Hey Mike, what was the alternate pressurestat to the Jaeger?
On Monday, July 23, 2018 at 12:37:04 PM UTC-4, Mike Walsh wrote: > > I talked with Tim at WLL today and he suggested resetting the high limit > button, but I think that would be indicated if the boiler wasn't heating. > > Otherwise he said all the current operation sounded good and to just watch > it for now, he didn't recommend spending the money on a new pstat just > yet. He said they would have me put in the same part, that they don't see > any premature failures and it's about 1/2 the price of the Jaeger for what > that's worth.... > > He said the variability I see in turn off pressure was fine, as was the > cycle time on the steam boiler running. > > I wouldn't doubt that at some point the pstat will get stickier, but he > said for now to watch it and that it's not a dangerous thing. If I have to > replace, I guess I'll decide on the brand then :) > > Tim didn't have any quick kluge to not power the steam boiler (ie. run > only the brew boiler) in case the pstat does go bad, so I'm still in search > of an easy kluge. > > I've got the cover and everything back on, so if there is any extremely > minor leaking going on, I definitely cannot hear it anymore. > > On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 4:46:48 PM UTC-4, herman dickens wrote: >> >> I didn't have any trouble getting the wires to fit. It's been a couple of >> years at least since I put the last one in. I'm not sure I ever replaced >> the vacuum break but I've replaced the o-rings several times. It's an easy >> fix to remove the pressurestat and put the new one on. >> >> Herman >> >> On Sun, Jul 22, 2018 at 4:31 PM 'Mike Walsh' via Brewtus < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Greetings all, >>> >>> Thanks for the encouragement and help. >>> >>> I pulled out a couple of crescent wrenches and disassembled the vacuum >>> breaker valve, and replaced the o-ring without any issues. The old one was >>> pretty shrunken and dry as you'd image. There really wasn't much crud or >>> scale that I could see, so I quickly hit it with a scrubby but didn't go >>> too crazy. As easy as that was, I'll just keep doing that until the bag of >>> 10 is gone, and then trade out the whole part with the spare I have :) >>> >>> And no more pstat sticking so far, but I know if it sticks once, it's >>> probably going to get worse, not better. I'll get on the phone with WLL or >>> CC tomorrow to look into a new psat. >>> >>> Q: I assume the pstat is fairly easy to change out? >>> >>> Q: With the Jaeger, the wiring point locations are different, do the >>> existing wires reach OK, or did you have to extend them Herman? >>> >>> Q: Since I rarely use the steam boiler anyway, if the pstat sticks again >>> is there an easy way to "disable" the steam boiler and just run the brew >>> boiler? I can dig in the archives, but if the answer is as simple as "just >>> pop off one of the connectors on the element on the bottom", that would be >>> great to hear and avoid the searching. >>> >>> Q: I swore I could hear a very, very faint continuing steam leak, but >>> maybe now a few hours later the o-ring has softened and settled because now >>> it's dead silent. And of course my "cycle time" of heating the steam >>> boiler is WAY better (it's been as short as 90 seconds with the bad >>> o-ring). Now when it heats it'll generally turn on at about 1.05 bar and >>> then most of the time turns off at 1.25, but I've seen some variability up >>> to sometimes 1.3, 1.35. It'll typically settle around 1.2, then slowly >>> decrease over about 4m45s until it turns on again. Does that sound >>> reasonable? >>> >>> Thanks for any and all continued help. >>> >>> PS: Adam, if I get to pulling the Brewtus apart at all and you want to >>> come on down to Cary, you are welcome to come by, I'll let you know. An >>> extra set of hands is always helpful, and it sounds like you are a bit more >>> advanced on the plumbing side than me. >>> >>> -mike >>> >>> On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 8:26:40 AM UTC-4, Adam Meade wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi Mike, >>>> >>>> I'm in Raleigh and last fall, I was attempting to fix a steam leak and >>>> broke the part that comes out of the steam boiler on my Brewtus IV. I >>>> called around and end up taking it to the Appliance Service Center on >>>> Peace >>>> Street. However, I can't say that I'd fully recommend them. The owner >>>> did >>>> not communicate well and when I dropped it off, I wasn't sure if he had >>>> experience with espresso machines as the place was strewn with old junk of >>>> every sort and no signs of espresso gear. However, he was somehow able to >>>> source a part that WLL had back ordered and did get it put back together. >>>> On