FAQ

greasepak-fluid-box

 

 

 

 

Alarm sounds when it’s time to replace the fluid.
La alarma suena cuando es hora de reemplazar el fluido.
L'alarme sonne quand il est temps de remplacer le fluide.
L'allarme suona quando è il momento di sostituire il liquido.
Alarm tinguj kur është koha për të zëvendësuar fluide.
Skamba žadintuvas, kai atėjo laikas pakeisti skystį.

Refer to the label on the inside of the GreasePak dosing unit door, and on the front of the empty 5L fluid box for your dealer's number. The dealer should be able to supply you with replacement fluid boxes. If you cannot contact the dealer, contact Mechline on 01908 261511, and we will contact the dealer for you. Please have the serial number of your dosing unit ready when you call. 

“The microorganisms are perfectly safe, naturally-occurring and non-pathogenic, i.e. they do not cause disease. They are regarded as safe worldwide and classified under Hazard Group 1. There are also no harmful effects to local drains or sewage systems. In effect the formulation boosts the population of beneficial bacteria in the system, and there would actually be beneficial effects further downstream”.

Dr. John Lear (PhD, Microbiology)

Mechline’s biological drain maintenance system is designed to be easy to clean, simply wipe over with a clean disposable cloth and fresh water. Do not use bleach, harsh cleaning chemicals or abrasives.

The GreasePak system is gravity fed and therefore negates the need for peristaltic pumps or water.GreasePaK is a unique solution that can be widely used to maintain and provide protection to commercial kitchen drains from the build up of (FOG’s) fats, oils, grease and starch. The Mechline GreasePaK system uses a blend of specially selected microorganisms that have been chosen for there ability to degrade fats, oils and grease in low oxygen conditions and varying pH’s. These bacteria produce a series of extra-cellular enzymes that degrade organic matter including lipase, which can very quickly break down fats (triglycerides) into glycerol and free fatty acids. Glycerol is very soluble in water and being a small molecule, can pass easily into the bacterial cells.

Here are the key vitals in order to ensure the MSGD5 bacteria are as effective as possible:

1 – A GreasePaK unit needs to cover as many drains in the kitchen as possible that may be affected by the FOG’s, these will include drain runs with installed equipment such as : Combination Ovens, Boiling / Bratt pans, Dishwasher Systems, Pot / Pan Sinks, Preparation Sinks (Pastry), indeed any area or equipment producing FOG’s.

2 – Any drain line with FOG producing equipment installed to it, should be fitted with a GreasePaK ‘downstream’ of the appliances. Best advice is to locate GreasePaK unit/s at the nearest exit point of the drains leaving the commercial kitchen. GreasePaK can be fitted on an above ground drain stack where all the internal drain lines converge to leave the kitchen ‘walls’ and head out to a main drain / sewer. A drainage layout drawing will possibly be required for this.
Please contact Mechline on 01908 261511 for further advice on best location.

3 – GreasePaK should be installed at a height that allows easy access in order to replace the enzyme fluid packs each month.

4 – It is very important that GreasePaK is located NO closer than 2 meters to any kitchen equipment which will expel heat. Combination ovens can expel water at over 90°C which is too hot for the live bacteria / enzymes and will kill off any establish bacteria colony within close proximity to it. (Dishwashers included).
NB – GreasePaK can also be used in conjunction with existing / new internal trap systems by dosing prior to the trap. See installation & dosing guides.

Mechline’s biological drain maintenance system can be used either as a standalone drain maintenance system or in conjunction with a grease trap. Always check with your local authority, before installation, on the suitability of the system for your site’s requirements. When used to dose into a grease trap, the trap will require emptying far less often.

Yes. The keys for all dosing units are interchangeable. Please contact Mechline or your dealer for a replacement set.

Mechline’s bio-fluid is a perfectly safe class 1 fluid, and there are no special handling requirements. It should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and ideally at a temperature between 10°C and 30°C so the effective performance of the product is not compromised. The bio-fluid’s shelf life is a minimum of 18-months, as long as it is stored as above.

The dosing module will sound a alarm buzzer once every 15 minutes when the fluid box inside your dosing module needs replacing. It will only sound during daylight hours in order to preserve battery power. For more bio-fluid please contact Mechline or your dealer. Sold in master boxes of 3x 5-Litre (part number GP-MSDS5). Please have the serial number of your dosing unit ready when you call. Always keep a spare box of bio-fluid in stock to avoid running out.

On the factory setting (number 2), a 5L (1.3 US gallons) box of bio-fluid should last approximately 30 days. If the dosing unit is adjusted to deliver a higher dose (number 3 or 4), the fluid will not last as long. See Chapter 7 for dosing levels.

Only change the bio-fluid box when the buzzer sounds. This ensures the most efficient use of the full 5 litres per box. The design of the bag and valve is engineered to provide good flow, using gravity, to match the dosing level set by the module. It is very difficult to completely drain any bag of all its fluid, therefore, we slightly overfill each bag to compensate and make sure that every customer gets the full 5 litres from each bag. Drainage wedges are also fitted to the inside of each box to ensure that a ‘V’ shape is formed under the bag whilst the bag empties to assist draining.

Mechline’s bio-fluid is a perfectly safe class 1 non-hazardous fluid. No harm will come from touching it or coming into contact with the fabric of the building - merely wash off the fluid with cool, clean water. Avoid ingestion of liquid and avoid contact with eyes. In case of contact with skin or eyes, rinse thoroughly with clean cool water. Should eye irritation continue, seek medical advice. I n case of ingestion, DO NOT induce vomiting. Seek medical advice.

