+1. When I originally said, “Replace the solenoid”, I meant the assembly—the magnet and the valve/piston come as a unit. Your disassembly and reassembly bought you a day, but I will still bet dollars to doughnuts that the solenoid is sticking and just found its old position after a day of use. Hard to explain what I’m trying to say, but it’s worn in a certain way and will probably work its way back to that and keep sticking, as you’ve seen.
It would be normal/expected for the magnet to still work; it’s not the moving part. Best of luck. bmc > On May 17, 2017, at 07:01, herman dickens <[email protected]> wrote: > > Sounds like you need to replace the solenoid. > > Herman > > On Wed, May 17, 2017 at 9:59 AM, Howard Griffin <[email protected] > <mailto:[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 > <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] > <mailto:[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] > <mailto:[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] >> <mailto:[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] >>> <mailto:[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] >>>> <mailto:[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] >>>> <mailto:[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] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>. >>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>>> <mailto:[email protected]>. >>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus >>>> <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout >>>> <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] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>. >>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus >>> <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout >>> <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] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus >> <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout >> <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] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]>. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus >> <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout >> <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] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus > <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout > <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] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus > <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout > <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] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus > <https://groups.google.com/group/brewtus>. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout > <https://groups.google.com/d/optout>. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Brewtus" group. 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