44 PRO

Overview

The Champion 44 PRO is a high-temperature, single-tank rack conveyor dishwasher for commercial kitchens handling continuous dish and cookware loads. Its Progressive Drive System advances racks through the machine, while the Prodigy HMI touchscreen provides operating guidance, alerts and on-board diagnostics. The steam specification lists a capacity of 209 racks per hour, a 17-gallon wash tank and a built-in booster.

The machine’s proportional rinse system uses up to 100 gallons of water per hour. With Energy Sentinel idle-pump shut-off, the listed water use is 0.48 gallons per rack. The 44 PRO is ENERGY STAR qualified; the supplied spec sheet also identifies its Pot/Pan Mode as NSF certified.

Key Features

• Progressive rack advance: The perpetual rack advance system includes digital jam monitoring and mechanical drive protection. The manufacturer’s product materials describe near-constant rack movement for consistent washing and rinsing.
• Proportional rinse: The rinse system uses stainless steel nozzles and is specified at up to 100 gallons per hour.
• Prodigy HMI controller: The touchscreen provides condition alerts, multilingual cleaning and operating guidance, and enhanced visual diagnostics to help identify machine faults.
• Programmable dwell: Rack dwell can be programmed to pause a rack in the wash zone for extended cleaning. Pot/Pan Mode is listed as NSF certified.
• Energy Sentinel: Idle-pump shut-off is listed alongside water use of 0.48 gallons per rack.
• Automatic functions: Features include automatic tank fill, an automatic drain valve and automated delime with user-customizable alert intervals.
• Construction and access: The machine has heavy-gauge stainless-steel construction, including its base, legs and feet; a single-piece hood and scrap screen; single-piece stainless-steel upper and lower wash-arm manifolds; and insulated hinged access doors that open 180 degrees.
• Additional listed features: A single-point electrical connection, front and side enclosure panels, a 2 HP wash-pump motor with stainless-steel impeller, and vent-fan control.

Specifications

• Machine type: High-temperature steam rack conveyor dishwasher; single tank.
• Model: Champion 44 PRO.
• Capacity: 209 racks per hour, NSF rated.
• Wash tank capacity: 17 US gallons.
• Conveyor speed: 5.8 feet per minute.
• Conveyor speed in Pot/Pan Mode: 4.5 feet per minute; the spec sheet specifies one rack at a time in this mode.
• Water use: Maximum use of 100 US gallons per hour; 0.48 US gallons per rack with Energy Sentinel.
• Rack size and clearance: Standard rack complement is one 20-by-20-inch peg rack and one 20-by-20-inch flat rack. Standard vertical clearance is 20 inches and accommodates 18-by-26-inch sheet pans.
• Motor horsepower: Drive motor, 1/6 HP; wash-pump motor, 2 HP.
• Tank steam heat: 75 lb/hr at 10–30 PSI flow pressure.
• Steam booster: 110 lb/hr for a 70°F rise at 10–30 PSI flow pressure.
• Incoming hot water: 110°F at the 1/2-inch NPT main connection for a machine with a built-in booster; the spec sheet lists 25 PSI flowing pressure for this connection.
• Initial fill: 17 gallons.
• Drain: 1-1/4-inch NPT connection; maximum drain flow rate, 15 gallons per minute.
• Steam and condensate connections: 1-1/4-inch NPT steam connections for the machine and booster; 3/4-inch NPT condensate return.
• Venting: Minimum 200 CFM at the load end and 400 CFM at the unload end.
• Electrical options listed for the steam model: 208/60/3, 240/60/3, 480/60/3 and 575/60/3. Rated amps are 10, 9, 5 and 4 respectively. Minimum supply-circuit conductor ampacity is 15; maximum overcurrent protective device is 15.
• Shipping weight: 600 lb, crated.
• Water hardness: 3 grains per US gallon (5.3 mg/L) or less.
• Warranty: The product spec sheet states a one-year parts-and-labour warranty.
• Certification stated in the supplied materials: ENERGY STAR qualified; Pot/Pan Mode is NSF certified.

Installation & Requirements

The supplied steam-model specification calls for electrical and plumbing connections by qualified personnel observing applicable plumbing, sanitary, safety and electrical codes. Confirm that the site electrical supply matches the machine data plate before connection. The machine and built-in booster are specified with a single-point electrical connection; the spec sheet lists the voltage, phase, rated amps, minimum circuit conductor ampacity and maximum overcurrent protective device above.

