Ok, I finally figured it out. Was easy with the right combination of tools and approach. The problem is the boiler is held in place by other plumbing, so need a good way to hold it steady. Also not really possible to fit a wrench onto it, bunch of tubes in the way.
Solution was a hardened steel socket made for a 1/2" impact hammer (gm brand from oreilly) 17mm it had exactly the rise to clear the face of the machine and fit crisply. Then pulled off this magnet protective sleeve thing off an adjacent boiler-top fitting and there was a hex head underneath. Put an adjustable wrench on the hex thing, the socket handle immediately above the wrench and squeeze the two together. This works since the hex fitting is torqued to the right while the temperature sensor well was torqued to the left (loosened). Took about 15 seconds of concerted pressure before the sealant came loose, it was still flexible and gummy. Overall this project took 3hours of fiddling including time to fetch tools from the workroom (an important project like this shoul be done at the kitchen table), but not counting the 12 hours I puzzled about how to remove that temperature sensor. Thanks, Eric On Jan 28, 10:27 am, HERMAN <[email protected]> wrote: > use a box end wrench. put the wrench on the well and hold it on the nut > snugly, then tap the other end of the wrench with a hammer to loosen the > well. you can tap it either way to break it loose. if one way doesn't work > try the other. once it moves a little bit you should be able to remove it. be > sure to put the end of the wrench that is closed over the nut. > > > > > > > > >________________________________ > > From: zaqthetta <[email protected]> > >To: Brewtus <[email protected]> > >Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 1:13 PM > >Subject: Removing temperature sensor well from boiler > > >Hi, I am installing the pid kit for my Brewtus 2, while in there i > >took the opportunity to replace deteriorated plastic stuff like zip > >ties, spade ends, power switch, and both hi limit sensors. The plastic > >is incredibly fragile after 7+ years of heat. Pieces just crumble on > >contact. > > >All is well with the instructions until the "fifth step": > > > You will have to remove the existing temperature sensor and > >the well that it fits into and install the new one. you will need a 17 > >mm wrench and some Teflon tape. Be careful not to put on too much of > >the Teflon tape. Then slide the wire connector on the boiler > >temperature sensor wire into the receptacle on the Gicar pid. > > >Problem: that bolt (the well) is quite snug in there, appears to be > >some baked epoxy stuff holding it in (ex sealant?) > > >Any advice on how to get that well loose from the boiler? Can't > >consider poisons like power blaster, I don't see how I can apply > >enough force to free it. Seems like a big deal to remove the boiler. > > >Thanks, > >Eric > > >Ps WLL has been excellent asset, but it's the weekend and I'm really > >looking forward to drinking my own espresso soon! > > >-- > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >"Brewtus" group. > >To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > >To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >[email protected]. > >For more options, visit this group > >athttp://groups.google.com/group/brewtus?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/brewtus?hl=en.
