FAQs & Trouble Shooting Guide
Q: WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF THE MIX IN DRYPOWDER FORM ?
A: The shelf life of the mix is twelve (12) months from the manufacturers date code printed on the Popcake box.
Q: WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF THE MIX AFTER WATER IS ADDED TO MAKE THE BATTER?
A: The Popcake mix should be used within eight (8) hours of adding the water to the drymix to make the batter. Note: The performance of the batter may decrease and each pancakes rising ability in the cooking process will diminish.
Q: HOW LONG CAN A POPCAKE BE STORED AFTER IT IS MADE?
A: Popcakes can be stored in the refrigerator (at 4°C / 39°F) for up to 48 hours however, for best results “freshly cooked Popcakes are best”.
Q: CAN I REHEAT A POPCAKE AFTER IT IS MADE?
A: Yes. As popcakes are essentially fatfree it is perfectly fine to reheat in a conventional microwave oven. Reheating in a conventional microwave oven typically requires 15 seconds only.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF I USED WATER THAT IS TOO HOT OR TOO COLD?
A: If the water is too cold, the Popcake batter will be more viscous thicker) and as a result, the pancake may be larger in diameter than normal and also lighter in color as it may be undercooked.Due to this higher viscosity, in some instances the dispensing time can timeout (batter flowing very slowly due to high viscosity) that may result in the bag unwinding and the display panel showing “CHECK/CHANGE BAG”. If the water is too hot, the batter may be less viscous (thinner and more fluid) than normal and as a result, the pancake will be smaller and thinner than normal, and may also be darker in color.
Q: WHY WOULD THE BATTER NOT BE DISPENSED FROM THE BAG WHEN THE OK BUTTON HAS BEEN PRESSED?
A: The valve in the cap of the bag may be blocked “or” the tail of the bag may not be properly inserted between the two rods inside the bag chamber.
Q: WHY IS THE POPCAKE UNDERCOOKED ?
A: The following reasons could lead to the Pancake being undercooked
1. The Popcake mix is too cold
2. The belts are not clean or there may be debris buildup on the belts
3. There may be debris located between the hotplate and the belts
4. Cold air is blowing directly into the outlet where pancakes exit.
Q: WHY DID THE MACHINE MAKE A VERY LARGE POPCAKE (12”) ?
A: The following reasons may have caused a large Popcake to be made
1. The cap was not screwed back onto the bag properly.
2. The size sensor may be missaligned or pushed too far inside
3. Too much water in the batter and not viscous enough (almost the consistency of water)
Q: WILL EACH POPCAKE BE EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE AND THE SAME COLOR 100% OF THE TIME ?
A: Because Popcake is a fresh product using natural ingredients, there may be slight variability in size and in color from time to time. This is a natural function of the ingredients and the freshly cooked nature of the pancake.
Q: CAN THE LID OF THE BAG CHAMBER BE OPENED DURING OPERATION?
A: No. The lid must remain closed during the Popcake making operation.
Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE FAN FILTERS BE CLEANED, AND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN THE FAN FILTERS?A: Both fan filters should be cleaned when the belts are changed (every 60 bags of mix, or as prompted by the machine). The best method for cleaning the filters is to run under a faucet/tap of warm running water. (Make sure the filter is dried thoroughly before replacing in the machine).
Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE BELTS BE REPLACED AND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO KEEP THE BELTS CLEAN?
A: Belts need to be replaced after every 60 bags (roughly 3 boxes) of mix (as prompted by the machine). The Popcake Belts are made of nonstick Teflon® however debris can build up on the belts over time. The simplest way to clean the belts is to place a clean damp cloth against the belts at the area where the pancakes exit and gently rotate the belts while moving the cloth across the entire surface. This should be done whether the machine is switched off and cooled down. The best way to clean the belts is to remove completely from the machine and gently wipe clean using clean warm water. (No detergent is needed) Care should be taken to ensure that no debris would get between the belt and the hotplate.
Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE SPLASH GUARD BE CLEANED AND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO CLEAN THE SPLASH GUARD?
A: The Splashguard should be cleaned daily. The best way to clean the splashguard is to remove from the machine and rinse under hot running water or place the entire assembly in the top rack of the automatic dishwasher. Alternatively, use a clean damp cloth to clean the inside of the plastic tube of the splashguard.
Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF I PULL THE POWER CORD OUT FROM THE POWER SOCKET BEFORE TURNING OFF THE MACHINE BY USING THE POWER ON/OFF BUTTON?
A: If the Power cord is removed from the outlet socket the cooling fans will not receive power to continue cooling the Popcake machine. If the power cord is unplugged before allowing the “cooldown cycle” to run the machine will overheat and may cause damage in the long term. Avoid unplugging the machine before it powers OFF following the cooling down routine, after pressing POWER On/Off button.
Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN THE MACHINE TELLS ME “BAG UNWINDING” AFTER I HAVE JUST LOADED A NEW BAG ?
A: This should only occur if the bag loaded was NOT a full bag. If it occurs, check the bag, close the lid, then press OK to make pancakes. Once the machine displays “USING FULL BAG?” 1=YES, 2= NO, press 2 for NO, so the process continues.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:
“ALWAYS” MAKE SURE THE CAP IS SCREWED ON TIGHTLY BEFORE LOADING THE BAG.
“ALWAYS” USE ROOM TEMPERATURE WATER AND ONLY USE ROOM TEMPERATURE MIX.
“ALWAYS” MAKE SURE THE MACHINE HAS BEEN SWITCHED OFF FOR A MINIMUM OF 20 MINUTES BEFORE REMOVING THE POWER CORD FROM THE SOCKET.
