BES900 leaking steam wand

[inertia8]

Thanks L3N, I ended up ordering one from ebay $45 delivered with one of Ebay's usual $10 coupons (just keep viewing something expensive and they'll email within a day lol).

I will fully disassemble the valve I have and find the o-ring details to order replacements along with suitable PTFE washers, that way I'll have two good to go for when my NEW one inevitably leaks.

That said, seems that the leak has self sealed with a couple of days usage.. I'm also thinking that I won't bother screwing the steam handle into the valve and just leave it floating.. saves continuing to ruin the cover when time comes to remove it.. lol

[level3ninja]

There's a viton rubber O ring in there that degrades over time

[inertia8]

I'll check it out. This valve is now leaking from the side where it attaches to the handle.. that said I have not actually screwed the handle back on just yet, not sure if tightening the handle screw helps seal the mechanism to the housing

[level3ninja]

You can replace it with a standard size flat PTFE washer, which is what I suspect they use at the factory (can't remember the exact dimensions, they're on HB)

[inertia8]

Last night I undertook a decent maintenance task on my aging 900, which includes fixing a leaking ball valve.. which is my machines 2nd or 3rd..

I managed to get the valve apart but could not for the life of me rice the conical PTFE washer that is buried inside the valve body, tooth picks would disintegrate and when I used a metal automotive pick the seal was just being gouged.. I retrieved one of my spare valve assemblies (never throw out old bes900 parts lol) and it was the same, so I resorted to just flipping the seal on the part of the assembly which unscrews with a 6mm hex... Any tips for getting that internal washer out? Ultrasonic bath?

[Turbotrana]

Just want to give some advice on maintenance that may help.
Replace the steam valve mechanism for the wand with a new one. Whilst I see many have suggested that you can just clean the mechanism and reverse the seals I saw the condition of my ball, all pitted and rough and thought this will never seal like a new ball (although I do believe the reverse the seal trick does work for decent balls). The mechanism is around $60 Aust (part num SP0001713). The hardest part of the job is probably getting the plastic cover off to get to the screw to take the handle off. I suggest cutting two 10mm strips from a credit card. Insert these in the gap between the handle and the plastic cover. You will need a sharp blade to spread the plastic a little the get the credit card in on BOTH sides of the handle. Once you do this the plastic cover will pull off easy. There is enough room between the plastic and body of the machine (spreading the plastic apart about 0.8mm each side to make it slip of easy. You will also need an O ring kit as you will need to replace red O rings.

For those that have leaking/dripping out of the descaling ports, many suggest to tighten these screws. These screws do not seem to operate thru tightening. Mine stopped leaking when I actually unscrewed it out one or two turns. The screw slot was about horizontal (I dont know if that is important or not). Just know that you may have to play with the screw by slowly undoing it to stop the leaking. (my left screw is the full way in, the right one out a couple of turns to stop the leaking)

[level3ninja]

The part number is BES900/09.6, it's the same on 900/920

[Phildo]

Hey CS crew, anyone have a source for replacement valves these days?
I know the model is getting on, but it's such a trooper unit.

[pcrussell50]

And I should say that I actually have an ancient -900 steam valve working away happily in my -920. The old valve had been leaking like mad. But I disassembled flipped over both seals, conical side out, tightened the two halves until they felt right, which was not all the way, so there is room to tighten more when it eventually leaks again. But that was a year ago now, still going strong with no leaks. I laugh sometimes that I have this daggy old -900 valve working like a champion in my new -920.

-Peter

[irishtater]

You are awesome. Thanks so much. I hadn't stumbled on the pages you refer to here, so I am grateful for the links.

[pcrussell50]

Peter - what are the washers/o-rings used in contact with the ball itself? Should I have a supply on hand if I take apart my assembly, or do you advise I can flip the plastic washer piece?

