Commercial fryer repair guides
Before any fryer fault, know which kind of fryer you have. A standing-pilot millivolt fryer and an electronic-ignition fryer fail in different ways and are fixed in different ways.
Guides
- Fryers · PitcoPitco fryer troubleshootingPitco fryer won’t turn on, won’t heat, shows HEAT FAILURE or DRAINING, won’t drain, or the filter won’t return oil: the causes and fixes from Pitco’s own troubleshooting charts.
- Fryers · Gas pilotsFryer pilot won't stay litWhy a commercial gas fryer pilot lights but goes out when you let go of the knob, or dies during service: the checks in order, Pitco's thermopile numbers, the high limit reset, and which jobs need a gas technician.
- Fryers · OilHow often should fryer oil be changed?Why a fixed number of days is the wrong answer, the 24% total polar materials (TPM) benchmark used across Europe, what a study of real restaurant fryers found, and how filtering, topping off and temperature make oil last longer.
If you smell gas
Turn the fryer's gas valve off, don't operate switches near it, ventilate, and call your gas utility or a gas technician.
Which kind of fryer is it?
| What's on the front | Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| A gas valve knob with PILOT, ON and OFF, and a thermostat dial | Standing pilot (millivolt) — you light the pilot by hand and it burns continuously | Pitco SG14, SG18, 35C+, 45C+; Dean and Frymaster SM series |
| A digital controller or computer, no pilot knob | Electronic ignition — the controller lights the burners when it calls for heat | Pitco SGH50, Solstice Supreme |
| No gas connection | Electric — heating elements instead of burners | Pitco SE and SSH series |
Start from the problem
| Situation | Go to |
|---|---|
| Pilot lights but goes out when you let go of the knob | Fryer pilot won't stay lit |
| Pilot goes out during service | Fryer pilot won't stay lit — draughts and the high limit |
| Controller shows HEAT FAILURE, DRAINING, PROBE or HIGH TMP | Pitco fryer troubleshooting — controller messages |
| Fryer won't turn on, or won't heat | Pitco fryer troubleshooting |
| Won't drain, or the filter won't return oil | Pitco fryer troubleshooting — drain and filter sections |
The oil
Oil is the fryer's biggest running cost. Changing it by measurement rather than by the calendar — the European benchmark is 24% total polar materials — and filtering and topping off daily makes it last. See how often should fryer oil be changed.
Two rules that prevent the worst fryer faults
- Never heat an empty or low fryer. Pitco says the tank must be full of oil before the gas valve is turned to ON, with the burner tubes covered.
- A high limit that keeps tripping is a warning, not a nuisance. It means the oil is getting too hot or the switch is failing. Overheated oil is a fire risk; stop using the fryer and get it checked.