>Learn Before You Buy>Glossary

Air Gap (or Air Break Tank)

So just how many glasses will fit in the machine?
This depends on glass diameter but using standard pint glasses as a guide

• 350 x 350 holds 12-14 pint glasses
  
• 370 x 370 holds 14-16 pint glasses
  
• 400 x 400 holds 16-20 pint glasses
  
• 450 x 450 holds up to 25 pint glasses
  
• 500 x 500 holds up to 30 pint glasses

You may also be able to fit slightly more glasses into a wire basket as the walls of the basket are thinner than plastic baskets.
There are also a huge variety of specialist baskets and inserts available for high value glasses such as champagne flutes and crystal.

Booster Pump

Before we explain this feature you need to understand how a machine fills and rinses.

A glasswasher or dishwasher that is not fitted with a boost pump relies on the mains water pressure to fill the initial heating vessel and then again to rinse the machine at the end of the cycle. These are known as pressurised boiler models.
A machine fitted with an internal boost pump still relies on water pressure to fill the initial heating vessel but then uses the added pressure of the boost pump to rinse the machine at the end of the cycle. This give a more efficient and cleaner result
Boost pumps can be externally fitted if the model fitted requires it in low water pressure areas.
Be mindful of your own water pressure and if in doubt ask for advice before purchasing.
In addition some local councils, under amended water regulations, insist on an “air gap” this would not be possible with a machine that relies on external water pressure alone for filling and rinsing.
So if you need an air gap you also need a booster pump.

Cycle Time and types

Cycle times for glass washers have a minimum of two minutes and for Dish washers, two, three or five. The choice of cycles for Dish washers depend on what is being washed and how soiled it is.
This minimum time limit was agreed by most manufacturers and part of the European directive on health and hygiene legislation.
There is no technical upper time limit and duration time varies due to type of machine, KW power, water temperature etc.

Detergent Pump

These are devices used to put warewashing chemicals into your machine to aid the wash and rinse cycle.
Not all machines have them in built, they can be supplied by chemical companies and mounted externally.

Gravity Drain

A gravity drain can only be used when the bottom of the machine is sited in such a way that it is physically above the level of the pipe that will allow the waste water to flow away.

Power Requirements

This will be initially determined by what power supply you have on site, either single or 3 phase.
Many commercial establishments will have a 3 phase supply available allowing choice from a larger range of machines.
Once that is decided the next set of options would be the loading.
A single phase machine could start at 13 amp (normal 3 pin plug) and up to 32 amp.
For loading in excess of 32 amp a 3 phase unit is usually preferred. A 3 phase supply can have most ratings up to 100 amp per phase.
A rating in excess of that would be a machine manufactured to special requirements.

Broadly speaking the more power you make available to your machine the quicker it will perform a cycle. It is difficult to be more specific but as a rule of thumb less than 32 amp single phase, greater than is 3 phase.
Other criteria to consider
How many cycles per hour you require.
Whether your machine is on a hot or cold water supply.
What type of machine you need, large pot washer, small glass washer etc.

There are many more considerations, please contact us for advice.

Pumped Drain

Machines fitted with a pumped drain can be sited in most locations.  When a cycle is complete the water is pumped away either automatically (depending on machine type) or by manually activating the feature.
Many machines do not come with a drain pump as standard so it is important to take this into consideration when making a selection.

Regeneration of Softener

The material used inside a softener is in most cases a man made material, this has to be revitalized using salt.
Depending on what softener you have different types of salt need to be used, please contact us for advice.

In the UK water hardness varies greatly.
If the total hardness of water exceeds 7° Clark (100 ppm) then a water softening device should be used.
As a rough guide the Drinking Water Inspectorate have a map here.

A water softener either fitted internally or external turns hard water into soft water.
The use of hard water will  impair the effectiveness of your machine, lead to higher chemical use, eventually cause damage to your machine and will often affect any manufacturers warranty you may have.

Manual or Automatic?
Manual being the cheaper option. Manual softeners do require manual rinsing on a regular basis, approximately once a week depending on usage. This involves disconnecting, flushing through, replenishing salts and reconnecting. Failiure to do this regularly will lead to limescale build up.

The automatic machines only require topping up and do not require any manual rinsing as they carry out an automatic regeneration, usually set by an internal clockwork timer, to a time not likely to interfere with machine operation.

The EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is one of a series of 'producer responsibility’ Directives that makes EU producers of new equipment pay for the recycling and/or safe treatment and disposal of the products they put on the market when they eventually come to be thrown away.

We will ask you if you would like us to retain responsibility for arranging for a WEEE accredited recycler to collect your purchase at the end of its useful life.
There is also a responsibility to offer this service on 'like for like' replacements on machinery purchased after April 2005
If you would like to take advantage of this service a charge is levied at the time of purchase the amount of which varies with the type and size of machine as follows.

• Under Counter Dish or Glasswasher £80
• Hood, Pass through dishwasher £160

If you do not wish to do so the responsibility for disposal is passed to the end user.