Commercial dishwashing machines require very hot rinse water to properly clean and sanitize dishes, glasses, utensils and other kitchenware. In fact, the water they use must be heated to at least 180°F (82 °C) — a temperature that’s well above the 110-145°F (43-63°C) water that’s provided via your primary water heater.
By purchasing a booster water heater, you can increase and maintain the temperature of the water supplied specifically to your dishwasher (without cranking up the temperature on your primary water heater and creating a scalding hazard at your faucet). But before making a purchase, ensure you’re avoiding these six booster-buying blunders.
1. Sizing your booster incorrectly
Buying a booster isn’t a one-size-fits-all kind of purchase. You need to choose a booster with the size capacity to deliver the right amount of on-demand hot water to satisfy your dishwashing needs. Size too small and you won’t have the hot water supply your dishwasher needs. Size too large and you may end up spending excess money on installation and utility costs. And no, don’t “size up” just to be safe (we aren’t talking about jeans here). A properly sized booster water heater will deliver the hot water supply you need; just take the time to crunch the numbers and get your order right.
To ensure your booster water heater is sized correctly, complete the worksheet found on page six of our handy guide, Everything You Need to Know About Hatco Booster Water Heaters (click here for access). This worksheet will walk you through the steps you need to take in order to identify a booster with the right kilowatts required to heat the amount of water (gallons per hour) your dishwasher uses.
2. Thinking you don’t need a booster for a low-temp machine
Low-temp dishwashing machines don’t require as hot of water as other commercial dish machines because they use chemicals (such as chlorine) to help sanitize your dirty dishes. More specifically, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) says that you only need 120 °F (49 °C) water for a low-temperature dishwasher.
With that said, you’re better off purchasing a booster for your low-temp machine to increase water temperature to 140-150°F (60-66°C). The reason for this is that animal fats, lipstick and grease will break down much more easily. Also, your dishes will dry faster, leaving you with spot-, residue- and lipstick-free tableware that even your most scrutinizing customer (ahem, mom) will approve of.
3. Getting the voltage wrong
Unless you were an electrician in a previous life, voltage can be a confusing concept to get your head around. There’s much to know, but put simply, voltage is the pressure that pushes electric current through a wire. When ordering an electric booster water heater (or any electric-powered equipment for that matter), you need to know how much voltage is available at your building, so you can order a unit that’s rated for the appropriate voltage. There are a lot of possible voltages (note: you have what you have), so check with a licensed electrician or your utility company if you’re unsure of the voltage at your location. You’ll also want to confirm if the utility-line voltage being supplied to your site is single- or three-phase, as this too will impact the booster model you select.
4. Opting out of a phosphate treatment system
Water naturally has a variety of minerals in it. Over time, these minerals can build up in your plumbing pipes, booster tank components, and dish machine. This build-up lowers the efficiency, increases the energy use, and diminishes the operating life of your booster and dishwasher. Softening and treating your water helps combat mineral build-up, but you should also ensure your booster has a phosphate treatment system installed (this is usually an add-on). This system provides you with an extra line of defense against mineral build-up by automatically dispensing phosphate into the water before it enters your booster (and then dish machine). The result is less maintenance, softer water and better long-term protection of your equipment investment.
5. Overlooking the power of probes
You know the saying, “two heads are better than one?” Well, if two are better than one (and definitely better than none), wouldn’t three be even better? And wouldn’t the same philosophy apply to other things — like the probes used in booster water heaters?
Okay, kind of a stretch, but here’s what we mean. Not all booster water heaters are equipped with individual probes to monitor and control for low water levels, high temperature limits, and set temperatures. Some boosters on the market have one probe that’s responsible for all three of these functions, while other boosters don’t have any probes at all. Neither of these scenarios are ideal.
When looking for a booster water heater, make sure it has three probes, each dedicated to its own job and offering some redundancy. You’ll need one probe to monitor low-water levels to ensure you don’t burn out the booster’s heating elements if the water gets too low (although on that note, look for a booster with an automatic shut-off system too). You’ll need another probe to monitor water temperatures and stop the unit from heating water to unsafe temperatures (this probe is a safety mechanism that offers redundancy). And lastly, you’ll need a third probe dedicated to thermostatic control to ensure that the water temperature gets up to the recommended “set temperature” of around 180°F (82°C) needed for the final rinse cycle.
So yes, we know probes aren’t exactly the most exciting topic to discuss. But do yourself a favor and opt for a booster with the three hardworking probes! You’ll thank yourself later.
6. Going with any old manufacturer
When you’re purchasing new equipment, the manufacturer matters. The quality, speed, communication, innovation and return that you get from a manufacturer makes a huge difference. But so does a manufacturer’s legacy.
At Hatco, we’ve been known for our manufacturing excellence since 1950. In fact, we got our start with boosters. The founders of Hatco Corporation, Gordon and LaReine Hatch, actually brought the booster water heater to market. In response to a 1940s code update that required sanitizing rinse water temperatures to be at least 180°F (82°C), this dynamic duo invented, tested, marketed and launched an innovative booster water heater that gave foodservice operators the power to quickly and easily boost the temperature of their available hot water. It was a much needed innovation, and to this day it has paved the way for Hatco’s reputation as the expert and leader in booster water heaters — and beyond.
Ready for more?
There’s a lot to learn about booster water heaters. For more information on the origins of the booster, how they work, how to care for them, how to size them, and for a rundown on your booster-buying options, check out our latest and greatest booster water heater guide today!
