JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Sun Mar 25, 2012, 6:52pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
Well, the lemon/lime juice and baking soda seems to have brightened the parts I tested it on, though it didn't make them 'shiny' again, or like new. Perhaps these parts were never 'shiny' when new. They do look a lot nicer, though, not so dirty and blackened. So I'll need to pick up some citric acid powder and try this on all the parts. I should post some pics of the parts, before and after.
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Tue Mar 27, 2012, 3:50pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
So I bought a bunch of lemon juice, mixed about 10% lemon juice to 90% water, soaked the boiler in it, and it only slightly made it cleaner. So, I decided to buy some citric acid online. I'm hoping the citric acid does a much better job cleaning compared to lemon juice. The lemon juice did clean the pipes, but the boiler is really blackened and aged and ugly. Perhaps I need something stronger to clean it? If I saw a before and after pic of a really dirty boiler that's been cleaned with citric acid, I'd feel a lot better about this.
GlennT Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2012 Posts: 38 Location: SF Bay Area (Silicon Valley) Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Kraps Il Primo Steam Wanabe... Grinder: Baratza Priciso Drip: Aeropress & "Don't ask don't...
Posted Tue Mar 27, 2012, 11:41pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
Yeah, I was looking at that machine too. You beat me to it, and I can't say I'm sorry I lost...
This may be a long shot, but Dave at hitechespresso http://www.hitechespresso.com/ may be able to help. As a refurbisher authorized service center for other brands, he may have some of the common parts you need. His primary niche is upgrading machines to include PID capability. Since you want to replace your pstat anyway, total cost for a PID upgrade may not be unreasonable.
Since I was lusting after that machine too, I really hopes it works out well for you. At least one of us should be happy with it!
Coffeenoobie Senior Member Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Posts: 2,313 Location: PNW Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: N S Oscar Grinder: Vario W
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 11:58am Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
Well, to be fair to the seller, I think it worked when he bought it, it had one stuck button and was loud. Used machines are not perfect, Vibe pumps are loud even new and I believe, he said the insides where not scaled up so it was taken care of. The OP pulled it apart without plan and did not document the wiring. If he had researched a tear down (like the topic I found for him) he would have known he would have to replace gaskets etc and have them sourced before he started.
Now that he has done this rebuild he will have a great machine for many more years. He has also learned a lot about the guts of his machine. Just like I have on the issues with mine.
Coffeenoobie
Buying advice: GRINDER GRINDER GRINDER. Don't cheap out on the grinder. My coffee treasure map... Click Here (maps.google.com)
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 12:29pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
The stuck button is actually part of the Ellimatic. It's not a button, but a light that looks like a button. I'm not entirely sure what it's for, though. The little picture next to it shows a couple thermometers, so I'm guessing it has something to do with temp. I think it clicks off when the machine gets to brewing temp.
As for replacing the pstat.. the one on the machine already works. I need to learn the difference between normally open and normally closed so I can wire it correctly. So far the search has been futile.
Yes, the machine did work perfectly fine when I got it, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and didn't like how dirty the insides had gotten. I doubt the seller ever backflushed the machine as there was thick coffee build up around the dispersion screen. Really really thick buildup. And it seems I need a new portafilter because the old one is disgusting. I also need a couple gaskets for the steam wand, including an o-ring for the steam tip. I can get those from espressoparts dot com.
Personally, if I had the choice again I'd do it all over again. It's been fun and has taught me a lot about the machine. My only real problem is the wiring. I should have documented where each wire goes so I can easily put it back together. Now if I do something wrong I'll end up replacing something more expensive, like a pump or heating coil.
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 2:53pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
I'm in the midst of putting this sucker back together again.
Anyone know what to look for if a pstat is working right or not? I'm not used to pstats. I still don't know what open and closed means, or which wire goes to each.
And I hope the heating coil can be wired backwards or forwards, and I'm hoping the thermostat can be wired backwards or forwards too, because there's no + or - symbols on it. Not even on the new thermostat I bought.
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Wed Mar 28, 2012, 4:12pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
I don't think I'll be keeping this machine. It's next to impossible to find parts for it, and it's not worth the extra trouble finding parts. An Oscar would have been a better choice. It's also a pretty ugly machine compared to my single boiler. I'll continue using my single boiler, and put this machine up for sale or something. Someone else can tinker with it and put it back together, not me. It's just not worth it to me. Too much frustration.
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Thu Mar 29, 2012, 2:22pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
I've come across 2 problems. Leaking from I don't know where, and the boiler isn't heating. Even the heating light isn't turning on. I'm thinking maybe it's either the pstat or the thermostat not hooked up correctly. Probably the pstat.
The leaking is somewhat a bigger problem, since it's leaking pretty badly around the back of the machine. I have no clue where the leak is happening. Maybe the pstat, who knows.
Even though I'm selling the machine, I'm still tinkering with it. Maybe I'll get it all sorted out, then I can sell it as a whole machine, instead of as parts. I still enjoyed taking it apart, cleaning it up, and trying to put it back together. Gives me something to do in otherwise boring time.
JDHarding Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2007 Posts: 1,099 Location: WA, USA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso Steel Pro PID Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDX,... Vac Pot: None Drip: Hario v60 Roaster: Behmor, Fresh Roast
Posted Fri Mar 30, 2012, 1:09pm Subject: Re: Nuova Simonelli Ellimatic Rebuilding
I just noticed something kind of confusing on this machine. The grouphead's OPV goes straight back into the water reservoir. Does this mean if I backflush this machine, the soapy water will go right back into the water reservoir? That's no good. :/
Update:
So anyway, I refilled the boiler and ran the machine and it's still not heating up. I switched the pstat wires around, still no heat. Even the heating light doesn't come on. Something somewhere is wrong.
I wonder if the heating coil's leads are backwards. Hmm.. that's possible.
2nd Update:
Took it all apart, switched the heating coil around, put it all back together.. nothing. No heat. And now the boiler's leaking. Oh goodie.
I'm tired of this machine. I just want to toss it all in the trash and be done with it.
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