OK - so boiler is out - thanks to everyone here, and kudos to my buddy Dave who gave me some advice over FaceTime (gotta love that iPad 2 - next best thing to being there!). I will post the whole procedure with tool sizes etc plus other minutae if anyone is interested. Some items of note.
1. NO teflon tape anywhere except for water line attachment on top - and that waterline attachment is a BITCH to get off......... 2. on the bottom support stand that morphs into a L pipe where the water comes out of the front boiler THERE IS (or looks to be) a plastic or Teflon gasket. I have the boiler stripped now (it's a heavy little sucker) and am contemplating ways to get support on it so I can torque the pipe insert out - I am thinking maybe either padded vise or maybe an oil filter wrench (rubber strap one) 3. Some of the electrical line coverings feel brittle, but I am assuming the wire it OK. Checked everything for patency and it all looked good. 4. That boiler holds a ton of water........ better have more towels ready next time....... (Sorry Honey) Thanks to you all - Call me Padawan Craig On 2012-02-13, at 8:41 AM, HERMAN wrote: > for high pressure/temp lines we always use teflon tape with a good quality > liquid pipe dope. don't overdo the tape. leave the first couple of threads > clear of dope. then put on the liquid, in this case food approved, dope. > tighten it to the desired location for the inlet/outlet and the let it sit 24 > hours before pressurizing. you shouldn't have any trouble if you do it this > way. make sure the fittings line up correctly and never loosen to fix an > alignment issue even if it means removing and re-doing the installation. > > > From: Dennis Keating <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 11:32 AM > Subject: Re: My Baby has a leak!!!! > > for what its worth, i have replaced the heater element twice on the steam > boiler of my B1. i use the yellow gas tape and lots of it. i think the tape > squashes out to form a gasket, too. -Dennis > > On 2/12/2012 8:10 PM, AngerManagement wrote: >> >> PTFE tape performs very well for many applications, but many miss use >> on coffee machines. I see more problems from incorrect use, than >> quality fixes. And even when it is the correct solution, in many cases >> it also comes back to the correct way of putting it on, which some >> also get wrong. But after working as a fitter in the medical field and >> working on all sorts of plumbing over 35 years, I still have people >> with no experience other than google look on in amazement. When I fix >> things the old fashioned way after being told I don't know any thing. >> >> Won't comment as to the ongoing debate as to FOOD SAFE, other than >> even food is not safe if one treats it incorrectly or over indulges. >> Same goes for many materials used in making and repairing. >> >> I usually purchase a selection of plumbing washers( both fibre and >> Teflon) and also have a small 1mm thick sheet of ptfe and cut / punch >> to suit, for any strange needs. I also still have some of the old >> style fibre packing and some sealing compound, that on occasions still >> gets used for those water mains jobs... Often works better than the >> heavy grade ptfe tape :-) >> >> *****Note: >> Have just restored a couple of old machines and the main boiler >> gaskets and where the neck fits for the levers and e61 heads; are all >> asbestos impregnated. Does it matter, nope as it is wet and any >> particulates that get loose, would need to get through the coffee >> puck :-) So it is all filtered :-) >> >> Get more crap in the lungs and stomach from eating off dirty grills >> and breathing quality air in a traffic jam :-) >> >> >> On Feb 13, 7:59 am, CRAIG STOUT <[email protected]> wrote: >>> So I guess I will take it apart and see what this gasket should look like - >>> If I decide to go that route - are they available? The last thing I want is >>> to do it, and then have some funky taste in the water, although if I am >>> judicious with the Loctite, I won't get it near the threads that are close >>> to the water. As well, my buddy suggested putting teflon tape on the >>> threads, then using a razor blade in the threads to cut it back a bit - >>> Jeez, what a drag. So, this necessitates taking BOTH boilers off and >>> working on them - Is there other stuff that you guys are aware of that I >>> should do that will prevent problems in the future? (I bow down to the >>> groups knowledge....) >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> Craig >>> >>> On 2012-02-11, at 8:37 AM, John Brinkman wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> Looks like it is a Brewtus Issue, I had the same leaks on my one. >>>> They local guys said that the machines didn't have any teflon washers in >>>> them when they are built. >>>> I was lazy and got them to sort it out for me :-) >>>> JohnB >>>> On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 7:14 AM, Mario German Mejia <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> Craig, do not waste your time with just teflon tape.... >>>> I went through this ordeal and I spent 3 to four hour of frustation just >>>> to find out that it would leak again......... >>>> The big problem, at least on my Brewtus III was the lack of a teflon >>>> gasket. >>>> Try Loctite 567 (1000 PSI pressure and 400F + safe for water contact). >>>> Just make sure you allow enough time to fully cure ( 72 hours) without >>>> turning your machine on. I know that it will be endless but it is worth. >>>> Otherwise, it will leak again. It happened to me and I learned the lesson >>>> in a hard way.... >>>> Finally, you have to run several liters of water through it to get rid of >>>> that funky taste...... >>>> I ended up selling it after testing it for one month. >>>> Good luck >>>> From: Craig Stout <[email protected]> >>>> To: [email protected] >>>> Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 9:56 PM >>>> Subject: Re: My Baby has a leak!!!! >>>> Guess I am going to have to get in there and get my hands dirty - with >>>> respect to Teflon tape - standard heat resistant tape, or is there a >>>> special food safe one? And hey, many thanks for the quick response! >>>> Craig >>>> On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 3:44 PM, Ira <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> At 03:32 PM 2/10/2012, you wrote: >>>> Hi Ira - nope, Insulation is not wet - as far as I can tell, the primary >>>> leak is coming from where the bottom tube comes out of the front boiler, >>>> and the secondary leak is coming from just below the nut that screws into >>>> the back boiler >>>> If it's pipe threads, Loctite 565 or 567 is the proper stuff, if it's a >>>> gasket, it gets harder, as you need it the right thickness so it aims the >>>> right way just when it gets tight. I have a couple sticks of Teflon rod >>>> and a small lathe I use when I have that problem. >>>> Teflon tape might work depending on what it looks like when you get it >>>> apart, just make sure you start wrapping 1 thread back so none gets in the >>>> boiler >>>> Ira >>>> -- >>>> 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 >>>> 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 >>>> 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 >>>> 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. > > > > -- > 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. -- 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.
