Hottop Profiles / Q&A / Tips & Tricks

[milowebailey]

My GFI was tripping every time I plugged in the Caravel.  Yet never tripped w/ a double boiler pumper connected to it.
Caravel when plugged into 110v pulled something like 140w and I forget how many amps, very low, according to my
Kill-a-Watt.

However, no problems when plugged into a regular outlet.  Doug/OE suggested that it's possible that my heating element
may have some moisture in it from sitting unused too long and I should "dry it out" by plugging it in a regular outlet
for a while.  After a few times in the regular outlet, plugged it back into the GFI and it's never tripped again since.

Not suggesting your heating element has moisture, but perhaps try the same trick and see if it helps?

It could be buildup of coffee oils... but this would only will trip the GFI if you have a 3 prong plug...

[shakin_jake]

Thanks for everyone's help on this, you too scare your passenger...I was just messin with ya.  Right.

So here's where we're at with it...we also have two chest freezers plugged into the same line.  There's one more 20 AMP GFI circuit in the garage.  When we plugged both freezers into this circuit, it too blew, so we isolated it to one of the freezers that would not blow this other circuit and it runs fine.  The bigger freezer that is blowing (tripping) the GFI, we ran that one into the house on a non GFI circuit and it runs fine

Thinking it may be the GFI and wanting to eliminate it from the equation, I got a new one from home despot, swapped it out, plugged em both back in, same deal.  We're thinkin' the big freezer is dying a slow death as the little freezer works on that line w/o blowing (tripping) the new GFI

Boss is taking (has taken) everything from the big freezer and is trucking it into another empty freezer up in the barn

Haven't run any diagnostics on this suspect freezer but we're thinking it's a goner, or one not willing to run on GFI, which all of these circuits are in the garage, barn

Yeah, I could omit the GFI on that circuit but I like the added measure of electrical safety.  Will probably spring for a new larger freezer over the weekend.  Thanks for all of the hep!


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.   
Good judgement comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.

[milowebailey]

Thanks for everyone's help on this, you too scare your passenger...I was just messin with ya.  Right.

So here's where we're at with it...we also have two chest freezers plugged into the same line.  There's one more 20 AMP GFI circuit in the garage.  When we plugged both freezers into this circuit, it too blew, so we isolated it to one of the freezers that would not blow this other circuit and it runs fine.  The bigger freezer that is blowing (tripping) the GFI, we ran that one into the house on a non GFI circuit and it runs fine

Thinking it may be the GFI and wanting to eliminate it from the equation, I got a new one from home despot, swapped it out, plugged em both back in, same deal.  We're thinkin' the big freezer is dying a slow death as the little freezer works on that line w/o blowing (tripping) the new GFI

Boss is taking (has taken) everything from the big freezer and is trucking it into another empty freezer up in the barn

Haven't run any diagnostics on this suspect freezer but we're thinking it's a goner, or one not willing to run on GFI, which all of these circuits are in the garage, barn

Yeah, I could omit the GFI on that circuit but I like the added measure of electrical safety.  Will probably spring for a new larger freezer over the weekend.  Thanks for all of the hep!


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.   
Good judgement comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement.

Yep, that happens with freezers.  Often it's the start capacitor for the motor or the motor itself.

Makes more sense that it was the freezer causing it and not the hottop.

[Tex]

About GFCI & circuit breakers.

A circuit breaker is basically fire protection that keeps you from overloading the wiring. It trips if a circuit is carrying more amps than it's designed for, caused by either by plugging too many appliances into a circuit, or by a short to ground.

A GFCI is designed to save lives.  A GFCI monitors the amount of current flowing from hot to neutral. If there is any imbalance, it trips the circuit. It is able to sense a mismatch as small as 4 or 5 milliamps, and it can react as quickly as one-thirtieth of a second.

[smico]

Smico,  I've given up on the metal filters.  I've tried doubling them up and airflow is still like no filters.
I never bothered to try slowing it down w/ tin foil w/ holes. 

I'd be more than happy to swap you metal filters for your paper filters but I think you are better off keeping them
because I anticipate you will go back to the paper filters eventually. 

I've used just the paper filter alone and it's worked well enough in a pinch.  But if you need closure,
I'd be more than happy to accept the paper filters from you.  Less washing...

I just replace paper filter with metal filter and keep the cloth. I guess, what we are saying - you use paper filter only, and I use cloth filter only.
I have few metal filters, and they don't really wear, so no need for you to send me the filters.  Can you pm me you address and I will be happy to send one new paper filter to you?  I like that someone will find use for it.
Cheers,
Miroslav

[ScareYourPassenger]

Thanks for everyone's help on this, you too scare your passenger...I was just messin with ya.  Right.

I see your taking it back now:) I don't take forums as seriously as others so I tend to side with people just messing with me.

Glad you got it squared away and that your hottop wasn't the issue.

[RobertL]

I've been having problems with my HT lately for some reason all my roast are taking longer than normal. Can anyone tell me if this is a symptom of the top filter reaching the end of its life span?

