How to Reset CaptiveAire Hood: Troubleshooting and Reset Guide
CaptiveAire crafts high-end ventilation hoods for commercial kitchen spaces, helping keep these spaces safer by controlling smoke, grease, heat and cooking vapors. However, like many hoods, a power interruption, fire suppression event or even a system fault may require that you reset the hood system before continuing normal operations. Learn how to reset a CaptiveAire hood, find common reasons a hood may need to be reset and troubleshoot steps to get your kitchen back in working order.
Why Does a CaptiveAire Hood Need to Be Reset?
Several issues can trigger a shutdown or fault condition, including:
- Power outages
- Tripped circuit breakers
- Motor overload trips
- Fire suppression system activation
- Hood control panel faults
- Electrical service interruptions
- System maintenance events
How to Perform a Basic CaptiveAire Hood Reset
Using the control panel on the CaptiveAire system is an easy way to reset the system after a fault condition has been cleared.
Step 1: Verify Power Is Available
Check:
- Facility power supply
- Circuit breakers
- Hood control package power status
Step 2: Check for Active Fire System Conditions
If the fire suppression system has discharged, or isn’t properly armed, the hood may remain locked out. This can be caused by certain fire system conditions that can prevent the exhaust or make-up air fans from operating. This requires an authorized service technician taking a look.
Step 3: Locate the Hood Control Package
The hood control package is typically found:
- Inside a nearby utility cabinet
- Mounted on a wall
- Adjacent to the hood system
- In a mechanical room
Step 4: Turn the Hood Off
Make sure the control panel is in the OFF position. Wait about 30 seconds before restarting the system.
Step 5: Restart the System
Restore operation by:
- Step 1. Turning the control package back on
- Step 2. Activating the exhaust fan
- Step 3. Confirming make-up air fan operation
- Step 4. Verifying normal airflow
How to Reset a CaptiveAire Overload Trip Fault
Motor overloads may occur due to:
- Excessive amperage
- Electrical imbalance
- Fan motor issues
- Mechanical resistance
- Loss of electrical phase power
Reset Procedure
- Step 1. Turn off power to the control package.
- Step 2. Open the control panel.
- Step 3. Locate the overload relay.
- Step 4. Find the reset button on the overload device.
- Step 5. Press the reset button.
- Step 6. Restore power and restart the hood.
How to Reset a CaptiveAire CORE Fire Suppression System
If you have a CaptiveAire CORE Fire Protection System and the system has discharges, a reset will only need to be performed after:
- The fire hazard has been eliminated
- The system has been inspected
- Suppressant levels have been verified
- All required safety procedures have been completed
Common Reasons a CaptiveAire Hood Won't Reset
Should your hood refuse to restart, check for the following:
- Tripped Breakers - Inspect all associated electrical breakers and disconnects.
- Fire Suppression Interlocks - These systems are designed to disable the fan operation when the fire suppression system detects a fault condition.
- Motor Overloads - Exhaust or make-up air motors may require manual overload reset.
- Damaged Wiring - Loose or damaged electrical connections can prevent successful startup.
- Fan Problems - Check for broken belts, fan rotation issues, mechanical obstructions or damaged motors.
- Control Board Faults - More advanced hood systems may display fault indicators requiring authorized service technician assistance.
Preventing Future Hood Shutdowns
Recommended maintenance includes:
- Inspecting fan belts
- Cleaning hood filters
- Checking motor amperage
- Testing fire suppression systems
- Inspecting electrical connections
- Verifying airflow performance
- Scheduling routine service inspections
For more information on troubleshooting or cleaning, check out our CaptiveAire manuals and diagrams.