skithebird Senior Member Joined: 1 Jan 1970 Posts: 100 Location: Evanston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Elektra Micro Casa... Grinder: Rancilio Rocky, Mazer Mini Vac Pot: NA Drip: French Press Roaster: NA
Posted Sat Aug 28, 2004, 7:55am Subject: Boiler Fill Valve on Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
Has anyone dealt with and solved what appears to be a potential "boiler fill valve" issue with the Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica?
As has been the case with several CG Semiautomatica owners, I have noticed since the machine's arrival, that the water level in the sight glass, once filled, never seems to fall no matter how many shots in a row I perform. I've deliberatly emptied the water tank by continuous flowthrough the grouphead, and yet I've seen no change in the sight glass water level. Does this mean my "boiler fill valve" has been stuck open since the machine's arrival from 1st-Line in early May? And, is this a dangerous problem? Could it affect espresso quality in some way I'm missing, or that hasn't yet occured? Fortunately, I see no gunk in the sight glass -- only clear clean water.
I've believe I've been making consistently excellent espresso, but after reading the recent comments by Melish and MisterT in the detail review commentary forum, I'm starting to worry that there may be some as yet unobserved consequences to my potentially improper boiler operation.
Melish (8/15/04): But, within days of receiving my semiautomatica from 1st-Line, the boiler fill valve stuck open and I had to return it to them. They paid for the shipping and replaced the valve. It came back working, though the sight glass was still full of muck inside and ... Now, a few months later , the valve is stuck again. This means that the water level in the sight glass never goes down, and I'm wondering MisterT if you got yours fixed okay as this is what you described happening as well.
Sending the machine back to 1st-Line is always an option, but an inconvenient one if this is normal operation for the Semiautomatica, or if there are no ill effects of the valve being stuck open, such as increasingly stale boiler water?
skithebird Senior Member Joined: 1 Jan 1970 Posts: 100 Location: Evanston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Elektra Micro Casa... Grinder: Rancilio Rocky, Mazer Mini Vac Pot: NA Drip: French Press Roaster: NA
Posted Sat Aug 28, 2004, 8:16am Subject: Re: Boiler Fill Valve on Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
Follow-up Tests:
I just ran the steam valve open for about 5 minutes. This caused the water level in the sight tube to fall slowly to about the half-way point. The rate of steam production dropped considerably after the first few minutes during the process, and the pressure reading also fell well below its normal range.
I then pumped water through the grouphead, and was unable to affect the sight tube water level further.
I also tried pumping water through the grouphead simultaneously with the steam valve open, and yet didn't see any additional affect on sight tube water level.
This doesn't seem right to me. Agree? It seems to suggests that only a venting of steam depletes water from the boiler. Can this be right? I thought the boiler served dual purpose? How does the water flowing through the machine's grouphead get heated if not by the boiler?
Posted Sat Aug 28, 2004, 8:25am Subject: Re: Boiler Fill Valve on Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
Bob,
The Semiautomatica is a heat exchange machine. Hence, the water in the boiler (amount exhibited in the sight glass) does not lower when extracting espresso. The water for extraction derives from the heat exchanger that passes through the boiler. The water in the heat exchanger is strictly for
a) Creating steam pressure for the steam wand, b) Heating the water that passes through the heat exchnager, and c) Keeping the heating element submerged in water
Therefore, when you do open the steam wand, the water level in the sight glass should drop as water in the boiler is being converted to steam.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
skithebird Senior Member Joined: 1 Jan 1970 Posts: 100 Location: Evanston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Elektra Micro Casa... Grinder: Rancilio Rocky, Mazer Mini Vac Pot: NA Drip: French Press Roaster: NA
Posted Sat Aug 28, 2004, 8:49am Subject: Re: Boiler Fill Valve on Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
1stline Said:
Bob,
The Semiautomatica is a heat exchange machine. Hence, the water in the boiler (amount exhibited in the sight glass) does not lower when extracting espresso. The water for extraction derives from the heat exchanger that passes through the boiler. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Sincerely, Jim1st-line Equipment, LLC http://www.1st-line.com/
Posted Sat Aug 28, 2004, 12:30pm Subject: Re: Boiler Fill Valve on Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
It came back working, though the sight glass was still full of muck inside
Can you please go into a bit more detail about the muck in the sight glass (color, viscosity, any details). My sight glass level goes down a few millimeters every 2-3 days or so but I've been having a whitish-grease like scum that forms on the top surface of the water in the sight glass.
skithebird Senior Member Joined: 1 Jan 1970 Posts: 100 Location: Evanston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Elektra Micro Casa... Grinder: Rancilio Rocky, Mazer Mini Vac Pot: NA Drip: French Press Roaster: NA
Posted Sat Aug 28, 2004, 12:52pm Subject: Re: Boiler Fill Valve on Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica
slee10 Said:
Can you please go into a bit more detail about the muck in the sight glass (color, viscosity, any details). My sight glass level goes down a few millimeters every 2-3 days or so but I've been having a whitish-grease like scum that forms on the top surface of the water in the sight glass.
My sight glass water has always been clean and clear. It was CG member MELISH who reported experiencing "muck" inside his sight glass tube. He returned his Semiautomatica to 1st-Line for valve repair, claims it was fixed, but that the "muck" remained.
If your water level is dropping every 2-3 days, it's supposeduly only from steam wand usage. Jim at 1st-Line explains above that espresso extraction water from the water tank is heated by a heat-exchanger, which draws its heat from the boiler. He explains that water from the boiler produces the steam when frothing milk, and is thereby depleted, causing the need for manually initiated replacement.
Perhaps you should try to reach MELISH.
Good luck, oh, and how are your pours? Any regrets?
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