24CEM24

Overview

The Cleveland 24CEM24 Classic Series Convection Steamer is a floor-model electric steamer with two cooking compartments and an enclosed cabinet base. Each compartment accommodates three 12 x 20 x 2½-inch full-size pans, for a total capacity of six pans. The steamer uses fan-free convection jets to move steam around food; coved compartment corners help distribute the steam across the load. This is a pressureless cooking-compartment steamer with a boiler-based steam generator. The boiler produces steam under pressure, while the food compartments are used for pressureless convection cooking.

Each compartment has its own 60-minute mechanical timer and a bypass switch for continuous steaming. A cold-water condenser is provided for each section. Solid-state controls, instant-steam standby and an automatic drain support day-to-day operation. The stainless steel cooking cavities are insulated, and their rounded corners and removable slide racks support cleaning.

Key Features

• Two cooking compartments: Each holds three full-size 12 x 20 x 2½-inch pans.
• Fan-free convection: Convection jets circulate steam through the cooking compartments.
• Separate compartment controls: Solid-state controls, a 60-minute mechanical timer, an operating mode and a manual bypass for continuous steaming are provided for each section.
• Cold-water condensers: Each compartment has a condenser for steam management.
• Instant-steam standby: The boiler can be held at 212°F for steam production when cooking begins.
• Stainless steel construction: The cooking cavities and doors are identified as 14-gauge stainless steel.
• Service and cleaning access: Controls can be serviced from the front, and the stainless steel slide racks are removable.
• Cabinet base: The unit has an enclosed base with a hinged door and a stainless steel base frame.
• Additional operating features: Left-hand-hinged compartment doors, steam shut-off switch, auto-drain mechanism and a creased top-and-bottom design for drainage.
• Adjustable legs: Stainless steel legs are 6 inches high and adjustable by 1 inch.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Cleveland Range
• Model: 24CEM24
• Series: Classic Series
• Equipment type: Electric pressureless convection steamer with boiler-based steam generator
• Compartments: 2
• Capacity: 3 full-size pans per compartment; 6 pans total
• Pan size and depth: 12 x 20 x 2½ inches
• Controls: Solid-state compartment controls
• Timer: 60-minute mechanical timer for each compartment
• Continuous steaming: Manual bypass switch for each compartment
• Cooking method: Fan-free convection jets
• Steam features: Cold-water condenser per compartment, instant-steam standby and auto drain
• Standby temperature: 212°F
• Compartment and door material: 14-gauge stainless steel
• Base: Enclosed cabinet base with hinged door and stainless steel base frame
• Doors: 2, left-hand hinged
• Slide racks: Removable stainless steel
• Legs: 6-inch stainless steel legs, adjustable by 1 inch
• Overall dimensions: 24 inches W x 33½ inches D x 62 inches H
• Electrical rating listed for the 208-volt model: 208 V, 60 Hz, 3 phase
• Electrical load listed for the 208-volt model: 24 kW and 59.7 A
• Cold-water inlet: ¼-inch NPT listed for the unit; the installation manual also specifies a cold-water supply connection at the line strainer
• Incoming water pressure: Maintain 35–60 PSI; the manual says pressure must not drop below 35 PSI during use
• Drain connection: 1½-inch IPS piping or larger
• Clearance listed for the model: 3 inches at the right, left and rear
• Boiler pressure settings in the manual: 10 PSI operating pressure and 15 PSI high-limit safety pressure for a self-contained electric steam generator
• Warranty information listed by a product source: 1 year parts and labour; 3 years on the door; 5 years pro-rated parts coverage for the boiler and steam generator

Installation & Requirements

Installation, electrical work and service should be handled in accordance with the applicable codes and the equipment rating plate. The installation manual says Canadian installations must comply with the Canadian Electrical Code, CSA Standard C22.1. The unit must be level, grounded and protected by a separate fused disconnect. For an electric-powered steam generator, connect the supply as required by the unit and verify that the supply voltage matches the rating plate inside the base cabinet. The manual calls for copper wiring sized to carry the required current.

Connect cold water to the line strainer; the manual expressly says not to use hot water for this connection. Maintain constant flow pressure between 35 and 60 PSI, without a drop below 35 PSI when other appliances are operating. Install a pressure-reducing valve if supply pressure exceeds 60 PSI. The manual specifies ⅜-inch IPS plumbing for supply lines up to 20 feet and at least ½-inch IPS for longer supply lines. Flush the supply line before connecting it. It recommends water low in total dissolved solids and gas content to limit scale, pitting, corrosion and mineral carry-over; water that is safe to drink can still contain impurities harmful to the generator.