Steam, water and drain connections

• The machine and booster steam supply connections are 1-1/4-inch NPT. The spec sheet gives a steam flow-pressure range of 10–30 PSI.
• The condensate return is 3/4-inch NPT and must be a gravity drain with no back pressure. The installation manual says a condensate lift pump may be required if the return line is above the machine base.
• The 1/2-inch NPT hot-water main connection is specified for 110°F incoming water and 25 PSI flowing pressure on a machine with a built-in booster. The spec sheet lists an initial fill of 17 gallons.
• The drain connection is 1-1/4-inch NPT, with a maximum flow of 15 gallons per minute. The manual states that drain outlets can be configured to exit at either end by positioning the end-plug fitting.
• The installation manual calls for water hardness of 3 grains per US gallon (5.3 mg/L) or less and a 1/2-inch or larger shut-off valve in the water supply line. It also cautions the installer to flush debris from the supply line before connecting it to the dishwasher.

Ventilation

The steam-model spec sheet lists minimum ventilation of 200 CFM at the load end and 400 CFM at the unload end. The installation manual says the HVAC installer must follow local ventilation, safety and sanitary codes. Its standard single-tank ventilation table lists 150 CFM at the unload end and 200 CFM at the load end for the single-tank machine; the supplied model spec sheet gives the more specific 44 PRO steam figures above. The manual gives vent-stack inside dimensions of 3.88 by 15.88 inches.

Operation

The Prodigy touchscreen presents operating and cleaning guidance, condition alerts and visual diagnostics. The controller includes an automated delime function with customizable alert intervals. Automatic tank fill and an automatic drain valve are also listed features. Programmable dwell can pause a rack in the wash zone for extended cleaning; the spec sheet identifies Pot/Pan Mode as one rack at a time, with a conveyor speed of 4.5 feet per minute.

The installation manual specifies commercial-grade, non-chlorinated detergent. It cautions against powering a detergent pump, rinse-aid pump or vent-fan motor directly from the machine’s signal connections. The chemical pumps and vent fan are by others unless supplied as an option; the spec sheet lists a chemical pump kit as an accessory.

Cleaning & Maintenance

The controller provides user-facing cleaning guidance, an automated delime function and customizable delime alerts. The manual also describes an ION water conditioner shipped uninstalled and stowed inside the machine. It is intended to reduce mineral deposits from the incoming water and scale build-up inside the dishwasher. The manual directs the installer to its ION appendix for installation instructions.

For ION core cleaning, the manual says to disassemble the unit carefully because the core is brittle and can fracture if dropped. Soak the core in nickel-safe ice-machine cleaner, CLR, Lime-A-Way or an equivalent product, following the cleaner manufacturer’s safety precautions. The manual specifies an approximately 15-minute soak to loosen deposits, followed by a thorough water rinse; a nylon-bristle brush may be used for remaining deposits. Repeat as needed, flush away cleaner residue and reassemble with O-rings and spacers seated if fitted. Do not use a metallic-bristle brush. The manual identifies once a year as the minimum ION core cleaning interval.

Troubleshooting

The Prodigy HMI provides visual diagnostics and condition alerts to help identify machine faults. The manual’s ION water-conditioner troubleshooting table gives these checks for conditioner-related symptoms:

• Low or no water flow: Check whether water valves are closed, incoming pressure is low, the line strainer is clogged, the ION core is restricted, or the wrong ION unit is installed. The manual’s stated actions are to open the valve, increase flowing pressure to 20–22 PSI, clean or replace the strainer, clean the core, or contact a service agent as applicable.
• Cloudy water entering the machine: The manual identifies a water-softening system in the supply, or deposits remaining after a previously installed softener was disconnected, as possible causes. It says to disconnect the softener if present and continue using the ION until the cloudiness dissipates if deposits remain in the line.
• Scale deposits after ION installation: The manual says the conditioner may be removing deposits from previous dishwasher operation. Thoroughly clean the dishwasher bottom and increase scheduled cleaning; the manual notes that deposits should decrease as the ION operates.
• Deposits on ware or a broken ION core: The manual recommends checking whether the core needs cleaning and whether the ION is assembled correctly, and contacting a service agent where indicated. A broken core requires replacement of the ION assembly.

Applications

The 44 PRO is suited to commercial kitchens that process steady volumes of racks through a conveyor line, including foodservice operations handling dishes, flatware and cookware. Its listed 20-inch vertical clearance accommodates 18-by-26-inch sheet pans, and its programmable dwell and single-rack Pot/Pan Mode support longer wash exposure for pots and pans.