Applies to:
Diagnostic Mode
The Chick-fil-A fryer controllers provide Diagnostic functions that let an Operator review operating and performance data for the fryer. The information provided by Diagnostic Mode can be used to monitor procedural errors, such as, not waiting for the READY light before starting a Cook Cycle, canceling cycles early, etc. In addition, Diagnostic Mode allows slight adjustment to product color, reports the age and accumulated wear of the oil, and reports information about the performance of the line voltage supply.
Accessing Diagnostic Mode
- To activate Diagnostic Mode press the PROG button, and then press the number 4. The controller displays the following message:
- Press the down-arrow button to step forward to the next item.
- Press the up-arrow button to step backward through the report items.
- To toggle between English and Spanish Display Mode, press the PROG button, and then press the number 6 button.
- To exit Diagnostic Report Mode at any point, press the number 2 button.
*DIAGNOSTIC*
*REPORT*
When this introduction message is finished, the controller displays diagnostic step D1.
NOTE: The up and down arrow button is used to step through the report items.
NOTE: The report information is grouped into sections, D 1 through D 10. Most sections have several related items.
D1: Color Adjustment
This step lets the user make slight adjustments to the product color. The first step asks IS PRODUCT COLOR OK? If product color is okay and no change is desired:
- Press the 1 button or the down-arrow button to move on to the next item.
- Press the 2 button to exit Diagnostic Mode.
- If a change is desired, press the 3 button (i.e. color is not okay). The controller displays ADJUST DARKNESS, then displays the darkness control slider:
- A blinking asterisk (*) indicates the current position. The INFO and PROG button are used to adjust the darkness setting.
- To make the product darker, press the PROG button to move the blinking “ * “ toward the DK (darker) side.
- To make the product lighter, press the INFO button to move the blinking “ * “ toward the LT (lighter) side.
- When done adjusting, press the 2 button to exit and return to normal operating mode.
- To view the present regulating temperature, press the INFO button twice. In the example, SETPT = 315°F + 6 the product cook temperature is 315°F and has an additional offset of 6°F to compensate for the age of the oil, how long the fryer sits idle, and any color adjustments.
LT - - - - - + DK
NOTE: Any temperature adjustment activated by the Color Adjustment feature will be reflected in the normal setpoint display as part of the offset from the basic product cook temperature.
D2: Oil Wear Report
This section displays information about the age of the present batch of oil. The first step displays how many days of use this oil has:
D2: THIS OIL IS
D2: 4 DAYS OLD
NOTE: The controller only counts days in which the fryer is in use.
- Press the down-arrow to move on to the second step. This step displays the age of the oil by percentage of its expected lifetime. The oil’s present, accumulated wear is compared to the wear setting at which the controller will prompt for the oil to be changed.
- Press the down-arrow to move on to the next section.
D2: THIS OIL IS
D2: 16% USED
This information can be used as the oil nears the end of its life (i.e. 95%), to plan ahead for when a clean-out will be required.
D3: Line Voltage Performance Report
NOTE: This section displays information about how good the line voltage supply has been for the present day and for the present batch of oil.
The controller continually monitors the line voltage supplied to the fryer (when the fryer is on). If the line voltage drops below [90%] of its nominal value, the controller signals a LOW VOLTAGE alarm. This alarm sounds at the end of each cook cycle for which low voltage has been detected. While not cooking, the low voltage alarm can sound as frequently as every 30 minutes.
NOTE: Brackets ([ ]) around a value, such as [90%], means this value is programmable and might change with later software versions.
Voltage Report for Today
- If no low voltage warnings have been detected for the present day, the controller displays, D3: VOLTAGE OK, D3: TODAY.
- If one or more low voltage warnings have been detected for the present day, the following sequence example could be displayed.
D3: YOU HAD 3
D3: LOW VOLTAGE
D3: WARNINGS
D3: TODAY
- Press the down-arrow button.
- Press the down-arrow button.
- Press the down-arrow button. If one or more low voltage warnings have been detected before today, the following sequence is displayed:
- Press the down-arrow button.
- Press the down-arrow button.
- Press the down-arrow button to advance to the next section.
D3: MIN VOLTAGE” “D3: TODAY = 83%
D3: MAX VOLTAGE” “D3: TODAY = 101%
D3: BEFORE TODAY” “D3: 27 LOW VOLT” “D3: WARNINGS
D3: ON THIS OIL
D3: MIN VOLTAGE” “D3: BEFORE TODAY” “D3: = 85%
D3: MAX VOLTAGE” “D3: BEFORE TODAY” “D3: = 105%
D4: Heating Capacity Report
NOTE: This section reports the present status of the heating system.
