American Range AF45LP Deep Fryer - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Faulty thermocouple or stat

In order to turn the knob to the pilot position you need to push the knob in slightly and then turn. Once the pilot position on the knob is lined up with the indicator on the valve, you can push it in and gas will flow to the pilot assembly.

The color of the flame can be affected by a few different things. here are three of them: 1. If there is a food substance contacting the burner where the flame comes out, this will give the flame an orange tint. 2. If the propane is being burned at a very high rate, the flame can become invisible in daylight-like conditions. 3. If the propane is being burned at a very low rate it can also have an orange tint. Hope this is clarifying.

The pilot should stay on after holding the button down for a minute or so.

Hi there. Visit americanrange.com/ar-products/af45-heavy-duty-deep-fat-fryers/ and click the owner's manual tab for wiring diagram. Regards.

You would be correct in your assessment to check the thermostat.

From looking at this parts list, I see that the gas valve is powered by a thermal generator. The generator holds open the gas valve AND operates the gas valve solenoid. Their are 2 thermostats one of which determines the desired cooking emt and another which is a limit that kills the operation if the oil exceeds 450 f. To light this puppy you move the gas valve selection knob to the PILOT position. Press in on the knob and light the pilot with a match. Keep holding down the knob till the flame stays on without the knob being pressed. Advance the knob to the ON position once you have the pilot lit. Most common problems for this rig: Bad thermal generator/thermopile. Weak thermal generator holds the safety pilot on till heat is called for then shuts down when the solenoid is energized. Bad solenoid operator on gas valve (non replaceable you must buy a new valve) Bad thermostat or limit. Pretty easy fix if you like getting greasy. LOL If you need further help, reach me via phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/dan_73bbd84fe1d95b61

Gp to a restaurant equipment store or a food broker type place, or I can ship the product to you via UPS, but there are prodcuts developed specifically for cleaning fryers out, like Mr. Muscle, Degreaser, etc. You would fill your fryer up w/water, add the solution, like a packet of Mr. Muscle, and continue to boil the mixture for some time in the fryer.... After it's boiled for some time, use a fryer brush on your heating elements, etc, which you can also buy at a local store or I can ship one to you. When the fryer is clean, you will drain the mixture out and rinse several times. You want to make sure you get all the soap residue out of the fryer or it will destroy your oil after you add it in and try to cook with it...Rinse several times, then add your oil and you should be ready to go. You can also drop your fryer baskets in the mixture just like you are cooking and the boil out product will clean them too.. Be sure to drop them again as you rinse the whole unit out.. Hope this helps. Buy a couple of green pads too, and they should help you with any outside baked on stuffGood luck,SusanREO

Your fryer should have a fill line in the pot that you would use as a guide and not fill beyond that line....It should be at the back wall of the inside pot of the fryer....It's going to be alot lower than you would think, as the oil will bubble up and rise when you drop a basket of frozen product in the hot oil, but you don't want it to come over the top, so use the line inside the pot as your guideline. Also, you can look at the container your oil comes in too. When American Range says a 45 lb fryer, what they mean is it will cook approx 45 lbs of product, that's not 45 lbs of oil.... but it does end up being close anyway. I'd buy 2-3 of the commercial containers of oil, like 20# or so, and use what you need, save the rest.... Susan REO

Normally, on manual gas fryers, people don't hold down the light pilot button long enough for the sensors to heat up, to tell the pilot to light.... That's our number one complaint, and number one service call, and it's almost always the same thing;..... Hold the button down much longer, then try to light it... If you still have trouble, call our service tech, Ray @ 888-542-5959, at Restaurant Equipment Outlet, Cincinnati, Ohio. Thanks, Susan REO

Call and ask our service tech, Ray... We are Restaurant Equipment Outlet, Cincinnati, Ohio, and sell parts, new/used equipment and smallwares too. We normally ship in 1-2 days on parts, etc.
Our number is 888-542-5959. Ray normally can walk someone through lighting a pilot over the phone, no problem... Thanks, Susan REO

The next step is to replace the thermal sensor. This device senses if the pilot went out or not and can shut off gas. These items fail over time.

Make sure that the pilot flame is sufficient to heat up the thermopile and also make sure that the thermopile is free from dirt or soot.

If the pilot flame does not hold after releasing the button for at least 20 to 30 seconds, try to clean the thermopile and tighten all wiring connection on gas valve, thermostat and hi limit the repeat the process. The thermopile must be heated by pilot flame in order for it to generate small amount of voltage to open the pilot valve.
If this does not correct the problem, try replacing the thermopile.

I don't think it is the ortice it is most likley the thermal coupling change it and this will keep your pilot light will stay lit

Replace the pilot generator. You are not getting the millivolts you need when you turn on the fryer.

Tom

Using dyed water, locate leak(s), go to a welder that does stainless steel and get fixed. If leaks are detected where thermocouples pass thru tank, remove and re-seal fittings.

I have never owned the item you are having a problem with, but I have used and owned many gas items with a pilot light.

From what I have learnt over the years, I would not worry about the pilot light growing when the unit is turned on, or the noise. However, if the pilot light is staying on for more than a minute (Will burn excess gas in the pipes) or so after you shut the gas off, then your regulator could be leaking. If this is the case, then you should contact your local propane dealer and ask them to replace the regulator.

"IF THE REGULATOR IS LEAKING, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUT THE TANK IN AN ENCLOSED VEHICLE!"

First, if you have just installed the unit or have had the gas line off, it will take a few min's for the air in the gas line to be replaced with gas.
If it just started doing this, I would first clean the pilot and orifice. If this does not fix it, it can only be one of two things. A bad gas valve or a bad regulator. I think that you have a bad gas valve. The regulator very rarely goes bad.

Sorry to say this, you should not play around with gas equipment, please call in a gas fitter to deal with it. I know what is happening and if I tell you it is the gas pressure problem you still don't understand what I'm talking about or how to clean out the pressure vent hole or how to check the gas pressure because you don't have the proper equipment. Please let the right people do the right job. God Bless.