Place the steamer next to an open floor drain, not directly over one. The drain must have gravity flow and be freely vented; do not connect the steamer drain directly to a floor drain or sewer line. The manual calls for 1½-inch IPS drain piping or larger, allows up to two elbows and six feet of extension pipe, and says no more than two pieces of Cleveland equipment should share a drain line. Do not use PVC or other drain piping unable to withstand 180°F operation. The product specifications list 3 inches of clearance at the right, left and rear. Allow the space required for service and follow the manual’s installation instructions.

Operation

Each compartment can be timed independently for up to 60 minutes, or its bypass switch can be used for continuous steaming. The steamer’s separate compartments allow different foods or batches to be cooked on different schedules. The manufacturer’s product information describes the unit as continuing to operate when a compartment door is opened. The instant-steam standby feature holds the boiler at 212°F to support steam production when cooking starts.

The installation and operation manual describes the boiler as filling automatically when the unit is switched on and the manual water valve is open. It directs the installer to check that the boiler water level stays about one-third full in the sight glass during operation and that the pressure gauge registers 10 PSI. The manual lists a 10 PSI operating pressure and a 15 PSI high-limit safety pressure for the self-contained electric steam generator. These boiler pressure values do not mean that the cooking compartments operate as pressure cookers.

Cleaning & Maintenance

At the end of the day, switch off the equipment and let it cool before washing the pan slides, door gaskets and compartment interiors. The manual specifies mild detergent and warm water, followed by a thorough rinse with clear water. Check that rinse water drains freely through the compartment drains; clean a restricted drain before using the steamer. Leave compartment doors ajar when the steamer is not in use to help prolong gasket life.

Keep the drain screen in place while cooking so larger food particles do not enter and obstruct the drain. The manual says an approved drain cleaner poured through the compartment drains once a week can help keep them open. It permits a hand auger or snake for clearing a compartment drain obstruction, but says not to use a power auger because it can damage the plastic drain system. A restricted drain can cause backpressure, steam leaks around the door gasket and impaired convection.

For the exterior, allow the unit to cool and use mild soapy water followed by a clear-water rinse. Turn off equipment power before washing, keep water out of the electrical controls and do not hose down the steamer. The manual says to clean the cold-water line strainer weekly. Boiler blowdown flushes sediment but does not remove all mineral deposits; the manual recommends chemical descaling by a boiler-treatment specialist four times a year under average water conditions, more often in poor-water areas. It also calls for periodic boiler inspections by a qualified field serviceman and routine preventive maintenance by a qualified serviceman.

Troubleshooting

The supplied Cleveland service manual states that its procedures are for experienced, trained, qualified Cleveland Range authorized service representatives. Electrical measurements and boiler-system diagnosis should therefore be left to qualified service personnel. The manual’s troubleshooting sequences address a boiler that will not fill, a boiler that will not build pressure, boiler overfilling and transformer failure.

For a fill problem, the diagnostic path checks that electrical power and cold water are available, then examines the water-level board, fill-solenoid supply and coil, wiring, drain valve and related controls. It also directs the technician to inspect the high-water probe and its wiring if the water-level signal does not behave as expected. For failure to build pressure, the sequence checks the reset and safety circuits, water-level probes, pressure switches, latching relay, contactor, heating elements and steam trap. For overfilling, it points to checks of the high probe, probe wiring, water-level board, fill solenoid and three-minute timer. A transformer failure calls for checking the secondary fuse and solenoid-coil resistance.

The manual includes temporary jumper or bypass checks as part of certain technician diagnostic procedures. These are service tests, not operating instructions; safety circuits should not be bypassed for normal use. The manuals supplied with the product should be consulted for the complete procedures and wiring information.

Applications

With two independently controlled compartments and capacity for six full-size pans, the 24CEM24 suits commercial kitchens preparing several foods or batches at once. Its pan capacity and continuous-steaming bypass can be useful in cafeterias, institutional foodservice, restaurants and other high-volume kitchens that need to cook vegetables, rice, seafood or prepared foods using steam. Confirm that the site has the required electrical service, cold-water supply and properly configured drain before specifying the unit.