Meat + Poultry - February 2005 - 52

with a good preventive maintenance
schedule. Every time processors go
through a cleaning cycle they should
check to see if all of the valves - the
steam and humidity valves - are functioning properly. The same goes for
the dampers. Those checks should all
be a part of the cleaning schedule.
"The exhaust stack and smoke ducts
should also be checked frequently.
Those things can gum up pretty
quickly if they are not maintained
properly."
Also, Rust recommends that processors change the wet bulb sock on
a daily basis if it is disposable. "If it's
not, then they should at least clean
it frequently," he says. "I've been in
situations where web bulb socks have
been in a smokehouse forever or they
are even missing. Processors who are
working in a hard water area really
need to pay attention to this. It doesn't
take long for the wet bulb sock and
reservoir to fill with calcium."
On a less frequent basis, Rust rec-

Proper smokehouse
operation starts with
a good preventive
maintenance schedule.
ommends processors check to ensure
that they have relatively uniform
temperatures throughout their smokehouse. "They can do this by placing
probes in various places throughout
the smokehouse," he says.
The Food Safety and Inspection
Service's renewed focus on controlling Listeria means temperature uniformity in a smokehouse is even more
important today because of lethality
treatment requirements. "Processors
have to determine whether temperature issues are being caused by the
smokehouse or how product is placed
inside of it," says Rust. "They also

need to check the calibration of their
temperature monitoring equipment.
A processor's dependence on thermal
lethality treatments is dependent on
what the equipment tells them. If it's
not calibrated properly there could be
trouble."
While processors can do a lot
to ensure the maintenance of their
smokehouses on a daily, weekly and
monthly basis, Rust recommends
that they bring in a smokehouse
engineer to go over the system annually. "They can make sure the
smokehouse is functioning the way
it was designed."

Troubleshooting gas burner problems
Before a gas burner ignites, a circuit of interlocks, pressure switches and contacts must be completed. Unless the entire circuit
is completed, safety devices will not allow the main burner to be fired.
As this circuit progresses, a series of up to 18 lights - each corresponding to a circuit function - will light up on the equipment sequence monitor located on the motor control panel.
By following a routine preventative maintenance program, processors will normally see all pertinent lights appear on the
monitor. However, should a malfunction occur, processors can often take quick and relatively inexpensive steps to correct it.
What follows are troubleshooting tips to correct the malfunctions indicated by the 18 lights on the equipment sequence
monitor:
1. Main blower running
(Auxiliary contact on main
blowers starter)
Solution(s):
● Tighten mounting screws.
● Replace contacts.
● Replace magnetic coil in starter.
● Check overloads and reset if
necessary.
2. Air flow switch
Solution(s):
● Remove moisture from the diaphragm.
● Replace diaphragm if ruptured.
● Clear creosote from tubing or pipes.
● Replace air flow pressure switch.

3. Combustion air switch
Solution(s):
● Replace combustion air pressure
switch.
● Check diaphragm and replace if ruptured.
4. Prove oven door open
Solution(s):
● Replace microswitch.
● Moisture from clean-up may
short out the switch (Not used in
newer systems).
5. Prove F.A.I. damper open
Solution(s):
● Tighten set screw to prevent cam
from turning on damper shaft.

● Tighten microswitch on mounting
bracket or replace it.
● Make sure damper is in proper position by the indicator mark on the
damper shaft.
6. Prove exhaust damper open
Solution(s):
● Tighten set screw to prevent cam
from turning on damper shaft.
● Tighten microswitch on mounting
bracket.
● Replace microswitch.
● Make sure damper is in proper position.
7. and 8. Prove safety valve
closed

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Meat + Poultry - February 2005

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