the other hand, he didn't test it before I picked it up so there were >>>> multiple steam leaks and I ended up disassembling everything on my own >>>> anyway and putting in high-temp plumbers tape. He also put the steam >>>> gauge back on crooked. On the whole, I wouldn't go back there unless I >>>> was >>>> really desperate and I'd first try to fix it myself if I could. The crazy >>>> thing was when I went to check on it once, someone else had dropped off an >>>> identical Brewtus IV there! >>>> >>>> Good to meet another Brewtus owner in the area. >>>> >>>> --Adam >>>> >>>> On Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 6:14:42 PM UTC-4, herman dickens wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Mike the red high temp o-rings seem to work fine on mine. I've had it >>>>> since the month the BII's came out and I can't even tell you how many >>>>> times >>>>> I've replaced it. You could have a pressurestat sticking. Mine did and >>>>> the >>>>> same thing happened. I got the Jaeger Pressurstat from Chris coffee and >>>>> it >>>>> worked a lot better than the one that came on it. The first Jaeger lasted >>>>> 8 >>>>> years, 2nd 8 months, 3rd is several years old. I think I got a bad one >>>>> the >>>>> second time. I don't know of anyone around Raleigh but I'll ask around. >>>>> I'm >>>>> just north of Louisburg so not too far away. Keep us posted if you have >>>>> problems. >>>>> >>>>> Herman >>>>> >>>>> On Sat, Jul 21, 2018 at 5:54 PM 'Mike Walsh' via Brewtus < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> All, >>>>>> >>>>>> Grateful for any help. I've had this Brewtus II for years, and I'm >>>>>> probably the 2nd or 3rd owner of it. To my knowledge, no maintenance of >>>>>> any kind has ever been done on the machine. I fire it up twice a day, >>>>>> and >>>>>> pull a shot - I rarely use the steam boiler. I've had no water leaks or >>>>>> anything else significant to this point. >>>>>> >>>>>> I turned on the machine to warm it up today, and sometime WELL after >>>>>> it would have come up to temp we heard a very loud sound (I honestly >>>>>> thought our pug dog had passed really loud gas), and the sound of steam >>>>>> coming out of the Brewtus under the cover. I quickly turned it off, >>>>>> gathered some tools, and took off the cover. I then turned it back on, >>>>>> and >>>>>> waited to see what happened. >>>>>> >>>>>> I found I've got hissing from the vacuum breaker valve, but I've had >>>>>> that for years. I've had a full replacement valve (the kind with the >>>>>> white >>>>>> insert), as well as a bag of the little o-rings as another option, but >>>>>> life >>>>>> got busy and I've used neither.... Let's hold on that thought. >>>>>> >>>>>> The safety value was hissing as well this time, so I popped it DOWN, >>>>>> and it seemed to settle. If it is hissing at all, I can't tell it over >>>>>> the >>>>>> vacuum breaker valve. I've let it cool a bit and warm back up a few >>>>>> times, >>>>>> and have not had the big problem reoccur, and the brew gauge shows a >>>>>> very >>>>>> solid maximum of 1.2 bars, so I don't think it's an out of control >>>>>> pressure >>>>>> stat or anything. I grabbed a pair of pliers and worked it UP against >>>>>> the >>>>>> spring pressure and rotated it a number of times just to make sure if >>>>>> there >>>>>> was any crud I broke it up or moved it. >>>>>> >>>>>> So... >>>>>> >>>>>> 1 - any thoughts or concerns on the safety valve? Is this just some >>>>>> weird one-off? Anything I should do or watch/listen for? >>>>>> >>>>>> 2 - Obviously I need to get off my rear and do something about the >>>>>> vacuum breaker valve. >>>>>> >>>>>> - I assume just put on the full assembly one I have rather then >>>>>> messing with repairing the other one's o-ring? >>>>>> >>>>>> - Any precautions I need to do like holding the lower part of the >>>>>> assembly to keep it from rotating when I wrench off the vacuum breaker >>>>>> value, or can I just take a wrench and spin off the vacuum breaker >>>>>> valve? >>>>>> I don't want to break anything. If I need to hold it, is a pair of >>>>>> pliers >>>>>> sufficient? >>>>>> >>>>>> - STUPID question: do I have to move the fridge and crawl back >>>>>> there to turn off the plumbed-in water line before doing the repair? >>>>>> >>>>>> I'm hoping this is fairly quick, and I'll go back to good operation. >>>>>> I appreciate any advice! >>>>>> >>>>>> PS: I imagine at some point this machine will need real maintenance, >>>>>> does anyone know anyone in the Raleigh, NC area that works on these >>>>>> machines? >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>> Mike >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> 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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