The fryer is no longer heating up
Frying sweet or savoury dishes - a deep fat fryer offers something to suit every taste! With its oil-filled vat, it can be used to cook both fresh and frozen food. So why is it that when you come to use it now, it barely heats up, if indeed at all? With the help of this article, identify the root causes of this problem and solve this fault yourself!
POTENTIAL CAUSES OF THIS FAULT:
WARNING
Before working on your appliance, be sure to disconnect it from the electrical power supply.
Risk of electric shock.
For crispy fries, the oil must be sufficiently hot, but not too hot, otherwise your fries will be black on the outside and raw on the inside. And above all, don't overfill your fryer's basket, the fries must be able to move freely in the oil so that they can brown on all sides.
Safety mode is engaged
The fryer may simply have gone into safety mode. This can happen if your fryer has overheated (for example, when started up without oil) or if you forgot to unplug it. In the event of excessive heating, the safety thermostat shuts off the heating element to prevent it from causing a fire. On some models, a safety connector is triggered if the cover or control panel is incorrectly positioned. Either the safety thermostat resets itself when the unit has cooled down, or it can be reset manually by pressing a button on the outside of the appliance.
The thermostat knob is broken
On non-digital fryers, the knob can get dirty with oil and become difficult to move. If you force too much, the inner part of the knob that controls the mechanical system may break. It is then impossible to adjust the temperature and the fryer may no longer be instructed to heat the oil. After confirming that this is the cause of the problem, replace the affected parts or have them replaced by a professional.
The heating element is faulty
There are several possible causes for a faulty heating element. If your fryer has been running without oil, be aware that this is extremely bad for the heating elements: if you plug in a fryer when there is no oil in it, it will heat up and the temperature will continue to rise until the appliance breaks down. If the unit does not break down when heated with no oil, you can expect to encounter a problem at some point in the near future. You can test the status of your heating element using a multimeter in the ohmmeter position. Dismantle your device to access the part. Disconnect the wires connected to the heating element. Place the two terminals of your tester on each of the connectors of the heating element. A value must be displayed. If this is not the case, the resistor is probably defective and will need to be replaced.