The controller examines a history of heat-up data and determines whether or not the heating system is operating normally. The “heat capacity” is said to be bad only if the most recent heat-up failed to meet the expected heat-up rate and three of the last four heat-ups also failed to achieve the expected rate. That is, a single slow heat- up will not trigger a “slow heat” warning. The slow heat warning is activated only after repeated low-rate heat-ups is observed. The controller can’t assess the integrity of the heating system if the fryer has been experiencing voltage problems. Low heat rates observed in this situation might be due to voltage problems rather than heater problems.
- If the fryer has witnessed two or more low voltage warnings today, the following report is displayed:
- If the assessed heat capacity rating is presently “good” and at most only one heat-up today that failed to achieve the expected rate, the following report is displayed:
- If the heat capacity is presently assessed as “bad”, or presently assessed as “good” but two or more heat-ups today have not reached the expected heat-up rate, the following report sequence is generated:
D4: CAN’T TEST
D4: HEAT CAPACITY
D4: DUE TO
D4: VOLTAGE
D4: PROBLEMS
D4: HEATING
D4: CAPACITY
D4: IS FINE
D4: YOU HAD 75%
D4: SLOW HEATS
D4: TODAY
- Press the down-arrow button.
- Press the down-arrow button.
- Press the down-arrow button. If the heat capacity is assessed as bad (low heat-up rate on last heat-up, and on three of the last four heat-ups), then the heating coils are suspect and the following is displayed:
- If the heating coils are presumed to be good and the following messages appear:
- Press the down-arrow button.
D4: HAVE 20%
D4: SLOW HEATS
D4: THIS OIL
D4: HAD 0%
D4: SLOW HEATS
D4: LAST OIL
D4: CHECK COILS
D4: CONTACTORS
D4: AND WIRING
D4: HEATER COILS
D4: APPEAR OK
D4: CHECK
D4: CONTACTORS
D4: CONNECTIONS
D4: AND WIRING
D5: Cook Times (Slow Cooks) Report
NOTE: This summarizes the “slow cooking” status for each product.
Actual cook times for Cook Cycles can vary from the programmed cook time setting, due to the load compensation feature. Load compensation slows the cook timer down when the actual oil temperature is below a reference value, and speeds up the cook timer countdown when oil temperature is above the reference. When the oil temperature is lower than expected during a Cook Cycle, the overall cook time will be longer than normal. If the actual cook time stretches beyond a programmed limit, the controller counts a SLOW COOK event and sounds an alarm at the end of the Cook Cycle. If low voltage or low amps are detected during the Cook Cycle, the warning message indicates LOW VOLTAGE or LOW AMPS, but the cycle will still count as a slow cook. If the voltage and amps have been fine during the cook cycle but the cycle was started before the Ready light came on, then the warning message indicates SLOW COOK — WAIT FOR READY LIGHT. Otherwise, the slow cooking problem will be attributed to a bad batch of product: cooking too much in one load, or cooking product that is too cold. If none of the products has more than 5% slow Cook Cycles today, the following report is made:
D5: COOK TIMES
D5: LOOK OK
D5: TODAY
Otherwise, if one or more cook products have generated a slow cook warning more than 5% of the time, but four or more low voltage or slow heat-up warnings (any combination) have been generated today, then the report is as follows:
D5: SOME SLOW
D5: COOKS TODAY
D5: MAYBE DUE TO
D5: VOLTAGE OR
D5: COIL PROBLEMS
Such a report is saying the slow cooking may be the result of low voltage (which significantly reduces heat capacity) or the result of other problems with the heating system. In this case, the slow cook problems might not have anything to do with user error. Otherwise, the slow cooking is generally attributed to user error: cooking too much product in one load, cooking frozen product (in the pressure fryer) when it should be fresh, or cooking before the Ready light illuminates, etc. An individual XXXXX IS COOKING SLOWLY TODAY report item is generated for each product that has had more than 5% slow cook warnings today. This report item is triggered based solely on the number of slow cooks for that product, whether those slow cooks are due to voltage or heating problems, or due to cooking before ready, cooking too much, or cooking frozen product.
