Why does fryer shut down when it hits 200 degrees

If both the main burner and pilot shut down at 200F, the high limit is bad. If only the main burners shut down, the thermostat is bad.

CHECK THE SMALL SOLINOID THAT FEED THE PILOT IF THAT OPENES EVERYTIME THE FRYER STARTES THERES YOUR PROBLEM REPLACE IT AND ALL SHOULD BE WELL

Probably a bad temp probe. But it could also be the board or the element(if it's electric). But first make sure it is getting the proper voltage.

Hi there.
Check the sensing bulb of the hi limit, ensure that it is not touching the fire tube.
If the hi limit sensing bulb is corrected and still tripping prematurely, you have to replace it with a good one.
Regards.

There are a number of things here I would need more info on before I could help you....OK, you say you're using water, but oil heats up differently, so you really can't substitute one for the other... Secondly, are you setting the thermostat to 200 degrees and expecting the unit to shut off? I'm guessing you have a digital unit, which is telling you to drop the product down into the oil, at 200 degrees? If that is correct, 200 would not be a correct temperature for frying, but if you set it there to start with, maybe it's heating up just fine? The fryer knows when you drop product, the temperature will go down, so it staying on doesn't surprise me... That could be completely normal.... I would need to know the model and serial of this unit in order to make heads or tails of this and what exactly is wrong h ere? Do you think it should be getting hotter? Are you setting it to 350 and it only goes to 200? Remember oil takes longer to heat up than water and the density if also alot different than oil. One cannot be used to replace the other.... The water will heat up quickly and cool alot quicker too. If your temperature is off, then the first thing to check would be the thermostat, but I wouldn't just yet.... I need more info first to diagnose your issue. Thanks, Susan REO

Replace the thermostat. If it's really getting to 550F without shutting off the pilot and main burner, or the electric in an electric fryer, by tripping the high limit, replace the high limit as well. The high limit should shut off all the gas or electric at about 425F.

Low is generally 200 degrees and high is about 300 degrees.

Need to calibrate the thermostate,or replace it

you have a bad high limit the range on this should be around 600 degrees.

your problem is the thermostat is bad.the reason it shuts down is that it trips the hi limit.the hi limit is a saftey device that shuts the system down so the oil doesnt get too hot and catch on fire.remove all the oil from the tank and you should see 2 skinny metal bulbs one is the hi limit bulb the other is the t-stat bulb,make sure they are secured to the bracket.if the t-stat bulb isnt you will also have this issue,simply reattach it.let me know.