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Grease trap size for DELCO

C

Charles

New member
We will not have a fryer. Just pizza, salads, and sandwiches. Before I ask the city (some have complained of inconsistency in their requirements), I wanted to get your opinion of the size we should expect. Any delcos out there want to share the size they have?

We are considering a 50 gpm, 100 lb grease capacity. It is the largest this manufacturer makes but not significantly more expensive than the smaller ones. Considering the cost of installation including cutting concrete and repouring, getting a larger one now seems to make sense. But I know little about sizing GT’s, and so am looking to you kind folks.
 
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it has been my experience that the plumbing inspector will decide what size you will need at a minimum.
the size of your sink and how it drains are the main factors.
 
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Several other restaurateurs I have spoken to (Papa Murphy’s, a coffee shop, Super Suppers, etc) have had to get grease traps of different sizes that did not seem to fit their application. I was wondering if there was a standard or how I can somehow influence the size that is required through design. I may not be able to change the inspector’s mind, but I would like to be armed with knowledge.
 
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Hi Dewar:

The grease trap situation, like many others, has reached absurd proportions.

We equipped thousands of Pizza DELCO’s with no grease trap at all.

Smith John Is correct ,your local building inspector will set the requirements and that can be anything he wants.

We recently had a full shop ready to ship to a client when he scrapped the entire project because the inspector wanted a 1000 Gallon unit installed.

George Mills
 
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That is what worries me. Papa Murphy’s was required to have a grease trap! They don’t even cook anything!
 
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dewar:
That is what worries me. Papa Murphy’s was required to have a grease trap! They don’t even cook anything!
Click to expand...
You best get with the building Department before you get to far into your project we are having clients forced to spend $10,000.00 to $20,000.00 on this often unneeded item.

George Mills
 
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We are in talks with them. They want to see plans first… so we are working with an architect. But a grease trap WILL be required. Sizing depends on the design, equipment, and other factors apparently.
 
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You may want to speak with your water reclamation facility. Our city told us we needed to install an in-ground grease trap. We didn’t think that made much sense since we would have very, very little grease. The only time we cook raw meats is on top of a pizza… and that leaves with the customer. Plus we don’t have fryers.

Our water reclamation facility told us that we didn’t need a grease trap for our type of restaurant and sent a letter to our city confirming it. The city whined about it for a couple of weeks, but the reclamation district had final authority over the matter, not the city. In the end, we didn’t have to install the trap and the drains haven’t backed up yet!

Edited: Sorry, I just dug the letter out and it wasn’t the reclamation facility, it was the sewer district. That makes more sense, since it’s their sewers.

Not sure how it works everywhere though; I suppose this wouldn’t be much help where a city owns their own sewer system.
 
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Thanks, Piper! I will check to see who the governing body is for our area. I know the city code simply states something to the effect that the amount of grease exiting in the waste water cannot be above a certain level and that the inspector has the authority to approve plans to make sure it doesn’t. But if I can get someone at a higher level to state it won’t have that level, then maybe that will be good enough for them. I better do it gently though as inspectors can make life difficult if they want.
 
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proceed cautiously is correct…our city was looking to have all new restaurants install one of the 1000 gallon underground jobbs…ouch! we were able to convince him that we had virtually no grease, and most of it, like piper said, went into the pie.

we wrote an overveiw of the amount of grase/consumption would take place and told them of no plan to install a fryer. we told them we would install an in-line grease interseptor (around $350) coming off the triple sink and they (water and sewer dept.) let us “slide” with that

good luck
 
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I am happy to hear that some of you have gone to the mat with the grease trap authorities.

Just make sure you are not just winning a battle but eventually lose the war.

Note on Dewar’s comment that he is working with an architect. If you had let me know we would have, at no charge, prepared a professional floor plan and equipment list that is normally acceptable to most jurisdictions for just such evaluations as you describe. Once we have worked out the detail you can take our plans to an architect (if that is required by your building department) and have much of the work done in advance and should save you some bucks on the architect’s fee.

George Mills
 
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George, Joe did a floor plan for us on another location that fell through. Unfortunately, our city requires architect-stamped plans. I have Visio so I am sketching that for the architect to save money.
 
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First yes I agree its going to be the building commision that will determine the size.
I personaly feel that you should go with the smallest allowed…we did and never have to do anything to upkeep it or dump it…besides pouring ridx down once a month
 
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