Troubleshooting for your Soft Serve Machine

We've said it before but we can't emphasise this enough - read your machine manual, then read it again.  Then read it once more, and train your staff accordingly.  Your machine is a finely tuned piece of equipment so you have to treat it with respect.

We regularly get calls to say that a business is having problems with their machine and nine times out of ten it could have been easily avoided. 

Here are some of the common issues:

A.  The machine is on but the soft serve mix isn't coming out of the barrel.
Solution: 

1. Check that you have soft serve mix in the hopper (surprising but some operators forget to check).
2. Check that you have the breathing tube in correctly for machines that require it - if the hole is blocked then the mix can't flow down to the chamber.
3. The mix may have become too cold in the chamber and frozen up. Stop the machine immediately and allow to thaw, then perform more troubleshooting to find out why before using again.

B.  The soft serve mix has frozen in the chamber.  Stop the machine immediately and allow to thaw or you will damage your gear box and other parts.
Solution: 

1. Check you have made up the mix correctly.  If you add too much water it can freeze up.  If you add too many solids (e.g. extra powders or flavourings) it can also freeze up.
2. Check your machines calibration settings, if they are too low then the mix can become too cold and freeze.
3. Check the overnight settings.  Some machines simply get too cold when left on overnight so talk to your supplier if this is happening, don't ignore it or you will damage your machine.

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C.  The soft serve mix is coming out icy or yellow. 
Solution:

1. Check you have made the mix up correctly (e.g. too much water/liquid will allow ice crystals to form).
2. Check that the breathing tube is installed correctly to allow air to mix in.
3. Are you buying substandard soft serve mix because it was 'cheap'? Not all mixes are equal - our soft serve and frozen yoghurt mixes have stood the test of time all over the world, in many different machine types so we know it will perform well for you.  Some poor grade soft serve mixes can damage your machine.
4. Did you add extra ingredients without checking with your machine supplier? This can alter the delicate balance between the mix and the machine process.

D.  The machine is making a weird noise.  Stop your machine immediately and troubleshoot.
Reasons:

1. The mix may have frozen up.
2. The gear box may be under stress.
3. You may need a new drive belt.
4. You may not have put it back together properly when cleaning it.

All of the above can cause expensive damage to your machine if you don't deal with it immediately.  Talk to your supplier or technician if you have any doubts.

There's nothing nicer than a beautifully made soft serve, wishing you many happy servings!

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