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Pickin Your Brains!

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  • #16
    Re: Pickin Your Brains!

    scoota, you know there is a huuuge safety issue here, ...
    time to get the boss by the short and curlies, methinks...

    good luck, girl!

    L

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    • #17
      Re: Pickin Your Brains!

      Originally posted by Lizzi link=1195510074/15#15 date=1195881767
      scoota, you know there is a huuuge safety issue here, ...

      good luck, girl!

      L
      Im with you Liz,

      time to get the boss by the short and curlies, methinks...
      Nope ... park his bare Ar** over the venting valve...... that might "lure" him into action!



      Scoota.... time to down tools Im afraid..... That machine is both sick and dangerous.....

      Whilst it might be hard, time consuming and or costly to have it professionally fixed..... what cost is placed on the safety of you and your customers.....

      Working on that machine is like driving your bike wearing only a bikini...... and even though it would probably feel great on a hot day...... Im sure you would agree that it would be idiotic...

      There is a time where you just have to say NO!!!!!!!

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Pickin Your Brains!

        Originally posted by JavaB link=1195510074/15#16 date=1195884733
        Nope ... park his bare Ar** over the venting valve...... that might "lure" him into action!
        yep, i can see how that may work too!! ;D ;D ;D

        L

        Comment


        • #19
          SCOOTA PLEASE READ

          Scoota,

          there are 2 valves at top of the boiler.

          a) the Boiler Pressure Safety Valve and

          b) Anti Vacuum valve.

          They can both leak steam at times, but it is more usual to be the anti vacuum valve that is leaking....

          The functions are as follows:

          a) The Safety Valve is there as a safety precaution in case the pressuretat does not cut out and the boiler over pressurises. It will usually blow off at somewhere from 1.8 to 2 bars, give or take...

          b) The anti vacuum valve is there to prevent "false pressure" at cold start up.

          Re your question..."........whilst this is not being repaired instantly, how much potential damage are we doing to the boiler by not repairing it? If any at all........."

          None. It seems you have a minor steam leak, although I understand it sounds to be large.  But as long as your boiler presure gauge is operating as normal, and it is reading normal operating pressure & not indicating "over pressure",  then the boiler appears to be holding up as it should to a minor (in volume of steam compared to its capacity) steam leak. If there was a real over pressure, the safety valve would blow off big time and scare the pants off everyone on the place.

          There is usually no steam pressure or boiler safety issue if either valve is leaking. It simply means the element will be switched on more frequently than normal, to bring the steam / boiler back up to pressure while it (the pressure) leaks out. Better for steam to be leaking, than for a safety valve to be stuck and not blow off in a real situation of over pressure.

          Leaking anti vacuum valves are very common and a competent repairer will remove the top tray of the machine & simply RE SEAT the valve by tapping it with something  like the handleof a screw driver or the back of a spoon, to push the plunger down and allow the resulting release of steam to push it back up & reseat. Sometimes it wont happen again after this has been done, or if the valve is worn it may need to be reseated often, and if the valve is cactus it wont reseat. Simply call your service back up people and ask them to come & rectify.

          On the rare occasion the boiler safety valve is leaking, the serviceman will simply replace.

          This is pretty standard stuff but what is worrysome is that your boss wont do something about it long term. As you have seen the steam leak condenses to water and makes a really wet mess inside the body. This wetness can leak down into things like electronic parts or say, the main electric switch, and left without rectification over time can short something out. ...I prefer not to dice with electrickery as it usually wins.

          Dont panic, call your regular repairer. FYI the anti vacuum valve is  the smaller of the two valves on the boiler. The large (say about 2 inches tall) brass one usually in the middle of the boiler is the safety valve.

          It is very time consuming (& sometimes confusing for those reading) to write stuff like this and post on the net, and it is much quicker to talk. I guess this isnt going to get fixed before Monday, and if you are very concerned & want me to explain further, go to the link to my website and telephone me at work on Monday. I will be happy to answer any of your questions but ultimately, you need to get a serviceman out there to (I think) replace the anti vacuum valve. Of course, a "blind" keyboard diagnosis can often be incorrect, I can only go on the facts you have presented.

          Take extreme care when you "lift the lid" both in terms of not inviting steam burns, as well as in terms of keeping right away from electrics inside.

          I would not operate the machine with the lid off, as you have seen it can be difficult to keep prying fingers away from occupational hazards.

          Oh by the way, your boss cant "fix" either of the valves discussed here. The ONLY fix is to replace the valve that is leaking with a new one, and I guess I should finish by saying that any work you or your boss does in the machine is done at your responsibility....I am only explaining the possible cause and probable fix of a problem that should have already been attended by a professional service repair person.

          Regardz,
          FC.

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Pickin Your Brains!

            Hey FC.

            Many thanks for that post. Youre quite correct, it is the anti vacumn valve that is letting off steam, the boss explained it to me when I rang him today. During the morning, it was given a tap as suggested to reseat it but I think that it is beyond that now and needs to be replaced.

            The machine did exactly as you have described in that it kept switching the element on to keep the temp up.

            Ive turned it off, put a big sign on it to not touch or turn on until further notice and hope that well back up and running soon.

            Thanks for the offer of help, I may very well take you up on it yet, FC.

            Thanks for all your support everyone else!

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Pickin Your Brains!


              tap tap tap....

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Pickin Your Brains!

                Originally posted by Andy Freeman link=1195510074/15#20 date=1196204514
                tap tap tap....
                Um...yeah.

                So...this morning...I got to work...










                And the machine had blown up... ;D


                I didnt say anything to the boss, just gave him the silent treatment. I think it spoke volumes to him! >

                I even managed to refrain from saying "I told you so!"

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Pickin Your Brains!

                  Thankfully you werent there when it happened.

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Pickin Your Brains!

                    The element, when they finally got it out was in several pieces. And I must say that the calcium scale in the bottom of the boiler wasnt too bad for a 7 year old machine! : ;D

                    So, whilst the little old town of Wee Waa is having withdrawals from great coffee, Im secretly enjoying my own at home...

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Pickin Your Brains!

                      Originally posted by scoota gal link=1195510074/15#23 date=1196416988
                      So, whilst the little old town of Wee Waa is having withdrawals from great coffee, Im secretly enjoying my own at home...
                      Better not let the word get out or youll be swamped with visitors! ;D


                      Java "Sippin in the open" phile
                      Toys! I must have new toys!!!

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Pickin Your Brains!


                        Are you taking a thermos to work?

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                        • #27
                          Re: Pickin Your Brains!

                          LOL! I took Silvia, actually! ;D

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