Machine's leaking water, help please ...

Mikael

Mikael

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4,260
Hi All!

I could use some help, my La Cimbali is leaking. I guess it's the over flooding valve that's wrong somehow, slowly dripping water from it (I guess it's a over flooding valve?) and when I pull the spring it bursts out water, but then keeps on leaking water slowly:

[video=youtube]http://youtu.be/8IFBg9Uu_1o[/video]

If I cut off the water the leak stops, but I guess the boiler still's full...
 
That there is a safety valve. Means your pressure is or was too high at some point. A weakened spring lowers the lifting prssure. If the valve lifts and gets a bit of shite stuck on the seat, it will dribble. You can maybe cure that with luck by tying a length of string to the ring, bringing the machine to pressure and pulling on the string to lift the valve fully - hopefully blasting away the shite. The downside to this is getting hot water spraying everywhere so it is necesssary to give protection by placing towels over the valve. Caution is required. It is dangerous. Rubber gloves and eye protection advised.

Other than that - with no pressure and a cold machine, slack off the nut through which the valve spindle protrudes, take out thhe valve, clean valve and seat, reassemble. DOwnside of this method is if you damage the seal under the nut and don't have a replacement or any PTFE tape about the house. This method is safe and you can do it rather than asking your neighbour to do Method 1. for you.

Hm! at another look at your video, perhaps the leak is at the seal under the nut rather than around thhe spindle? Either way, the valve is not seating properly.
 
Cheers Carl! I've tried to pull the ring and clear the way and it squirts water and steam, but no luck/relief for the machine :(

Got an answer at home-barista, maybe/likely scale in the boiler, that prevents water level fill sensor from "seeing" and a descale seems to be in the cards...
 
Mikael said:
Cheers Carl! I've tried to pull the ring and clear the way and it squirts water and steam, but no luck/relief for the machine :(

Got an answer at home-barista, maybe/likely scale in the boiler, that prevents water level fill sensor from "seeing" and a descale seems to be in the cards...
Click to expand...

I was about to say the water shouldn't be getting to the valve at all sounds like an autofill problem so that makes sense to me. Do you have a usual descaling regime? Good luck!

[edit] before you try a full descale which is messy PITA try taking the autofill probe out of the boiler and having a look at it to see if it is scaled up? - or the connection to the autofill probe is OK not corroded or anything

Matt
 
Mattius said:
I was about to say the water shouldn't be getting to the valve at all sounds like an autofill problem so that makes sense to me. Do you have a usual descaling regime? Good luck!

[edit] before you try a full descale which is messy PITA try taking the autofill probe out of the boiler and having a look at it to see if it is scaled up? - or the connection to the autofill probe is OK not corroded or anything

Matt
Click to expand...

Cheers Matt!

I would like a lot if I could avoid a full descale, even though the Junior has a drain pipe attached to the boiler, I can't say I understand fully how to get the descale into the boiler to start with (and that answers your question about me not having regime :)).
 
I would second everything Carl said, how often do you backflush your machine? this may help with the problem because you may have a little limescale hanging around the valves.

[video=youtube]http://youtu.be/4U6J2JJH9gA[/video]
 
Looks like you've got plenty to be getting on with,looks Like that valve is going to have to be striped for cleaning/ or replacement of rubber, if all else fails replace the valve.
Sometimes it's easer than stripping the valve down cleaning/ replacing the rubber etc etc. hope you get it sorted buddy.
 
Cheers guys! Much appreciated!! I think I got help over at home-barista, prob is one of the two solenoids (long story)... I do backflush very often, at least every 10 shots or so. Descaling most likely is in the near future, anyhow.
 
I guess you have a rotary pump and it's plumbed in being a pro machine, just fill a container full of descalling juice, the pump should still be able to draw it through without water pressure.
 
Well, no :(. I haven't had the time yet, but I'm thinking of getting it to a pro, I kind of know a guy ... For a full service. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow... I _need_ my coffee :(
 
... and that's what I did. Good thing too, it seems he has some problems with it and that makes me very happy (that I left it with him) :D
 
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