If you own or operate a hotel, restaurant, medical facility, or any other commercial business that involves the creation and serving of food, it is essential that you become familiar with the electrical requirements associated with industrial kitchens. In short, what types of equipment can the kitchen currently in place actually support?
In most instances, it is advised that you hire an industrial or commercial electrician in order to evaluate the circuitry of the room prior to the purchase and utilization of the cooking equipment that you desire to integrate. In this guide, you will be introduced to some basic electrical requirement information that will help you get started on your journey. It may help to avoid potential hazards in the future.
What is an Amp?
“Amp” is short for the word “ampere”. This is the base unit associated with electrical current in what is referred to as the “International System of Units” or “SI”. In short, “amps” identify the speed of the electrons for each second.
In order to choose the best equipment and appliances for the industrial kitchen that you own and/or operate, you must know the total amp load of the electrical system that is located within your facility.
What is a Watt?
A “watt” is defined as a measure of overall power. One watt is the total work that is done when one amp of the electrical current flows through as the potential difference of one volt. It is referred to as a “joule” (which is a unit of energy) for each second.
This is the most common type of electrical identification when it comes to power consumption. It is used to measure both residential systems and business systems. Basically, it is how much total energy is capable of being released.
In short, it can help you identify the amount of work that can be done by an appliance or other type of equipment. The higher the wattage, the more power there is, in terms of output.
What is Voltage?
Voltage is the unique pressure that comes from an electrical system’s power circuit that is capable of pushing through electrons or the “current” through a loop that conducts electricity.
Voltage is known as that which pushes or moves the electrical current or the flow of electricity.
When researching appliances and equipment, you will find that each has its own requirements when it comes to voltage. Most products that you would use in an industrial kitchen will be a standard 120-voltage. Heavy-duty items may be either 208 volts or 240 volts.
When purchasing items, you have to be aware of the voltage and the metrics that are present within the electrical system of the facility that you utilize.
What is an Ohm?
An ohm is identified as the base unit of an electrical circuit. It causes resistance between two unique points. In most instances, you will not have to concern yourself too much with ohms in the industrial kitchen; however, this unit of measurement will prove to be instrumental to any commercial electrician that you elect to maintain and repair the electrical system of your establishment.
How Much Energy Does an Industrial Kitchen Use?
It is a known fact that most equipment and appliances utilized in industrial kitchens are very intensive when it comes to energy consumption.
To get an idea, a home uses about 12,000 kWh each year; however, just a deep fryer used in an industrial kitchen – alone – uses approximately 18,000 kWh.
This is a massive difference.
You will need to ensure that you have an industrial or commercial electrician come into your establishment and determine the current circuitry. These individuals will be able to specify what can be safely used.
If you use in excess of what is allowed for the circuitry, you will need to have an electrical upgrade performed in order to meet the demands of your kitchen.
What Uses the Most Electricity in an Industrial Kitchen?
We know that the refrigeration and cooking performed in an industrial kitchen use the most electricity.
It is recommended that you choose to integrate appliances and equipment used for refrigeration and cooking that are Energy Star rated. Not only will this help your establishment save on energy costs, but the products will also use significantly less energy, overall.
While it may be tempting to go with older products because the initial expense is lower, it will save you more money to have updated products that use less energy in your industrial kitchen.
What Percentage of Electrical Use in a Business with a Kitchen Comes from the Kitchen?
An industrial kitchen relies on cooking, the heating of water, lighting, and refrigeration. In total, these account for anywhere from 70% to 85% of the total electrical use in a business from the kitchen, itself.
This means that if you want to save money in your business, you should start with the kitchen.
Purchasing Energy Star equipment, utilizing natural gas, lowering temperatures (where it is safe to do so) on fryers, stoves, and hot water heaters, and using energy-efficient lighting will result in a massive amount of savings, over time.
What are Energy Star Products?
Energy Star products are those that are designed – specifically – to use less energy but still provide the quality of traditional products. These meet very strict guidelines that are put into place by the US Department of Energy as well as the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States.
Contact Us Now
If you are planning to open an industrial kitchen with your establishment, we here at Hardcore Electric encourage you to contact us now. We will thoroughly inspect the electrical system of the kitchen space and outline what may be safely placed and utilized within that space. If you have higher requirements, we can work with you on revamping the electrical system to accommodate your needs. We encourage you to use our expertise to ensure that your industrial kitchen is safe, and operable, and aids in ensuring the highest level of profits for your business.
