About 15 years ago I took delivery of my Grimac 2-group, which had a broken sight glass. I replaced it then, along with the neoprene-type grommets which help secure it to the boiler pipes. Well, last night I noticed an occasional drip from the top end of the glass. Every few seconds.
Although straightforward, It's not the easiest to get to, requiring the removal of the warming tray, right side panel, top group-to heat exchanger pipe, and then the top and bottom sight glass-to boiler pipes. The bottom pipe of course starts to empty out the boiler as soon as it's loosened, so we had to keep putting little bowls under it to catch the (cold) water.
The glass was broken. And the rubbery grommets somewhat hardened.

Got a new glass and grommets from a shop, reassembled everything, partly filled the boiler through the removed vacuum break valve, and let the auto fill do the rest.
Been idling for almost an hour and so far and, no leaks, I didn't want to overly tighten the nuts over the sightglass and grommets, but if they do need tightening, the whole sequence of removal has to be repeated. Fingers crossed.
Some time ago I posted about the erratic behaviour of the water level inside the sight glass, jumping up and down. I think I may have found out why. I believe it is steam condensing in the brass fittings on top of the glass. The droplet of water then falls about 40 mm to the water level inside the glass, causing a splash. That's my theory.
Anyway, the sightglass and grommets, I believe, are the only repair parts (excluding things like group seals) in the time I've had the machine. Not bad going, eh.
Although straightforward, It's not the easiest to get to, requiring the removal of the warming tray, right side panel, top group-to heat exchanger pipe, and then the top and bottom sight glass-to boiler pipes. The bottom pipe of course starts to empty out the boiler as soon as it's loosened, so we had to keep putting little bowls under it to catch the (cold) water.
The glass was broken. And the rubbery grommets somewhat hardened.
Got a new glass and grommets from a shop, reassembled everything, partly filled the boiler through the removed vacuum break valve, and let the auto fill do the rest.
Been idling for almost an hour and so far and, no leaks, I didn't want to overly tighten the nuts over the sightglass and grommets, but if they do need tightening, the whole sequence of removal has to be repeated. Fingers crossed.
Some time ago I posted about the erratic behaviour of the water level inside the sight glass, jumping up and down. I think I may have found out why. I believe it is steam condensing in the brass fittings on top of the glass. The droplet of water then falls about 40 mm to the water level inside the glass, causing a splash. That's my theory.
Anyway, the sightglass and grommets, I believe, are the only repair parts (excluding things like group seals) in the time I've had the machine. Not bad going, eh.


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