Transforming voltage…Getting to…

Transforming voltage…And that transformer

So the emergency call comes in that the machine is dead. You arrive and sure enough it is, like totally. Of course you’d already had them check the breaker in the main box powering the dishmachine and they reported it being in the on position and that they’d even cycled it. Of course that’s the first thing you check – just in case, but no luck! Now what?

A lack of control circuit power might just be the culprit. As we know the power feed to the machine is generally 220 volts, but the control circuit voltage that’s powers its’ various switches and controls – like thermostats and contactors are powered at a lower voltage. The source of that lowered voltage is a transformer located inside the machine’s control panel.

So, assuming you have the proscribed voltage coming into the main feed to that panel, chances are it’s either a blown fuse located inside it, or it’s that transformer. Obviously the first one to check is a blown fuse since changing them is comparatively easy. To check, first confirm if power is arriving to and from the fuses. By the way if you replace a fuse, be prepared for it to immediately blow since whatever took it out initially is probably still in play.

Assuming the fuses aren’t the culprit, chances are better than good that the transformer is officially dead. But before you make that diagnosis, take your trusty voltage tester and validate that the infeed to it is the expected line voltage and whether (or not) its’ outfeed is delivering the lower control circuit voltage. If not, it’s up for replacement.

Next up: A (strong) word on safety.

Getting to…Know them better

There’s a saying that after a few days house guests can start to smell like fish. Well, the same can be said for hiring a new associate. Truth is first impressions can be misleading. Take a candidate you interviewed. You were very favorably impressed and immediately brought him on board. Two weeks later you realize you made a mistake. Perhaps had you known him longer, chances are that the negatives you’re now seeing might have surfaced and prevented a mistake for both of you.

That’s a key benefit of having a recruiting bullpen for possible hires. By having a relationship for a bit more time than even the best interview you have the chance to get to know the candidate better. Maybe that increases your interest because you learn even more of the positives that were overlooked in that first meeting. Or perhaps you discover traits that are anything but attractive and perhaps skills that are less than you’d thought.

Either way, the idea of getting to better know a person who’ll be entrusted with servicing valuable customers and in whom you’ll invest both a lot of time and money can’t be a bad idea.

Next up: Time to cut your losses?