Gicar Flowmeter Replacement - Annoyed @ Spaziale
Posted: Mon May 02, 2016 10:04 am
**EDIT** So I needed to change the subject because I am annnoyed at Spaziale, probably not Gicar. A person can buy a popular Gicar flowmeter that can be rebuilt for $71 on Cafeparts.com but us Vivaldi folks need to buy the $150 plastic topped version which cannot be rebuilt. I have been told that you cannot use the $71 version because it wants 12V, and our version wants 24V. I would put the plastic top back on and buy a new o-ring but the plastic top is warped so I am not going to put it back together after buying a new o-ring only to have it pop out again. I have an e-mail out to Gicar to confirm that I cannot use a metal top version in place of our version.**
So I pressure tested my machine and, after realizing I didn't tighten the tube from the pump to the solenoid:), it seemed to hold pressure. However, there was a small leak from the flowmeter so I took the whole thing apart to see what the issue was. I am having a similar issue to a different post about a cracked flowmeter top, except mine was in a different location - at the front hex bolt. I have now read that I can indeed pull the top off, I didn't want to try to hard and break it, but I do not want to put a cracked top back on.
-Has anyone tried to install the much cheaper all metal version of the Gicar flowmeter to their machine? http://www.cafeparts.com/productDetail1 ... emID=50797
-Has anyone tried to put the replaceable metal top onto their current flowmeter? I am not going to spend $44 for a top when I can buy the entire thing for $70, just curious. https://www.espressoparts.com/gicar-thr ... wmeter-lid
As a side note, my 90 degree elbow was attached by Hercules! They must have used a TON of pipe dope/thread locker on there because it was a bear to take off. I didn't break anything though. For anyone wondering I used two adjustable wrenches to hold the body and the elbow so I could loosen it.
So I pressure tested my machine and, after realizing I didn't tighten the tube from the pump to the solenoid:), it seemed to hold pressure. However, there was a small leak from the flowmeter so I took the whole thing apart to see what the issue was. I am having a similar issue to a different post about a cracked flowmeter top, except mine was in a different location - at the front hex bolt. I have now read that I can indeed pull the top off, I didn't want to try to hard and break it, but I do not want to put a cracked top back on.
-Has anyone tried to install the much cheaper all metal version of the Gicar flowmeter to their machine? http://www.cafeparts.com/productDetail1 ... emID=50797
-Has anyone tried to put the replaceable metal top onto their current flowmeter? I am not going to spend $44 for a top when I can buy the entire thing for $70, just curious. https://www.espressoparts.com/gicar-thr ... wmeter-lid
As a side note, my 90 degree elbow was attached by Hercules! They must have used a TON of pipe dope/thread locker on there because it was a bear to take off. I didn't break anything though. For anyone wondering I used two adjustable wrenches to hold the body and the elbow so I could loosen it.