Sounds like you need to replace the solenoid. Herman
On Wed, May 17, 2017 at 9:59 AM, Howard Griffin <[email protected]> wrote: > I think I have made some progress. I examined the fill sensor and it > seemed clean so I left it alone. I then proceeded to test the fill valve > solenoid as outlined in Todd's WLL video (beginning at 18:08 here: > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIiLeRdVWAU). > > I disconnected the fill sensor and the pump and switched the power on and > off to see if the solenoid clicked the valve open and shut. > > I could not hear the solenoid clicking. > > I took the solenoid off the valve and measured the resistance across the > solenoid with an ohm meter, getting a reading of 369 (see photo). In his > video Todd got a reading of 400, and I don't know if my lower reading of > 369 indicates a problem. > > Before re-coupling the solenoid to the valve I rewired it and tested its > magnetism with a screwdriver, and it seemed to have plenty of magnetic > strength. > > I reattached the solenoid to the valve and, lo and behold, the valve > started clicking again when power was applied! Even though all I had done > was removed and reattached the solenoid to the valve. I put the machine > back together and it worked fine for the rest of the day. > > The next morning the problem was back: the pump would not stop running > after powering up the machine. I did manage to finally get the pump to stop > running after repeatedly turning the power on and off and raising and > lowering the brew lever between power cycles (about 15 times before the > pump went silent and the machine began to heat up). > > What does this suggest? To this noobie it seems like the fill valve may be > sticking. If it needs to be cleaned or replaced, how do I do that? I can't > find any instructional videos or guides for that. In his video, Todd simply > says that if, after verifying that the solenoid is good, you're not getting > water through the pump, then you have to take it apart and clean it out or > replace it. > > Thanks for your help. > > > > On Mon, May 15, 2017 at 10:49 AM, Ben McCafferty <[email protected]> wrote: > >> 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] 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. >> 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.
