Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Paolo
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    Thanks Vivianne, Java and Fresh_Coffee for your input.
    All seems to be under control.

    Paolo.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fresh_Coffee
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    We do not generally descale commercial machines....the water should be treated before it goes into the machine, through use of a softener, or a filter that releases an anti scaling element.

    Group heads are physically/manually cleared as and when required. the group jets and scintered filters in E61 groups (seems this is what you are referring to) are removed as and when necessary and cleared externally to the group, then replaced. Sometimes we remove blanking screws and run drills in and out of the passages to clear them.

    Depends on the individual situation.

    Older machines are usually "cleared" when they are apart. ie, if the side plate has been removed you can see the garbage inside and you physically clear it out. You do not chip away at scale build up in a boiler, it is inert, hard as metal, and doesnt hurt anything.

    Usually the only reason we might put a solution in a machine is when it has had a suck back of milk or other contaminant. In which case, a commercially available chemical solution is placed into the sealed boiler and allowed to soak, then a comprehensive flushing is carried out. This is not for the purpose of descaling as such although some descaling may take place.

    Hope this helps.

    Regardz,
    FC.

    Leave a comment:


  • Javaphile
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    The jet and jet filter can be replaced with new ones for a couple of dollars on most commercial machines. As I recall the cost for the two parts on my Cimbali was $USD3.

    The way the Cimbalis (and many other commercial brands) are designed flushing the grouphead with citric acid will do nothing to clean these parts as they are located in the waterline feeding the grouphead, well out of reach of any chemical put into the grouphead itself no matter how many times you backflush.

    If you want to determine if it is indeed the jet and filter that are causing the reduced flow to the one head swap the jets and filters between the two groups and see what the flow rates are then.


    Java "Diagnostics R Us" phile

    Leave a comment:


  • Paolo
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    Thanks, Java......now why didnt I think of that!?

    I replaced the boilers water anyway.

    All seems to be well....no off-taste any more.

    I was trying to rectify the lesser pour rate on the left group. By doing the citric acid thing and subsequently cleaning the jet and jet filter and replacing an o-ring I can now put a teacup under each group, flip each groups on-switch and the right one fills to the top of the teacup maybe 5 seconds ahead of the left one. Maybe this is as good as I will get.

    If anyone has any other ideas, I would love to hear them!

    Thanks,
    Paolo.

    Leave a comment:


  • Javaphile
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    Depending on the machine it may well be that it is physically impossible for any citric acid put in the grouphead to make its way into the boiler. La Cimbalis as a case in point. The water supply to the grouphead doesnt come from the boiler but from an independent room temp water line.

    There may be some citric acid left in the grouphead or youre tasting the metal of the grouphead seeing as theres no longer any nice scale residue covering it up and sealing it away from the water. ;D

    To see if the acid is truely in the boiler pull some water from the hot water tap and taste that.


    Java "Following the hydraulic path" phile

    Leave a comment:


  • Paolo
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    Thanks, Vivianne!

    I wasnt concerned about a problem ingesting the citric acid. I am more concerned that it may have created an acidic environment which may upset the pH balance in the boiler. I thought that boiler de-calcifying may be in progress and that deposits may find their way into the groupheads and jet filters that I have just cleaned.

    I know that citric acid is often recommended for Sunbeam-type machines but I have never seen it recommended for commercial-type machines.

    I will carry on with the draining and re-filling, anyway.

    Leave a comment:


  • Viviane
    replied
    Re: Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    Citric acid is found in the baking section of supermarkets, and is used in things like sherbet. So a little bit of it isnt going to hurt you. If it is in the boiler, then it will take care of any scale there, citric acid is mentioned often here for that purpose.

    Wont do much for the taste of your coffee, but time and a bit of boiler flushing will fix it.

    Leave a comment:


  • Paolo
    started a topic Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    Flushing the boiler on a commercial machine

    HELP!!!!
    I used some citric acid (about 50gm for each grouphead) to clean the scale build-up in the jets of my 2 group. It was introduced into the top of each group via a funnel after removing the large chrome nut that is situated there. The citric acid sat there as the machine heated up, then was flushed through by pouring a shot of water. Blue "copper looking" water came through and ran to clear after a litre or so of H2O went through. I did not put any citric acid directly into the boiler.

    It did the job beautifully, cleaning the calcium build up that was clogging the jet filters but I am concerned that some of the citric acid may have found its way into the boiler. The water that is delivered through the portafilters has a slight metallic/acid taste.

    I was going to drain and re-fill the boiler a few times to dilute the citric acid that might be in there whilst my partner is off buying a pH test kit from an aquarium.

    Should I be concerned about anything more than the taste. ie. damage to the boiler etc.
    If so, what should I do?

Working...
X