Thank you. Can you give me any advice on how to replace the whole assembly? Is 
there a video?

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 17, 2017, at 10:39, Benjamin McCafferty <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> +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]> 
>>> 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] 
>>>>>>>>> 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
>>>>>>>>>  
>>>>>>>>>  
>>>>>>>> 
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