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Pop Machine Drain Clogging

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mandino

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Does anyone else have problems with their Pop Machine Drain Clogging? We pour a coffee decanter full of steaming hot water down it every night, and I pour bleach water down it once a week. Even with doing that, it seems as though once every 4-6 months we have a clog and I have to use compressed air to get it clean.

Does anyone put something down it that keeps it from getting clogged? I think it’s just the syrup/guck build up that’s restricting flow. My ice machine drains into the same drain, so if it clogs far enough down, everytime my ice machine drains it backs up on my counter. I would love to find a solution so I can keep it from getting clogged.

Thanks.
 
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Because of the syrup build-up, it can and does usually happen to everyone at some point. A lot depends on how your drain lines are run. Are they long runs? Do they they slant down enough? Does the machine get a lot of use? Do you have lemons and straw paper in there? I’ve worked stores where it never seems to happen and some where you just have to keep after general maintenance. Depends on conditions . . .

In one of our stores we have a 15 foot drain line because the store does not have floor sinks. We installed a bigger than normal pipe and flush the drains with four gallons of hot water twice a day. Its not a high volume store either. If pouring the water is kept up we generally do not have problems. When the line does slow its because either the day or night shift has not flushed the drains.
 
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Do you use wax cups? If so, it is probable your staff is “dipping” the cup instead of using the ice scoop. This results in some wax landing in the ice and eventually thru melting ice getting in the drain lines. The result is a nasty, slimy ooze in the drain hose that needs to be blown out about once a month or so in a higher volume environment. Also, a build-up can occur if your water filters are not properly maintained & changed out as per manufacturer’s specs.
 
Thanks for the help. We have a floor drain directly underneath the cabinet, so the line is only about 4 to 5 feet long. It is a selve serve unit with the ice bin and machine on top, and so dipping never happens. The bin on top is too high for anyone to reach anyway. We do have a filter on there and I change it about every 3 months, so I don’t think that would be it either. Lemons and straw paper maybe?

I suppose we will start flushing it twice a day with more water and see what happens. Thanks.
 
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You might try finding a small pipe cleaner to put down it. Ours is a bit different but clogs every now and again…I always thought it was ice but after trying hot water realized it was a clog. If you have ever cleaned an ice machine you have seen some nasty slime stuff well that is what you are dealing with. The constant cleaning is probably breaking it loose and then clogging it. If you can use your finger as a plunger in the hole that will work (you will see it all come up) or the pipe cleaner will do. Once you get it clean pour bleach down the drain before leaving for the night. We pour bleach down ours every night.

Kris
 
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Yes, just a small amount and we don’t run water or anything else down…it sits overnight. I would say no more than a cup. We do it quickly so it is forced to hit the sides of the drain. (make sense?) The faster you pour something it will hit the sides and leave a bit of bleach to kill the muck growing.
 
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We have the same set-up you do, short hose, soda sludge build-up. hot water on a regular basis for sure helps. I like the bleach idea., only one thing to add is that when you do have to clean it, a gun cleaning kit comes in handy if you can’t find a pipe cleaner.
Tom
 
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I ran a 4 inch drain pipe for mine, was told it was over kill (just installed last week) but may been a good idea
 
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