Search found 23 matches

by Tuk123
Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:56 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Hey Chas, It had been over 6 months since my last post, figure I should revisit this thread. I had been busy with work, so wasn't able to put much time into this. Also I bought a new dual boiler so wasn't in a rush to fix this. However it's taking up alot of space on my work bench and since I have s...
by Tuk123
Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:38 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

I was away on business hence lack of status update. Since the issue started, I had been using tap water just to eliminate another variable. My tap water is considered hard at ~130 mg/l. Yes negative resistance, measured with machine unplugged. If I reverse the lead, I get the same number but positiv...
by Tuk123
Fri Aug 31, 2018 12:22 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Chas, Before I dive into my latest findings, I just want to thank you for your continuous effort in helping me debug this, you're a true gentleman. So I moved the wire as suggested, but unfortunately no luck. I checked and there is continuity between boiler and ground. It's a little frustrating as o...
by Tuk123
Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:26 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

The bolt should be to the boiler but I will check when I get home. Instead of running another wire, can I just move the water level ground wire so that it's connect to the same bolt as the boiler ground? Can I ask for your thoughts on my new observation? Specifically overfill if only from cold start.
by Tuk123
Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:25 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Some good and not so good news. The not so good news is it's not 100% fixed as I can still reproduce it. The good news is it's no longer intermittent and there is a workaround. So I flushed the boiler again and again last night, must have been over 15 times. Here's the latest observation: Overfill i...
by Tuk123
Wed Aug 29, 2018 10:53 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Yes, Mine has the 2 wires that you speak of. The sensor ground is the white wire circled in blue. The boiler ground is the larger green wire circled in orange. The screw also holds the boiler to the frame. Yeah, I am still not convinced it's controller as this started after descaling. Thinking back ...
by Tuk123
Sun Aug 26, 2018 10:23 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

After debugging for last few weeks, what I observed is the issue mostly occur at initial startup. At startup regardless of water level, 95% of the times pump will engaged, pressure gauge start climbing, and overfill once it gets into the red zone. The remainder 5%, pump will not engage at startup an...
by Tuk123
Sat Aug 25, 2018 10:59 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Not surprisingly, the old pump has the same issue. I also checked the fill solenoid, it looks clean. I'm now lost as to what to try next. There aren't many stores around my area that service spaziale, most of the ones I called ask me to try things that I had already done. Though one did mention it m...
by Tuk123
Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:50 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Nope, not distilled or RO. I got this machine late Dec last year and had been using the same brita filtered water. I change the water filter recently but I doubt that should impact anything.
by Tuk123
Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:44 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

I am reopening this as issue came back this morning. The pump continue to run and boiler overfilled with water coming out of the safety valve. To recap: 1. Replace pump and descale steam boiler 2. Boiler overfilled upon turning on the machine 3. Replaced water level sensor 4. Replaced vacuum breaker...
by Tuk123
Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:35 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [RESOLVED]

Awesome, appreciate the legwork and links. I like yours better. I found them both for you and the good news is total is under $20: Aluminum: www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.pipe-wrap-4-inchx25.1000167780.html Glass Fiber: www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.glass-fiber-pipe-wrap-3-inch-x-20-feet.1000418631.html
by Tuk123
Thu Aug 23, 2018 6:22 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [RESOLVED]

This is the aluminum insulation I found: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.16-inch-x-25-ft-double-reflective-insulation-with-staple-tab.1000167785.html Can you let me know where I can find the non conducting insulation? Yeah. The aluminum plated bubble wrap like insulation seems to be more effectiv...
by Tuk123
Thu Aug 23, 2018 6:19 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [RESOLVED]

Chas, *Sigh* After 2 weeks of trouble free operations, my boiler overfilled again last night. The new fill probe came in so I took the opportunity to replace it. I also replaced the vacuum breaker as it was leaking, though I am doubtful that will help anything. Anyway boiler overfilled couple more t...
by Tuk123
Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:29 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [RESOLVED]

I found some aluminum insulation at home depot, will give it a shot. Thanks for the pics, they are most helpful. Is there a reason why you used 2 types? I used two type of insulation that is sold in small rolls at Home Depot. One is aluminum plated and I used it for the boilers, while the yellow one...
by Tuk123
Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:35 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help.

Funny that you mention this, I stumble on some old threads last night on boiler insulation. I was intrigued, but more from a lead time improvement and cutting down on cycles perspective. Few questions: What type of material to use? Preferably something that I can easily get from Home Depot. I tried ...
by Tuk123
Wed Aug 08, 2018 10:54 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help.

As usual, thanks for the details Chas. I think we can eliminate #2, 3, 4 as potential culprits. For #1, I tried tracing the connection but got lost in the cable jungle. I did notice lots of corrosion on the boiler ground wire. After cleaning as much as I could, the issue went away. Then again last t...
by Tuk123
Wed Aug 08, 2018 6:35 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help.

No, I am not using distilled or reverse osmosis, just brita filtered. I took out the water sensor and it looks clean. So it's a metal rod with an outer housing? Can you help me understand how the sensor can fail? Stupid question, if I take out the probe from the housing, reconnect the wires to the p...
by Tuk123
Wed Aug 08, 2018 5:51 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Re: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help.

Thanks for the feedback Chas. The issue appears to be intermittent. I tried turning on the boiler earlier, it came up to temp and didn't overfill. Just to confirm, is the sensor you're referring to the one I circled in red? Is it this one? https://www.chriscoffee.com/Fill-Probe-Mini-and-Dream-T-p/89...
by Tuk123
Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:11 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]
Replies: 37
Views: 38690

Mini Vivaldi steam boiler overfill, please help. [ISSUE REOPEN]

Hi, I have very little knowledge of the inside of the machine, hopefully someone can point me to the right direction. The issue is whenever I turn on the boiler for my mini, the pump engages. After awhile, water leaks out from the vacuum break valve at the top of the tank and shortly thereafter from...
by Tuk123
Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:33 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed
Replies: 5
Views: 6958

Re: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed

Thanks again for the insight. You're right that the styro cup contraption is not accurate. I did as you suggested with my single basket and the offset I arrived at is +2C, which is exactly as you stated. The styro cup was showing a difference of 8C!! It's no wonder steam was coming out of the group ...
by Tuk123
Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:20 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed
Replies: 5
Views: 6958

Re: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed

Back to square one... This morning I got it to temp and pulled couple of shots, turned out alright. Finished my breakfast and pressed the double button to clean the head. Nothing came out, no water, no steam, nothing. It seems to have sputtered out. I am now having a hard time recovering back. I let...
by Tuk123
Thu Dec 21, 2017 12:12 am
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed
Replies: 5
Views: 6958

Re: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed

Thanks Chas for the assembly diagram, it's most helpful. So my wife got tired of drinking sour espresso so she started reading up about backflushing. She told me she backflushed more than 20 times while I was at work today. New observations: Previously at high temp after sputtering for some time, wa...
by Tuk123
Wed Dec 20, 2017 5:05 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed
Replies: 5
Views: 6958

Mini Vivaldi II hot water sputtering out of grouphead - Help needed

Hello everyone, A friend recently gave me his used mini vivaldi II as he upgraded to something else. He had it for 7-8 years and admitted to being neglectful on maintenance. There are 2 issues(that I am aware of, I am sure there are more...) that I need help on debugging and fixing. Some background,...

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