Big Dipper Grease Trap Maintenance: A How-to Guide

A grease interceptor is a vital component in every commercial kitchen. It helps your business stay compliant with The British Building Regulations while avoiding harm to the environment. The Big Dipper Grease Trap effectively manages FOG (fats, oils and grease), preventing them from damaging your drain and sewage system.

Regular Big Dipper Grease Trap maintenance should be conducted to ensure it continues running smoothly. In this blog post, we’re going to explain how this grease trap functions and the importance of undergoing regular maintenance.

The Big Dipper Grease Trap is a grease interceptor designed to prevent fats, oils, grease and solids from entering your drainage and causing long-term damage to your plumbing and the outside environment.

Commercial kitchens that produce high quantities of grease have a legal responsibility to manage it. If grease traps aren’t managed, they can lead to various sanitary issues such as clogged pipes and unpleasant odours. It can also lead to environmental harm, as wastewater that isn’t properly managed can cause damage to sewer systems when FOGs create blockages and contaminate water systems.

Grease trap maintenance is also essential to avoid costly fines or expensive repairs to your drainage. A lack of maintenance can also lead to fruit flies, as the damp conditions create an ideal breeding ground. It’s an absolute necessity to carry out regular maintenance of your grease interceptor, as the consequences can result in downtime for your business.

The design of the Big Dipper Grease Trap makes maintenance easy. Should you require any assistance, we’ve provided a maintenance manual to further simplify the maintenance process.

To conduct daily maintenance, start by emptying the internal solids strainer basket directly into a bin. Make sure to wash the baskets before placing them back in. Then check the translucent grease collector to see whether enough grease has accumulated for removal. If so, find an approved receptacle to drain your grease.

For weekly maintenance of your Big Dipper Grease Trap, start by clearing the wiper blades. Over time, grease can build up on your blade. Open the magnetic flip door and thoroughly wipe down any grease on the blade. Next, remove the grease collector and wipe the grease outlet trough. After you’ve finished cleaning and have put everything back into place, press the skim start button to verify your skimming wheel is still turning.

Performing quarterly maintenance requires checking for sludge build-up on the bottom of the Dipper tank. If there’s been a build-up of sediment, then you need to thoroughly clean your tank. This can be performed with a wet vac, but to ensure the task is properly completed, we recommend going with industry professionals with the expertise and experience in FOG removal from wastewater.

If you’re looking to perform maintenance on your Big Dipper Grease Trap, gather the necessary tools such as a mask, a plastic scraper, a bucket and a wet/dry vacuum. Unplug the electrical assembly and set it aside while you’re cleaning the grease trap tank. Begin by scooping any solids you can easily remove. Afterwards, use your wet/dry vacuum to remove the bulk of the grease.

Follow that up by wiping any components that have grease or residue. After you’ve cleaned your grease trap and reassembled it, test it out to ensure it’s still operating normally. Check out our guide on how to clean and maintain a grease trap for more maintenance tips.

Consistency is key. The best way to prevent any issues from occurring to your grease trap or drainage is through regular maintenance. Proactive measures such as having a set schedule to regularly clean your grease trap can ensure the longevity of your Big Dipper. Set aside daily cleanings to manage grease and wastewater.

Regular weekly maintenance can be performed to handle the build-up of sediment at the bottom of your tank. While quarterly maintenance should be set aside at least every three months to clean the entire machine and prevent damage to any of its components.

Our team provides a wide range of services including grease trap maintenance and cleaning for your commercial kitchens. If you have any enquiries, fill out our contact form, send us an email at emailus@aquamundus.co.uk or speak to a member of our expert team on 01386 832205.