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Rocket Giotto - Is it possible that air got in the boiler?

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  • Rocket Giotto - Is it possible that air got in the boiler?

    Not sure 100% on my diagnosis of the problem, so let me explain what happened..

    I extracted my espresso as normal, and afterwards the pump clicked on to fill the boiler (as if I had just purged it all through the hot water tap). After a while, the pressure needle flickered rapidly, and spiked up to about 3 bar, settling back down to 1 bar pretty quickly.

    After that, the heat switched back on; there was no pressure. The steam wand only shot out water, and the needle was flickering as the pressure rose. I left the steam valve open to let any air escape, and eventually it did..

    The same thing happened again a little while later, but after that, it was fine. Nothing particularly dangerous or noisy happened, just the strange behaviour of the pressure needle, and the complete lack of steam pressure.

    It seems to be fine now. It has self-corrected. It was only serviced a month ago, so its not in a state of disrepair. It is a shared office machine though, so I dont personally oversee the technique of everyone who uses it to make sure theyre treating it well ;D

    Before I used it, the tank was empty, so it may be possible that some air was pumped in. (Im not familiar enough with the inner workings to say that with any certainty.)

    Does it sound like something I should be worried about, or should I just leave well enough alone, unless it happens again?

  • #2
    Re: Rocket Giotto - Is it possible that air got in the boiler?

    If there is a fair bit of water added to the boiler, it will cool it and there will be a pressure loss. It should go back to normal after several minutes (once the boiler heats up again). No need to leave the steam wand open as, if the boiler has cooled, there will not be any steam or a lot of water mixed with it.

    Going up to 3 bar seems a bit high though. Mine usually goes up to just over 1.2 then settles back to just over 1

    (1) How long have you had the machine for or how old is it? How many other people use it? It might needs some maintenance such as a descale.

    (2) What sort of coffee are you making? If it is a long black with hot water poured from the hot water tap on the Giotto, then this will introuduce enough cold water back into the boiler to cool it and require a reheat.

    (3) If it is milk based and steaming a large jug of milk or a couple of jugs are steamed in quick succession, you may have used up all the steam and required a boiler top up and reheat.

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    • #3
      Re: Rocket Giotto - Is it possible that air got in the boiler?

      I dont think it was a timing issue. I took maybe 60ml hot water from the boiler, waited a minute or so, extracted a double shot, and then this happened.

      My theory that air was introduced into the boiler is based on the fact that the steam wand was spitting a fair bit, and the pressure seemed to be fluctuating so wildly. It was only at 3 bar for a split second.

      I only left the steam valve open until it stopped spitting. Once it had stopped spitting, I closed it and let it heat up to operating temperature & pressure.


      To answer your questions:

      1. Its an ex-display machine, always well looked after (or so Im told, by the reputable seller who is a CS sponsor). Serviced before I got it a month ago, and its used by 6-8 people to make 2-3 cups each a day.

      2. The machine makes almost exclusively lattes and flat whites.

      3. Only a 400ml jug, and nobody had used the machine too recently when I walked in there.

      Same technique Ive always used on the Giotto without a problem, and same as I do at home on my VBM Domobar Junior.

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