Yes that makes sense. Thank you for the thorough and thoughtful explanation. I am committed to figuring this out and fixing it myself. I assume that the "ground probe" is this part:[image: Inline image 1]. When I ordered the new vacuum valve I also ordered this part too, but didn't install it after the machine started working again. So I guess my next step is to install the new probe. I will let you know how that goes.
On Mon, May 15, 2017 at 10:18 AM, Benjamin McCafferty <[email protected]> wrote: > Sorry, one more thing. If all of that fails, and if I’m correct on the > solenoid being fired by relay, there is a chance the relay is the culprit, > which means replacing the giemme controller (this did happen on mine > also—both things failed eventually). I’d wait for someone else to chime in > with more knowledge than me (Todd, Ira, etc.) before purchasing the giemme. > But, for reference, I think the giemme was about $75, the solenoid maybe > $100. So still very worthwhile repairs if the rest of the machine is doing > well. > best, > bmc > > On May 15, 2017, at 07:12, Benjamin McCafferty <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hey Howard, > I think you’re mixing up a couple of causes/symptoms. Here’s what happens > (normally) when the machine comes on. > > --It senses whether the steam boiler is full via the ground probe that > sticks into the top of the boiler (and can be adjusted up or down, by the > way). > --If not, it opens the solenoid (via relay in the giemme controller, I > believe) and starts the pump, until the water in steam boiler reaches the > ground probe. > --It then stops the pump and the solenoid closes. > --The pump is now available to push pressure on demand through the brew > boiler, which only happens when the lever is lifted to its top position. > --The steam boiler heats first, and when it’s close to pressure, the > vacuum breaker you cleaned closes and makes a seal to let pressure build. > --The brew boiler heats second, to a preset temperature. > > Now then, if you think about it, the vacuum breaker has nothing to do with > startup (it is not engaged until well after the problem you’re having). So > here’s what you check: > —Is the ground probe in the steam boiler connected and clean? > —If so, you would look to either a stuck solenoid or a failing/failed pump. > —Since you are developing 10bar of pressure, and the pump won’t quit, to > me that says two things: > —First, your pump is working, i.e. developing pressure in the brew boiler > —Second, the pump is trying to fill the steam boiler, and can’t > —Because of these two things, I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that the > solenoid is stuck, and so no water is reaching the > steam boiler, and so the solenoid never closes and shuts off the pump. > > Make sense? > > So, check the easy thing first (ground probe and wire, both ends), and > then move on to ordering a new solenoid and replacing it. > > Others may have additional thoughts, but I’ve been down this road and it > wasn’t this clear cut. The 10bar in the brew boiler is a dead giveaway, in > my opinion. > > Best of luck and keep us posted! > Ben/bmc > > On May 15, 2017, at 06:48, [email protected] wrote: > > I thought I had this problem solved after I took apart and cleaned the > vacuum relief valve. It worked fine for the past two week but now the issue > has recurred. When I turned the machine on yesterday morning the pump began > to run and the pressure went up to 10 bar. The pump would not stop running > and the pressure remained at 10 bar. I turned it off and tried starting it > again several times thoughout the day but the behavior was always the same: > constantly buzzing pump and pressure at 10 bar. Eventually a high pitched > squeal developed along with the pump noise and I haven't turned it on again > for fear of burning out the pump or causing other damage. > > Any ideas? I have a brand new vacuum relief valve that I will install > tonight. If that doesn't help I'm stuck. > > Thanks, > > Howard > > Sent from my iPad > > On Apr 26, 2017, at 14:59, Howard Griffin <[email protected]> wrote: > > I have had my Brewtus III-V (vibration pump) for almost seven years. Its > usual behavior upon startup has been to buzz for a few seconds (5-10 > seconds) and then start to heat up. The buzzing usually terminates with a > very brief uptick in volume before stopping. A typographical representation > might look like this: [click on] rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRR [noise stops machine > begins to heat up]. Sometimes there would be no buzzing at all upon turning > it on and it would begin to heat up right away. This was its normal > behavior until recently. > > Now, when I turn it on the buzzing frequently goes on for a very long > time—up to three or four minutes before resolving in an uptick in volume, > like this: > > [click on] rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr > rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRR > [noise stops machine begins to heat up]. Sometimes it still starts up with > no noise and begins to heat up right away. > > Is something about to fail on the machine? What should I check? Any advice > would be appreciated. > > Howard > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Brewtus" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Brewtus" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Brewtus" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. 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