[GC7]

I've been having problems with my HT lately for some reason all my roast are taking longer than normal. Can anyone tell me if this is a symptom of the top filter reaching the end of its life span?

Summer tends to be a time when you get lower voltages at the the wall from your power company. Get a KillAWatt and check. This can seriously affect roast times. Roast early in the morning to get the best voltages.

[RobertL]

Summer tends to be a time when you get lower voltages at the the wall from your power company. Get a KillAWatt and check. This can seriously affect roast times. Roast early in the morning to get the best voltages.

I learned this lesson when roasting with a Behmor last summer. I now use a kill-a-watt and roast in the morning or at night my voltage today was around 118-119v. Thanks for the reply.

[Mlee]

I've been having problems with my HT lately for some reason all my roast are taking longer than normal. Can anyone tell me if this is a symptom of the top filter reaching the end of its life span?

As said it can be either a voltage issue or when the top filter gets old it shrinks up and lets some of your heat out the top.

[YasBean]

I've been having problems with my HT lately for some reason all my roast are taking longer than normal. Can anyone tell me if this is a symptom of the top filter reaching the end of its life span?

As said it can be either a voltage issue or when the top filter gets old it shrinks up and lets some of your heat out the top.

When I saw the red element through my top filter the other day, I grabbed a Philips-head and switch filters out on the fly.  It made a difference in the roast time and the end result.  The felt inside the casing was quite shrunken.  A little soaking in cleaner will put it back to normal, though.

[Tex]

I've had two HTs and have done ~70 roasts total; hardly an expert, right? But one thing I noticed is how the roast profile changes with reduced airflow as the exhaust filters absorbed gunk.

I used a Kill-A-Watt & checked voltage at the receptacle with a MM, and voltage is never an issue with my electric provider. But if the filter is used for more than a half-dozen roasts without cleaning, the airflow begins to drop off and the roast profile follows it.

That's why I believe Randy's filter mod is a good idea, as it keeps the air flowing at a constant rate, so profiles remain constant too. I wonder if there's a similar mod for the top filter?

[YasBean]

I've had two HTs and have done ~70 roasts total; hardly an expert, right? But one thing I noticed is how the roast profile changes with reduced airflow as the exhaust filters absorbed gunk.

I used a Kill-A-Watt & checked voltage at the receptacle with a MM, and voltage is never an issue with my electric provider. But if the filter is used for more than a half-dozen roasts without cleaning, the airflow begins to drop off and the roast profile follows it.

That's why I believe Randy's filter mod is a good idea, as it keeps the air flowing at a constant rate, so profiles remain constant too. I wonder if there's a similar mod for the top filter?

This brings up a question I've had every time I read about these permanent filters, and every time I opt to clean my filter instead of replacing it with a new one: What exactly is the purpose of the filter?  Is it to catch the smudge that clogs it so it does not clog the fan?  Or is it to keep the environmental air clean to breath?  If it is the latter, I think that gets negated by the smoke pretty quickly.
If you are replacing the paper filter with a permanent filter that does not clog, are you letting stuff through that the filter is supposed to filter?  If the filter is only to reduce airflow, well then, I can think of much better design solutions.
Any ideas?

[Tex]

I've had two HTs and have done ~70 roasts total; hardly an expert, right? But one thing I noticed is how the roast profile changes with reduced airflow as the exhaust filters absorbed gunk.

I used a Kill-A-Watt & checked voltage at the receptacle with a MM, and voltage is never an issue with my electric provider. But if the filter is used for more than a half-dozen roasts without cleaning, the airflow begins to drop off and the roast profile follows it.

That's why I believe Randy's filter mod is a good idea, as it keeps the air flowing at a constant rate, so profiles remain constant too. I wonder if there's a similar mod for the top filter?

This brings up a question I've had every time I read about these permanent filters, and every time I opt to clean my filter instead of replacing it with a new one: What exactly is the purpose of the filter?  Is it to catch the smudge that clogs it so it does not clog the fan?  Or is it to keep the environmental air clean to breath?  If it is the latter, I think that gets negated by the smoke pretty quickly.
If you are replacing the paper filter with a permanent filter that does not clog, are you letting stuff through that the filter is supposed to filter?  If the filter is only to reduce airflow, well then, I can think of much better design solutions.
Any ideas?

That filter is the last piece of the machine, so it's not protecting anything inside it. Placed where it is, it can only have two functions; 1) keep the work area free of chaff/soot, 2) restrict airflow.

A mod like Randy's does a good enough job for both functions and is permanent. For me, it seems like a no brainer mod!

[YasBean]

That filter is the last piece of the machine, so it's not protecting anything inside it. Placed where it is, it can only have two functions; 1) keep the work area free of chaff/soot, 2) restrict airflow.

A mod like Randy's does a good enough job for both functions and is permanent. For me, it seems like a no brainer mod!

Well, on my Hottop, the filter is the next-to-last piece in the machine, right before the fan, so I figure there may one more purpose for it.