fuseable links

Just curious, what have you folks out there found to be the best way to clean the fuseable links at chinese restaurants without disarming the system? Do you try to melt it off with chemical and hot H2O? Or do you let the fire suppression people change them? The reason we are asking is that we just cleaned a large system at a chinese restaurant and the results were excellent. Except for the fuseable linkage, they were not quite up to our standards. The owners were very happy with the job as were we, except again, for the linkage. Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and rock on
John & Pat

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As I am sure you know, the fusible link is what automatically activates the fire suppression system. Don't worry about cleaning the links, the fire suppression system service agency should be changing those when the system is serviced, at least every 6 months.You may be able to see the date stamped in the link. The date will be a letter code, A<B<C and the date,99 for 1999, 00 for 2000, 01 for 2001. Of course, usually the amount of grease will obscure the date. If the dates, when visible, show the links have not been changed, you may want to rethink your relationship with that service agency. We call those people "Rag and Taggers", meaning if they have a rag and service tag, they can service anything, and cheaper than anyone else. Don't worry about cleaning the link itself, but the link housing should be reasonably clean. Before hitting the link housing, make sure it is supported on both ends, particulary the housing at the end of the detctor line. A loose housing can flop around, and may trip the system, or so I'm told. I only know of one time when hood cleaners tripped a system. That was probalbly because they were using steam. Links also have a temperature stamped in them. Most links are 350F, 360F or 450F. Chinese and charbroilers usually have 450F, some mcDonalds may have 235F. If you think the grease is difficult to clean, try cleaning up after an Ansul R101-30 dumps 30 # of dry chemical in the kitchen. We always dis-arm the system prior to cleaning, but then we also service the fire suppression system when cleaning. A 0 degree nozzle would blast grease off the link housing, but I am not sure what that would do to the link itself. I use a 15 degree nozzle most of the time, even on Chinese Hoods. If the owners will allow you to clean the hood as often as needed, you will probably be able to get even the link housings clean.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

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Douglas, thanks for the info. We must have some "rag & taggers" around here. The system we were referring to had 3 hoods with 2 links in each hood. 1 link in the first hood had been changed and that was it! What does that tell you? We need guys like you around here! It was nice hearing from a real pro such as yourself - it's refreshing. Again, thanks alot

Rock on,
John & Pat

One trick you could use would be to have two vice grips at the port end of the link wire. If the link is damage the system will not blow. If the link is damaged you can call the fire system company so that they can repair the link. In the event that the link is OK just release both vice grips.

David

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Thanks Dave, we'll give that a try when the opportunity presents itself again. Our fire & safety guy gets a little bent out of shape at those 2 a.m. calls.

Rock on
John & Pat
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David, one vise grip on the detector cable on the control assembly side, and at the first detector would keep the system from tripping. The small vise grips that look like needle nose pliers would be best.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

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