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Detergent usage and water hardness are two factors that contribute greatly to how efficiently 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
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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 detergent, 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 sanitizing dish
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es. 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 deposit
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ed 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 dry
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ing 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
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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
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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 locat
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ed 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 dish
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machine operators to observe the required temperatures and to report when they fall below the minimum allowed. A loss of tempera
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ture 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 special
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ist before there is a problem.
DETERGENT CONTROL