Descaling V2 (again)

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EMEC

Descaling V2 (again)

Post by EMEC »

As previously mentioned I've got a woefully mistreated V2. I've removed the steam boiler and ordered new element, gaskets and all the bits on the top (not sure of the names due to my lack of Italian), I've decaled it and am waiting for the parts. I intend to remove the brew boiler and descale that but given the state of the steam boiler I'm pretty sure there'll be a ton of crap bunging up all the connections so think I must have a go at cleaning out the whole system. I've been trying to find the answer to my question on here and have learned a great deal but would really appreciate a definitive answer, if there is one. I think I'm going to try putting the mains connection into a bucket of descaler and hope the pump will flush if through. Is this a bad idea? Will the pump blow up? Will a lump of scale get stuck in a solenoid and I'll have to take if all apart anyway? Any advice would be very much appreciated before I do something stupid. Thanks in advance.
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chas
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Re: Descaling V2 (again)

Post by chas »

I never tried that with my S1 but I have done it with my GS/3. The GS/3 comes with the ability to plumb it in or use it with a tank. So to descale I drain the boilers, fill the tank with descaler, and then run the pump to push descaler through the system. After about an hour, I then refill the tank with plain water and flush several times following by draining the boilers again, and then a couple more flushes. That said, the GS/3 has a menu option to run plumbed in or from the tank. WHen plumbed in it assumes that the machine has a full coffee boiler from line pressure and when running from the tank, it knows it has to run the pump to fill the boiler so that the machine does not turn on the coffee boiler heating element until it is full. The V2 has no such function so you would probably want to siphon in cleaner or plain water to fill the boiler before pumping the cleaner in.

You probably also want to descale the boilers separately first if they are really dirty so all that gunk doesn't get into the lines and solenoid valves.

If I were you the first thing I would do is to descale both boilers and see how it runs before deciding whether to go further.
Chas
LM GS/3 & LaSpaziale Dream v 1.25 (US 120V)
Mazzer Kony E, Customized Rocky
Hottop P/B
EMEC

Re: Descaling V2 (again)

Post by EMEC »

Thanks you, that's very good advice- I think I'd just make matters worse if I send lumps of crap zooming round the system.
I've been using citric acid as a descaler, but I'm not sure how concentrated is should be - will an overly strong dilution damage the components?
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chas
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Re: Descaling V2 (again)

Post by chas »

Chas
LM GS/3 & LaSpaziale Dream v 1.25 (US 120V)
Mazzer Kony E, Customized Rocky
Hottop P/B
EMEC

Re: Descaling V2 (again)

Post by EMEC »

Quite a range of opinion / practice in that thread. I used a pretty strong solution on the steam boiler and there is some reddish staining on it (presumably) as a result. Er, bit worried I've dissolved something important .
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