Air lock in Isomac?
By kioner - usenet poster
Recently, seemingly since i installed my float valve setup
(which should be unrelated), i seem to get an airlock every time my
Isomac Tea warms up (its set on a timer). NOw when i wake up i have
to let out some steam and the boiler pressure drops WAY down, and i
have to give it 3-4 minutes to come back to a nice constant pressure.
Does anyone know why the machine is doing this? How can i avoid it?
jason
Best Solution
posted on Aug 01, 2007
pawa - usenet poster
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...
If my recollection of recent posts here is correct, this is an almost brand
spanking new machine, therefore I doubt your thesis.
If the vacuum breaker fails due to mineralization, a bad o-ring, or
whatever, it should HISS. If it is not hissing, I sincerely doubt the
vacuum breaker is at fault.
Rather, it is what I described earlier in this thread; a common behavior
that occurs when a HEX machine is run off a timer, being turned on and off.
I never came up with a way to prevent this problem when I used a timer.
Switching the machine on and off daily means that many times you do this you
are going to have to open the steam wand, often more than once, and expell
what I think amounts to basically dry air, as opposed to steam. Once this
is expelled, the boiler will re-pressurize and the problem is resolved for
this cycle. But you likely will have to do it again the next time the
machine is turned on.
If you don't mind spending a few minutes going through this exercise, you
can run the machine on a timer and all is well. If on the other hand you
want the machine to be ready to use when you get up, or return home, you are
going to have to wait. Another option is to simply leave the machine on all
the time. Your electric bills may be slightly higher, but you will probably
go through fewer seals on the machine due to the fact that they are not
being subjected to frequently and wildly varying temperatures.
good luck,
ken
If my recollection of recent posts here is correct, this is an almost brand
spanking new machine, therefore I doubt your thesis.
If the vacuum breaker fails due to mineralization, a bad o-ring, or
whatever, it should HISS. If it is not hissing, I sincerely doubt the
vacuum breaker is at fault.
Rather, it is what I described earlier in this thread; a common behavior
that occurs when a HEX machine is run off a timer, being turned on and off.
I never came up with a way to prevent this problem when I used a timer.
Switching the machine on and off daily means that many times you do this you
are going to have to open the steam wand, often more than once, and expell
what I think amounts to basically dry air, as opposed to steam. Once this
is expelled, the boiler will re-pressurize and the problem is resolved for
this cycle. But you likely will have to do it again the next time the
machine is turned on.
If you don't mind spending a few minutes going through this exercise, you
can run the machine on a timer and all is well. If on the other hand you
want the machine to be ready to use when you get up, or return home, you are
going to have to wait. Another option is to simply leave the machine on all
the time. Your electric bills may be slightly higher, but you will probably
go through fewer seals on the machine due to the fact that they are not
being subjected to frequently and wildly varying temperatures.
good luck,
ken
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Solution #2
posted on Mar 14, 2008
Guest
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hi, I/they am a collector and seller of cars from Faema coffee Is 61 of the year 1960
suit in Italy and I send cars from coffee in all the world, I have all the types of Faema Are 61, a1 2 3 and 4gruppi
if want you I send of the photos of cars that I have to sell
if you want to see of the photos write me that send you it
hi
Grieco Piero Torino Italia
3470475818
Fax 011 7395801
suit in Italy and I send cars from coffee in all the world, I have all the types of Faema Are 61, a1 2 3 and 4gruppi
if want you I send of the photos of cars that I have to sell
if you want to see of the photos write me that send you it
hi
Grieco Piero Torino Italia
3470475818
Fax 011 7395801
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Solution #3
posted on Aug 01, 2007
Luisa_K - usenet poster
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in article , jason molinari at
wrote on 3/20/03 6:07 AM:
It sounds like your vacuum breaker is failing. This is a good news/bad news
scenario. The good news is that this part is inexpensive and easy to
replace. The bad news is that you are probably being too harsh on the
machine with the mineral content of your water.
The vacuum breaker is a piston, an when minerals build up around it, it
doesn't slide smoothly. That's why you are having to remove the air by hand,
using the steam wand. If I were you I would descale the machine thoroughly
before replacing the vacuum breaker. Mineral buildup is not good for any
machine, but it is particularly evil for the E61-types. The group jet on the
Tea is 0.7mm, I believe, and it can get clogged up very easily by minerals.
