Post Mix Machine Components

Post mix machine has the system in which soft drink flavoured syrup is shipped to the retailer to be mixed at the point of sale with chilled and purified water, and carbon dioxide usually dispensed from a soda fountain or soda gun. Most post mix machines use a procon pump to boost water pressure to the carbonator that makes the soda water, this pump is essential in post mix machines. Many post mix machines also have a second procon pump for soda recirculation this pump continuously circles the soda water from the guns to the machine keeping the soda cold and fresh, this procon pump is required in machines where the dispensing point is further away from the soda generator then about 1 metre.

Some post mix machine also has a third procon pump that recirculates plain water, keeping the water cold. You will generally find two types procon pump on post mix machines brass or stainless steel. The stainless steel pumps can be used anywhere in the machine but are generally more expensive. The brass bumps can only be used for plain water. For example, on the booster pump for the carbonator and for the plain water recirculation. Brass pumps cannot be used for soda recirculation as exposure to carbon dioxide will create carbonic acid. Carbonic acid not only tastes extremely bad but is poisonous to drink.

To check whether this pump is working most systems have a flow strainer installed close to the outlet side of this pump. These flow strainers have a small black ball on a spring set after the conical strainer that looks like a clear piece of plastic about 10cm long with a strainer inside. You can tell if this pump is working by looking at the ball if it is pushed back against the spring it is working, you can turn the machine off and on to see if the balls position moves. Another good way to test is by the temperature of the pump, this pump should be cold. This pump is circulating cold soda at about 2 degrees centigrade so the pump should be very cold to the touch.

Some post mix machine owners uses “Componants”. The componants are concentrated Soda Syrup, water supply, Co2, and a Carbonator. When a post mix machine button is pushed, a pump at the fountain head open and draw water pressure that draws the syrup. The 2 mixes together and the carbonator took the Co2 and water supply and make the soda water, mix with the syrup and then dispense it. The new Coke machines actually instead of syrup uses a powder, far most concentrated that the syrup. The powder comes in a cartridge about the size of a tape, which explains how they can offer so many flavors in one machine. It's the same principal as syrup post mix. Carbonator takes the water and Co2 makes soda water, the powder is injected in to mix and it dispenses in the post mix machine.