Today we will be discussing carbonation, particularly your carbonator pump for your fountain dispensing system. This is a crucial component to your system as it provides carbonated water to mix with your bag in box syrups to create a finished soda. One of the most popular carbonators is a Big Mac made by McCann.
Lets start with the carbonator pump and how it works. There are 3 things needed in order for the carbonator to function: water, CO2, and power. Water enters via the brass pump and is fed into the tank. Inside the tank the water will mix with the CO2gas to create carbonation. The pump is powered by the power cord. There is a probe inside the tank that will tell the pump to activate when the water level reaches a certain point.
There might come a time when you notice you have no carbonation at your soda valves. When this happens, the carbonator may be the culprit. There are a couple of things you can look for to determine whether your carbonator is functioning properly or not. First, check that you have power to your unit. Is it plugged in? Is the outlet functional or did the GFCI or breaker reset? Second, check to see that you have CO2going to the unit by ensuring your tank is not empty. There will be a volume gauge located on the tank to check to see if there are any shutoffs in the CO2circuit. Third, check to see if you have water being supplied to the carbonator– are there any shutoffs that are closed on the water line or the main shutoff?
If you have any questions about carbonation, please call Donastar at 833-366-2782 or reach us through our website: donastar.com. We’d be more than happy to help.