Detergent usage and water hardness are two factors that contribute greatly to how efficient your dishmachine will operate. Using
detergent in the proper amount can become, in time, a source of substantial savings. A qualified water treatment specialist can tell
you what is needed for maximum efficiency from your detergent, but you should still know some basics so you’ll understand what
they are talking about.
First, you must understand that hard water greatly effects the performance of the dishmachine. Water hardness is the amount of dis-
solved calcium and magnesium in the water supply. The more dissolved solids in the water, the greater the water hardness. Hard
water works against detergent, thereby causing the amount of detergent required for washing to increase. As you use more deter-
gent, your costs for operating the dishmachine will increase and the results will decrease. The solids in hard water also may build-up
as a scale on wash and rinse heaters, decreasing their ability to heat water. Water temperature is important in removing soil and san-
itizing dishes. If the water cannot get hot enough, your results may not be satisfactory. This is why Jackson recommends that if you
have installed the machine in an area with hard water, that you also install some type of water treatment equipment to help remove
the dissolved solids from the water before it gets to the dishmachine.
Second, hard water may have you adding drying agents to your operating cycle to prevent spotting, when the real problem is
deposited solids on your ware. As the water evaporates off of the ware, the solids will be left behind to form the spotting and no
amount of drying agent will prevent this. Again, using treated water will undoubtedly reduce the occurrences of this problem.
Third, treated water may not be suitable for use in other areas of your operation. For instance, coffee made with soft water may have
an acid or bitter flavor. It may only be feasible to install a small treatment unit for the water going into the dishmachine itself. Discuss
this option with your qualified water treatment specialist.
Even after the water hardness problems have been solved, there still must be proper training of dishmachine operators in how much
detergent is to be used per cycle. Talk with your water treatment specialist and detergent vendor and come up with a complete train-
ing program for operators. Using too much detergent has as detrimental effects as using too little. The proper amount of detergent
must be used for job. It is important to remember that certain menu items may require extra detergent by their nature and personnel
need to be made aware of this. Experience in using the dishmachine under a variety of conditions, along with good training in the
operation of the machine, can go a long way in ensuring your dishmachine operates as efficiently as possible.
Certain dishmachine models require that chemicals be provided for proper operation and sanitization. Some models even require the
installation of third-party chemical feeders to introduce those chemicals to the machine. Jackson does not recommend or endorse
any brand name of chemicals or chemical dispensing equipment. Contact your local chemical distributor for questions concerning
these subjects.
Some dishmachines come equipped with integral solid detergent dispensers. These dispensers are designed to accommodate deter-
gents in a certain sized container. If you have such a unit, remember to explain this to your chemical distributor upon first contacting
them.
As explained before, water temperature is an important factor in ensuring that your dishmachine functions properly. The data plate
located on each unit details what the minimum temperatures must be for either the incoming water supply, the wash tank and the
rinse tank, depending on what model of dishmachine you have installed. These temperatures may also be followed by temperatures
that Jackson recommends to ensure the highest performance from you dishmachine. However, if the minimum requirements are not
met, the chances are your dishes will not be clean or sanitized. Remember, a dish can look clean, but it may not be sanitized.
Instruct your dishmachine operators to observe the required temperatures and to report when they fall below the minimum allowed. A
loss of temperature can indicate a much larger problem such as a failed heater or it could also indicate that the hot water heater for
your operation is not up to capacity and a larger one may need to be installed.
There are several factors to consider when installing your dishmachine to ensure that you get the best possible results from it and
that it operates at peak efficiency for many years. Discuss your concerns with your local chemical distributor and water treatment
specialist before there is a problem.
DETERGENT CONTROL
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