D5: FILET ( Product Name )
D5: COOKING SLOW
D5: TODAY
Press the down-arrow button. If any of the slow cooks for this product are suspected as being due user error, a second, bad batch report is generated for the product.
D5: NUG-STRP ( Product Name )
D5: COOKING SLOW
D5: TODAY
Press the down-arrow button.
D5: POSSIBLE
D5: OVERSIZED
D5: OR FROZEN
D5: BATCH OF
D5: NUG-STRP ( Product Name )
D5: DETECTED
D5: 3 TIMES
D5: TODAY
Press the down-arrow button.
D5: POSSIBLE
D5: OVERSIZED
D5: BATCH OF
D5: FRIES
D5: DETECTED
D5: 5 TIMES
D5: TODAY
D6: Cooked Before Ready Report
NOTE: This section displays how many Cook Cycles were started before the READY light was on. This is strictly a user error.
If the fryer was in the ready range when the user begins to load product, but is out of the ready range by the time the cook cycle is started, the control will not give you an alarm. If the fryer wasn’t ready before loading, an alarm sounds and WAS NOT READY warning is generated. The number of times this has happened today is indicated by the following report item:
D6: COOKED
D6: BEFORE READY
D6: 11 TIMES
D6: TODAY
Press the down-arrow button. The number of WAS NOT READY warnings for this batch of oil is also reported. This value does not yet include the not ready warnings generated today.
D6: BEFORE TODAY
D6: COOKED
D6: BEFORE READY
D6: 8 TIMES
D6: ON THIS OIL
Press the down-arrow button. Finally, the controller identifies how many times the not ready warning was generated for the previous batch of oil:
D6: LAST OIL
D6: COOKED
D6: BEFORE READY
D6: 24 TIMES
D7: Stopped Too Soon Report
NOTE: This section displays how many Cook Cycles were stopped early by the user, before the cook timer had counted down to 0:00 and the *DONE* was displayed. This is a user error.
Cycles that are canceled after cooking for less than 30 seconds are not counted here. For example, if a cycle is accidentally started, and the Cook Cycle is canceled after just a few seconds, this cycle will not be counted as a Stopped Too Soon Cycle. Also, some allowance is given for stopping a cycle a little early. The user can cancel the cycle up to 10 seconds early without penalty. Otherwise, however, any cycle that was stopped with more than 10 seconds remaining (0:10) on the cook clock with be counted as a STOPPED TOO SOON Cycle. The first item displays what percent of cycles today were stopped with more than 0:10 remaining. All products are grouped into one count.
D7: 8% OF LOADS
D7: WERE STOPPED
D7: TOO SOON
D7: TODAY
Press the down-arrow button. The number of Stopped Too Soon Cycles for this batch of oil is reported next. Note that this value does not yet include the Cook Cycles from today.
D7: BEFORE TODAY
D7: 3% OF LOADS
D7: WERE STOPPED
D7: TOO SOON
D7: ON THIS OIL
Press the down-arrow button. Finally, the controller identifies percentage of Stopped Too Soon Cycles for the previous batch of oil:
D7: LAST OIL
D7: 5% OF LOADS
D7: WERE STOPPED
D7: TOO SOON
D8: Beeped *DONE* Too Long Report
NOTE: Diagnostic Report section 8 reveals how many Cook Cycles beeped *DONE* for more than 20 seconds before the user pressed the Timer button to stop the cycle. This is strictly a user error.
The controller cannot detect when the product is actually removed from the fryer. It only identifies how long the controller beeped *DONE* before the user pressed to stop the alarm.
The first item displays the percent of today’s Cook Cycles that beeped *DONE* for more than 20 seconds before the user pressed to stop it. All products are grouped into one count.
D8: 10% OF LOADS
D8: BEEPED DONE
D8: TOO LONG
D8: TODAY
Press the down-arrow button. The number of Beeped ‘DONE’ Too Long Cycles for this batch of oil is reported next. Note that this value does not yet include the cook cycles from today.
D8: BEFORE TODAY
D8: 7% OF LOADS
D8: BEEPED DONE
D8: TOO LONG
D8: ON THIS OIL
Press the down-arrow button. Finally, the controller identifies percentage of Beeped ‘DONE’ Too Long Cycles for the previous batch of oil:
D8: LAST OIL
D8: 6% OF LOADS
D8: BEEPED DONE
D8: TOO LONG
D9: Irregular Loading Report
NOTE: For most Cook Cycles, the controller determines when the product was placed into the oil. This report identifies the percentage of cycles for which this determination was not successful.
