Yes, that's the ground. Usually you can just clean it but no harm in replacing. Best, bmc
Sent from my iPhone > On May 15, 2017, at 07:46, Howard Griffin <[email protected]> wrote: > > 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:<level probe.jpeg>. 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] >>>>> rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRR >>>>> [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. > 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.
