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  • #31
    Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

    mmmmmmmmm group head water :P

    Look like a good project you have there!
    I managed to split the boiler on a single group Portafino a few month sback...much the same as yours internally!

    Looking forward to seeing some pics of its pours

    Comment


    • #32
      Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

      Originally posted by 5A637D734951160 link=1248526256/30#30 date=1251196549
      mmmmmmmmm group head water  :P

      Look like a good project you have there!
      I managed to split the boiler on a single group Portafino a few month sback...much the same as yours internally!

      Looking forward to seeing some pics of its pours
      Haha yer thanks Luke! Sure has been a lot of fun thus far!
      What happened to your boiler? And what did you think of the machine?

      Cheers,
      Ben

      Comment


      • #33
        Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

        I didnt think it was amazing but it sure was a lot better than the Gaggia it replaced.
        A little bit larger for a 1 group but its a commercial not a home machine.

        All in all... fairly good untill the whole explosion!

        Comment


        • #34
          Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

          any news from Pirtek ben?

          J

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          • #35
            Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

            CH,

            I took the pipes back on the 21st August and was told they would be ready on the 25th. Made the stupid decision to actually go out there before calling and of course they werent ready. So I called again on the Friday and they said definitely Monday. I then went on holiday and have only just got back.
            Called them this morning with a reply that they are waiting on piping and it should be done in the next couple of days.

            Now I understand that I am asking them to fix them for nothing, however, its now well over 2 weeks which is a little disappointing.

            But nothing I can do, so hopefully she will be back up and running this weekend!

            Cheers,
            Ben

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

              So I eventually got the pipes back, but yet again they were not to specification. This time, however, there were no leaks. Just the pipe from the boiler to the group head is too low and as such the machine needed to be propped up - easy fix with a larger set of legs from Coffee Parts soon.

              Machine is currently running on 10amp power with one boiler element disconnected. As such it takes a while to get up to pressure but that is expected. It is reaching a lovely 1.1 bar, with excellent steam pressure (almost blew my socks off!!)

              The problem now, I believe, is the rotary pump. Under the load, the group head pressure is reading under 2 bar, which is well below the required 9 bar. The motor is definitely turning, and the autofil detection is working and switches on the motor. But the pump does not fill the boiler, and the flow at the group heads is definitely restricted.

              I am a bit stumped on what to do, but I might take the pump apart, and maybe try and get my hands on another pump to see if it is the problem.

              Cheers,
              Ben



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              • #37
                Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                Originally posted by 49414E48401A1F2B0 link=1248526256/35#35 date=1252996518
                The problem now, I believe, is the rotary pump. Under the load, the group head pressure is reading under 2 bar, which is well below the required 9 bar. The motor is definitely turning, and the autofil detection is working and switches on the motor. But the pump does not fill the boiler, and the flow at the group heads is definitely restricted.
                Hiya Ben,

                Its possible that the Bypass Valve in the body of the Pump (the valve you use to adjust the discharge pressure) is in need of a good clean out. There may some detritus within the housing or caught up under the valve seat which is not allowing the pressure to build up properly. When disassembling though, be careful as the internal spring will be under compression and may shoot off to parts unknown....

                Cheers mate,
                Mal.

                Comment


                • #38
                  Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                  Originally posted by 173A3E323F530 link=1248526256/36#36 date=1253002759
                  Originally posted by 49414E48401A1F2B0 link=1248526256/35#35 date=1252996518
                  The problem now, I believe, is the rotary pump. Under the load, the group head pressure is reading under 2 bar, which is well below the required 9 bar. The motor is definitely turning, and the autofil detection is working and switches on the motor. But the pump does not fill the boiler, and the flow at the group heads is definitely restricted.
                  Hiya Ben,

                  Its possible that the Bypass Valve in the body of the Pump (the valve you use to adjust the discharge pressure) is in need of a good clean out. There may some detritus within the housing or caught up under the valve seat which is not allowing the pressure to build up properly. When disassembling though, be careful as the internal spring will be under compression and may shoot off to parts unknown....

                  Cheers mate,
                  Mal.
                  Fantastic help thanks Mal. Ill have a crack at taking it all apart when I get a spare second!

                  I have got the pdf expanded view of the series 1 procon pump, but Im pretty sure its a different model. There are some obvious similarities, but does any one have any other exploded views of procon pumps?

                  Thanks for the help!
                  Cheers,
                  Ben

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                    Hey Ben if you need a "loan" pump give me a yell.

                    I got one you can borrow with or without the electric motor. It has been in the Brug so i know it works "ok".

                    As Mal said check the internals, one of mine had a filter inside that looked like a bunch of wires and it was scaled / cloged up, descale sorted it out and improved the flow.

                    We are back from the hunter valley, so your welcome to come grab a pump if needed.

                    Leeham

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                      Thanks heaps for the offer maheel! I might take you up on that in the not-too-distant future.

                      Hopefully Ill get around to checking the internals in the next couple of weeks.

                      Cheers,
                      Ben

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                        Hi ben,
                        any news?? I just bought myself a portofino 2gr to play with

                        Mischa

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                          Hey Mischa!

                          Ive been flat chat with work/study and havent spent much time on the machine.

                          Thanks to Maheel (big thanks), I was able to test with a working pump. Once we got over a sticky pressure gauge, the left group came up to a beautiful 9 bar. The right group didnt get past 3 bar so perhaps there is a blockage in the group - Ill hopefully take it apart this weekend.

                          Otherwise, touch would Lazarus is almost ready to rock and roll!

                          Mischa - keep us posted with news (and photos!!!!).

                          Cheers,
                          Ben

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                            Ok, so more problems. So I thought that considering that I was getting correct pressure to 1 group, that the issue in the right group must be confined to a pipe connecting to the group, or the group head itself. Took the group apart and gave it another descale. The jet filter was a little clogged so I thought I may have found my problem. Wrong.

                            Now, we are back to square one. Despite the gauge reading a nice 9 bar, there was barely any flow out of the previously working group and none out of the other group.

                            So we know the pump and motor are working, which leads me to the first entry of water into the machine - the solenoid. The other bit I forgot to mention was that autofill is definitely not working - at all. So if the path of water for boiler water flow is pump - solenoid - boiler, the problem must be in the boiler?

                            Before I go taking apart the solenoid, does my theory make sense? Does any one have any recommendations?

                            Thanks once again for all the help.
                            Cheers,
                            Ben

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                              Hey bjeck,

                              Im new to the board but I have done quite a bit of work on machines so hopefully I can be of help! Solenoids are notorious for limescale buildup. The valves themselves are relatively easy to take apart and descale. If I were you I would just unscrew the valve body from any that you know are in the path of flow between pump->boiler->grouphead, take out the spring/valve assembly and identify any blockage.

                              Hopefully that is somewhat clear, I may post pics to illustrate more clearly soon. I have a friend who is buying an old 2 group portofino for $350 US so I may be undertaking a similar task soon.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: Brasilia Portofino 2 Group

                                Kenny,

                                Really appreciate the reply - thanks. I did actually strip it apart before I put it all back together, but considering the issues i have had, Im not 100% confident everything went back together the way it should. Also, I remember a significant amount of lubrication on the springs in the solenoid, which was removed when the descaling was conducted. I have been meaning to take this apart for a while not, but I havent had a chance to go to Coffee Parts yet to pick up some food-grade lubrication. Any way, this will be the first step in the approach, as I feel that considering the pump is not filling the boiler and this is the only body between the pump and the boiler - hopefully fixing the solenoid will solve the remaining issues.

                                Thanks again for your help and good luck with your project!
                                Cheers,
                                Ben

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