(The Faema E61 was the first machine to use not just a pump and a heat
exchanger, but also a water softener.)
You should test the mineral content of your water regularly. Don't use the
inaccurate kits sold at pet supply stores. I recommend Hach strips:
#. (I have no connection with this company whatsoever.)
Jose
wrote on 3/20/03 6:07 AM:
It sounds like your vacuum breaker is failing. This is a good news/bad news
scenario. The good news is that this part is inexpensive and easy to
replace. The bad news is that you are probably being too harsh on the
machine with the mineral content of your water.
The vacuum breaker is a piston, an when minerals build up around it, it
doesn't slide smoothly. That's why you are having to remove the air by hand,
using the steam wand. If I were you I would descale the machine thoroughly
before replacing the vacuum breaker. Mineral buildup is not good for any
machine, but it is particularly evil for the E61-types. The group jet on the
Tea is 0.7mm, I believe, and it can get clogged up very easily by minerals.
(The Faema E61 was the first machine to use not just a pump and a heat
exchanger, but also a water softener.)
You should test the mineral content of your water regularly. Don't use the
inaccurate kits sold at pet supply stores. I recommend Hach strips:
#. (I have no connection with this company whatsoever.)
Jose
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Solution #4
posted on Aug 01, 2007
Powe33 - usenet poster
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For me the giurgling stops at 4-5 ounces, and I need 6-7 to get the
head to 96-94C. If your boiler pressure is higher than mine (1.0 -
1.2bar), it sounds about right
--
Jim
(jim_)
head to 96-94C. If your boiler pressure is higher than mine (1.0 -
1.2bar), it sounds about right
--
Jim
(jim_)
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Solution #5
posted on Aug 01, 2007
Cornish - usenet poster
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The vacuum breaker isn't working -- that's the part on top of the
boiler with the plastic cup and a drain around it. Call your service
department to see if there's an easy fix (my guess loosening and
retightening could do it)
--
Jim
(jim_)
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Solution #6
posted on Aug 01, 2007
Powe33 - usenet poster
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Jason, My new Millennium acts much in the same way, although I wouldn??t call
it an air lock. I have found my warm-up times cut in half ( over 1 hr. if I
don't touch the machine, approx 30 min. if I purge air/water pressureby
warming up fully I mean to the point that steam gurgles out of the brewhead
when first opened) if I let out the pressure, run a couple seconds of water.
My steam & boiler pressure drops to 0, then quickly ramps up to norm.
BTW, fellow Isomac owners, upon shooting a blank after letting the machine
sit, I am finding I need to purge 6-7 oz. of water thru the head until the
gurgle-steam stopsseem about right, or excessive for the E61???
Jeff
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Solution #7
posted on Aug 01, 2007
maartenw - usenet poster
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...
I don't know Isomacs, but I can tell you I had the same behavior with my
Cimbali Jr. pourover, when I used to run it on a timer. I don't think this
is a false pressure valve problem, unless you have continuous hissing.
Rather, the pressurestat is being fooled somehow during the warmup phase. I
found that I had to purge the steam wand one to several times to resolve the
problem.
The only thing that worked reliably for me, to avoid this problem, was to
run the machine 24/7. My boiler never lost significant water by doing this
and I did not feel there was any risk of it running dry and hence burning up
the element. It is also my understanding that the added cost of running a
machine like yours 24/7 is not as great as it appears at first glance.
Good luck,
ken
I don't know Isomacs, but I can tell you I had the same behavior with my
Cimbali Jr. pourover, when I used to run it on a timer. I don't think this
is a false pressure valve problem, unless you have continuous hissing.
Rather, the pressurestat is being fooled somehow during the warmup phase. I
found that I had to purge the steam wand one to several times to resolve the
problem.
The only thing that worked reliably for me, to avoid this problem, was to
run the machine 24/7. My boiler never lost significant water by doing this
and I did not feel there was any risk of it running dry and hence burning up
the element. It is also my understanding that the added cost of running a
machine like yours 24/7 is not as great as it appears at first glance.
Good luck,
ken
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