This “drop detection” detects most loads, but can fail for several reasons. Anytime the detection routine fails to find the true drop point, the controller logs an “irregular loading” count. Examples of failed “drop detection” might be: the Operator takes too long to load the product to the time he presses the start button, or the Operator cooks a very light product load, one or two filets, for example. In these instances, no drop point will be found and that Cook Cycle counts as an Irregular Loading Cycle. Only products that have more than 5% of loads with missed detection’s are reported.
Loading Report for Today: If no products have a “failed to detect” rate of more than 5%, the controller displays:
D9: LOADING
D9: LOOKS OK
D9: TODAY
Otherwise, for each product that has more than 5% of loads in which the controller failed to detect the drop point, the following message is displayed:
D9: IRREGULAR
D9: LOADING
D9: FOR 8% OF
D9: FILET ( Product Name )
D9: TODAY
Loading Report for Present Batch of Shortening: The data for this batch of oil does not yet include Cook Cycles from today. If no products have a “failed to detect” rate of more than 5%, the controller displays:
D9: LOADING
D9: LOOKS OK
D9: THIS OIL
Otherwise, for each product that has more than 5% of loads in which the controller failed to detect the drop point, the following message is displayed:
D9: FOR THIS OIL
D9: IRREGULAR
D9: LOADING
D9: FOR 12% OF
D9: NUG-STRP ( Product Name )
Loading Report for Previous Batch of Shortening: If no products have a “failed to detect” rate of more than 5%, the controller displays:
D9: LOADING
D9: LOOKED OK
D9: PREVIOUS OIL
Otherwise, for each product that has more than 5% of loads in which the controller failed to detect the drop point, the following message is displayed:
D9: PREVIOUS OIL
D9: IRREGULAR
D9: LOADING
D9: FOR 6% OF
D9: BRK-FIL ( Product Name )
D10: Non-Standard Program Items Report
NOTE: This section identifies how many programmable settings have been altered from their original, factory default settings.
For each of the various program modes, the controller either reports that “all settings match original values” or reports “N items do not match original values”. This report makes it easy to see if any cook parameters or other settings have been changed from CFA settings. Some programming items may have been changed from original values under the direction of CFA corporate headquarters. In some cases, a controller should have values that don’t match original values. A report that “all items match original values” could actually be an indication that something isn’t set right. Keep in mind also that the number of such “approved” alterations might be different for different versions of software. If all product cook settings match the original, factory default values, the controller displays the following message:
10: ALL PROD’S
10: MATCH
10: ORIG. VALUES
If any of the product settings do not match original values, the following message is displayed (with one or more of the product numbers blinking):
10: PROD’S 123456
10: DO NOT MATCH
10: ORIG. VALUES
In this case, the blinking numbers indicate which products do not match original settings. If the numbers 3 and 5 are the only numbers blinking, then product #3 and product #5 each have at least one setting changed from their factory preset values. Products 1, 2, 4, and 6 are confirmed to exactly match their original settings. The second item in section 10 identifies how many items in CFA Programming Mode have been changed from their original values. These Chick-fil-A settings mainly deal with special Chick-fil-A controller features like Oil Wear, Heat-up Monitoring, New Oil Compensation, Oil Idle Compensation, Drop Detection, Clean-out Mode, and Amps and Voltage alarms. If all items in CFA Prog. Mode match their original, factory preset values, the following report is made:
10: ALL CFA ITEMS
10: MATCH
10: ORIG. VALUES
If any of the items in CFA Prog. Mode do not match their original values, the following message is displayed (with the actual number of changed items):
10: 2 CFA ITEMS
10: DO NOT MATCH
10: ORIG. VALUES
A similar report is made for Special Program Mode. Special Program (SP) Mode settings deal with °F/°C display, speaker tone and volume, Melt and Idle Modes, and how the product buttons function (start cook or merely select product).
10: ALL SP ITEMS
10: 1 SP ITEMS
10: MATCH
10: DO NOT MATCH
10: ORIG. VALUES
The final item in section 10 identifies if any changes have been made to the heat control settings. These settings affect the fryer’s heating algorithms, and include the PC factors, rate-of-rise compensations, and heat pulse cycle time, etc.
10: ALL HC ITEMS
10: 3 HC ITEMS
10: MATCH
10: DO NOT MATCH
10: ORIG. VALUES