The dosing module is factory set to dose at 1:00am, when there is little or no water flow, allowing the bacteria time to do

their work. However this can be changed by removing the front cover under the unit door and following the instructions on

the label inside. Unscrew and pull the front cover downwards to remove.

 

 

Yes. Refer to Chapter 7 of the instruction manual for more information.

In our battery operated models (GP-DMI-STD-2) the battery should last around 2 years. When the battery needs replacing the ‘Low Battery’ warning light will begin to flash. It will only flash between the hours of 07:00 - 20:00 when someone is likely to be around to see it, in order to preserve power. Contact Mechline or your dealer for a replacement battery pack (part number GP-BP) as soon as you see the ‘Low Battery’ light flashing. If your dosing module has the words ‘Power On’ on the front cover, then it is the optional mains-powered model and will not require the battery changing.

Generally, Mechline’s bio-fluid is helpful to these systems, and some information is provided below. For more advice, contact Mechline Aerobic Systems : These tend to have three sections, a primary tank, an aerobic zone and a tertiary tank. The primary tank is where larger solids settle out, whereas the aerobic zone is where aerobic bacteria break down any organic solids. Aerobic conditions are maintained by the introduction of forced air or by the rotation of disks within the effluent. The tertiary tank allows for any final settlement before water is discharged. If grease enters this system untreated it will quickly cause major overload to the primary tank, as it tends to float rather than settle out. Left unchecked this grease can then foul the aerobic zone either by coating the filter disks or blocking air gaps in the filter medium. This can result in severe system failure and all that implies. The introduction of Mechline’s bio-fluid into the effluent stream quickly breaks up the complex grease molecules into much smaller molecules and soluble compounds. This greatly reduces the problems described above and the chances of system failure. Ana erob ic (Sept ic) Syst ems : These systems rely upon the action of bacteria that do not require oxygen to break down organic solids, and are less complicated as they do not require the maintenance associated with the aeration of aerobic systems. However, the down-side is that they are slower in action and are not suited to larger sites. The introduction of grease into a septic system would cause many problems, not least the fact that the crust on the top of a tank must be permeable to allow the passage of the gases created by the action of the bacteria. The presence of large quantities of grease would reduce crust mobility and therefore the effectiveness of the tank. As with the aerobic system, the bacteria contained in bio-fluid break down the fats and grease found in commercial waste, thus greatly reducing the chances of grease-related compounds. In addition, the facultatively anaerobic bio-fluid bacteria added to the mix reduce sludge build-up and therefore tank emptying frequency..

Yes. The bio-fluid (GP-MSGD5) contains a blend of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria which have been specially selected to break down the organic material that is found in commercial kitchen waste. Armed with a powerful battery of grease-degrading enzymes, they are all classified by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) as category 1, i.e. they are of extremely low or no hazard. Mechline’s biological drain maintenance system is the only bioremediation system to receive BBA approval (certificate 11/4827), meaning the system has been independently tested and found to be compliant with building and legislative requirements.

For commercial kitchens to meet current legislation, they are obliged to have a system in place to manage their grease disposal. UK Building Regulations 2002 Edition incorporating 2010/13 amendments, state that: H1 Foul Water Drainage : 2.21 Drainage serving kitchens in hot food premises should be fitted with a grease separator complying with BS EN 1825-1:2004 and designed in accordance with BS EN 1825-2:2002 or other effective means of grease removal. Mechline’s bio-fluid is an ‘effective means of grease removal’ as required by the Building Regulations. It uses a blend of specially selected microorganisms that have been chosen for their ability to degrade fats, oils and grease (FOGs) in low oxygen conditions and varying pHs. These bacteria produce a series of extra-cellular enzymes that break down organic matter, including lipase, which can very quickly transform fats (triglycerides) into glycerol and free fatty acids. Glycerol is very soluble in water and being a small molecule, can pass easily into the bacterial cells, where it is used either to build new cellular structures, or as a fuel to produce energy for growth. The free fatty acids present more of a problem, as they are large insoluble molecules. The action of the lipase has only converted one type of large insoluble molecule (the triglycerides) into other large insoluble molecules (free fatty acids). V isually, in a drainage situation, the scale of the problem may have diminished or the characteristics of the fatty material may have changed at this point, but the problem will not yet have been fully resolved. The specially selected bacteria in the bio-fluid are able to degrade these free fatty acids by a process known as ß-oxidation, in which chunks are broken off the end of the fatty acid molecule. These chunks can again be used as a building block to produce new structures, or more usually, energy. The breakdown of fatty acids is not an instantaneous process, as the physical form of the fatty acids, being large and insoluble, means that it takes some time (commonly called “residence time”) for the bacteria to “get to grips” with them. This is why the bio-fluid is dosed at 1:00am, when there is little or no water flow, allowing the bacteria time to do their work. Once the fats are broken up by the lipase they cannot chemically reform back into triglycerides. The subsequent breakdown of the fatty acids through ß-oxidation ensures the “grease,” which may actually consist of a variety of insoluble materials, can pass through drainage systems without causing any problems traditionally associated with fats, oils and grease (FOGs). Mechline’s biological drain maintenance system effects the “removal of grease” from drainage systems—keeping drains clear and odour-free and meeting the requirements of the Building Regulations, using an environmentally friendly and non-hazardous fluid.

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