The “plastic washer piece” you are referring to is actually TWO washers, one on either side of the ball. And they are PTFE material which for our purposes, behaves like a thick liquid. When you screw the two halves of the valve assembly together, you press the TWO seals against the ball and that is how your seal is formed. Over time, the seals “flow” very slowly and the pressure on the ball is lost and a drip develops. If you flip the seals over so that the conical sides that had been on the ball are now outboard from the ball. Screw the valve body back together until tension feels right. Not necessarily until both halves are fully together. Over time, the new sides seals will take on the shape of the ball, get loose again, and leak again. If there is still thread, you can tighten more. If not, you can flip the seals again. If they eventually become too daggy looking you can buy new PTFE washers. I forget the dimensions but they are somewhere in the thread I linked. As well as an Amazon link to where you can get a bag of them for under $10USD. Might be more here in Oz.

Skip ahead in the thread I linked, to post 93 on page 10:

https://www.home-barista.com/espress...0.html#p641819

And more detailed pic of the TWO PTFE seals, post 133 on page 14:

https://www.home-barista.com/espress...0.html#p659078

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more.

-Peter

[irishtater]

O-rings?

Correcto. Sorry I never updated this. I have now done four of these this way. In fact, I’m using a ratty old -900 valve that someone donated to me for “research” in a new -920. I flipped the seals a year ago, and it’s been going along leak free for the last year, just like a new machine.

https://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/breville-dual-boiler-ball-valve-detail-pics-t50907.html#p572160

I have begun advising people on the USA forums to save their $45USD for a new valve and service their existing valve by flipping the seals instead. Also, I found a bag of PTFE washers that are the exact diameter and thickness if one really needed to go that route. One of my spare valves is done that way.

-Peter

Peter - what are the washers/o-rings used in contact with the ball itself? Should I have a supply on hand if I take apart my assembly, or do you advise I can flip the plastic washer piece?

[pcrussell50]

You can repair the ball valve by pulling it completely apart and cleaning the ball part, then reversing the plastic seal that it rotates in.

Important to either replace the o-rings or be very careful with them. They are easily damaged while reattaching the valve in place. I bought a replacement valve after repairing it, only to find that my repair was good, but I had damaged the o-rings with steam leaking out.

David

Correcto. Sorry I never updated this. I have now done four of these this way. In fact, I’m using a ratty old -900 valve that someone donated to me for “research” in a new -920. I flipped the seals a year ago, and it’s been going along leak free for the last year, just like a new machine.

https://www.home-barista.com/espress...7.html#p572160

I have begun advising people on the USA forums to save their $45USD for a new valve and service their existing valve by flipping the seals instead. Also, I found a bag of PTFE washers that are the exact diameter and thickness if one really needed to go that route. One of my spare valves is done that way.

-Peter

[dbfcottee]

Ball valve repair

It's not hard. Once you get the covers off, you will see. Increasingly, the real trick is getting a replacement steam ball valve at all.

Tips: there is a small, size #007 o-ring on each end. While you're in there, you should replace each with a fresh new one. You don't need to get them from Breville. Any industrial supply or Amazon or eBay will do. I got 100 of them for $10 USD including shipping. When you put the clips back in the steel "hats" (you will know what I'm talking about when you get there), they will go in easier if you press down to compress the new o-ring. And DON'T lose the clips.

After you are done, you will look back at how easy it really was.

-Peter

You can repair the ball valve by pulling it completely apart and cleaning the ball part, then reversing the plastic seal that it rotates in.

Important to either replace the o-rings or be very careful with them. They are easily damaged while reattaching the valve in place. I bought a replacement valve after repairing it, only to find that my repair was good, but I had damaged the o-rings with steam leaking out.

David

[pcrussell50]

It's not hard. Once you get the covers off, you will see. Increasingly, the real trick is getting a replacement steam ball valve at all.

Tips: there is a small, size #007 o-ring on each end. While you're in there, you should replace each with a fresh new one. You don't need to get them from Breville. Any industrial supply or Amazon or eBay will do. I got 100 of them for $10 USD including shipping. When you put the clips back in the steel "hats" (you will know what I'm talking about when you get there), they will go in easier if you press down to compress the new o-ring. And DON'T lose the clips.

After you are done, you will look back at how easy it really was.

-Peter