, not drying the pilot light or related components after cleaning, and others.

Faulty Or Dirty Igniter

New commercial gas fryers don’t have a pilot light that stays lit. They have an ignitor that creates a spark or becomes hot for the burners to turn on. It runs on electricity or may be battery-powered. Regardless, if it goes bad or there is a lot of debris buildup on the ignitor, the burners won’t get enough spark or heat to turn on, so the fryer won’t heat up when it should.

Apart from a faulty or dirty igniter, ignition issues can also stem from the ignition module, which is the control board for the igniter. In addition to that, wiring problems can also cause ignition problems.

In some cases, ignition problems arise after a service due to misalignment, the component being wet, damaged wiring, improper reassembling of the burners, or others.

Tripped High-Limit Switch

A high-limit switch or thermostat is a safety tool that cuts off the gas supply to the burners due to overheating or any other problem. So, the commercial gas fryer will be powered on but won’t heat up if the high-limit switch is tripped. When it happens, the igniter may click but won’t turn on the burners because the gas supply is cut by the high-limit switch.

A common cause of a tripped high-limit switch is low oil levels. Other causes can be: thermostat or temperature sensor problems, a stuck gas valve, a dirty fryer, airflow problems, burner issues, using the wrong type of oil or old oil, or not changing oil as per the requirements.

You can reset your commercial gas fryer if the high-limit switch trips. You have to turn off the fryer entirely and wait for it to cool down. Then, refer to the user manual to locate the reset button and press it. Turn on the fryer and check if it’s heating.

Note: If the fryer keeps tripping, don’t reset it and consult a commercial appliances repair Fairfax expert.

Bad Control Board

A control board acts as the manager of a gas fryer or any component. But it can malfunction or behave erratically due to wear, poor maintenance, or other issues. Control board problems can create various issues and one of them can be the gas fryer powered on but not heating up. These issues can occur even when the respective components are fine.

A control board is a complex component, so avoid inspecting it yourself and hire a professional to check it.

Poor maintenance is a common culprit of control board or any other commercial kitchen appliance problems, so make sure to maintain your kitchen equipment properly.

Gas Supply Problems

A gas supply issue is also a common cause of a commercial gas dryer not heating up, even when powered on, because there is no or very low gas pressure that’s not enough to turn on the burners. Below are some common gas problems.

No Appliance Is Receiving Gas At All Or Not Receiving Enough Gas

Firstly, check if other appliances are receiving enough gas supply. If not, inspect the main valve that allows gas to the facility. Many times, it can be accidentally closed or partially closed, leading to gas supply problems. There can also be a gas supply issue from the utility company. Another possibility is that the facility’s gas line might be damaged.

Moreover, check the exposed parts of the gas lines from the valve leading up to the appliances for any damage or leakage.

Apart from that, in the case of a commercial propane fryer, the tank may be empty or the automatic changeover to switch supply from an empty tank to a full tank may be faulty.

All Appliances Receive Low-Pressure Gas During Busy Hours

If your commercial gas fryer or other gas appliances receive low-pressure gas during busy hours, it could be due to undersized piping. This is usually caused when a business keeps adding more gas appliances without upgrading the piping.

Therefore, the appliances would receive optimal gas pressure during most of the day, except during the busy hours when all or most gas appliances are in use.

The Gas Fryer Alone Is Having Gas Supply Problems

If other appliances are receiving enough gas, but the gas fryer is struggling to turn on due to a gas supply problem, it can be a few things:

Inspect the external gas pressure regulator. Any problem with the regulator can cause problems, like too low or too high gas pressure or inconsistent gas pressure. Other issues can be a clogged pilot light or burner orifices, damaged flexible gas line, clogged pilot light or burners, etc. Hire a gas fryer expert who can check everything to find the cause of the issue and fix it.

Conclusion

A commercial gas fryer that is powered on but not heating up the oil can be due to various reasons. Therefore, inspect some of the above-mentioned items that you can and leave the complex ones to a deep fryer repair Arlington expert.