Steam comming out inside the machine

[bgosselin]

I descale my machine recently. This morning a new problem showed up. I ear a issing sound. I found some water under the machine. Turn out steam is comming out from that valve under the boiler. It's next to the water tank. What should i do? Just untie it and put teflon? Or is this valve leek a sign that something else is wrong?


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[Endo]

That's the Safety Valve. It has no use in espresso making or steaming. It's only there as a last chance safety device to avoid your sealed steam boiler from becoming a bomb (if both the temp sensor and overtemp switch both failed at the same time).

Remove it. Inspect it. Clean it. Reinstall it.

If it still leaks, you may wish to replace it (unless you are absolutely sure your repair doesn't interfere with its safety function).

[bgosselin]

My boiler gage is constant. I should see it get out of controle. I order a new Vacuum breaker. Can that have any thing to do with it? Steam doesn't seem to come from the end. More from the side. Will undo it tomorrow and check.


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[Endo]

You will not see any change in boiler pressure if you have a small leak.

First thing you need to do is figure out if the leak is coming from the vacuum breaker on top of the boiler, or the over pressure safety valve behind the reservoir (as shown in your photo). Another place to check for leaks would be at the drain plug on the bottom of the boiler.

[bgosselin]

Strangely everything was fine today. I did almost nothing. Just turn it clockwise to undo the safety valve yesterday. I needed two 21mm i had only one so i stopped there. This morning no steam got away.


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[bgosselin]

The over pressure safety valve start leeking again. I removed it, inspected it, clean it. Not much succes. It seem to me the spring lost some of it rigidity. This thing is suppose to leak after 1.7 bar of pressure. My steam boiler pressure gage doesn't move higher then 1.35 bar. So i'm sure it is not the heating element that doesn't stop heating.

This valve is just for the steam boiler right?

[bgosselin]

I played with the valve. Tried to increase the spring pressure by putting a nut bottom of it. The result is less space so need more pressure for the valve to open.

Now i think that maybe the security valve is doing it's job. With the mod my pressure gage goes up to 2.5 bar when the v2 heats. When i let steam out pressure goes down to 1.35 bar then it will stay there. So mod not safe will remove the nut. I will order a new safety valve then see if my pressure increase at startup higher than 1.35 bar.

Edit " I remove the mod and check the gage pressure this morning. Pressure increase to 1.5bar then stop. If I steam for a long time and get it to 1 bar it will increase back to 1.35 quickly the stop there.

I don't understand why it move higher then 1.35 when i first start the machine but not higher after I use it. Should I check my temp probe? I'm not afraid that it goes up to 1.5 bar at start up. I just want to understand if replacing the valve is the only thing I need to replace. I don't see the safety valve on CC or espresso planet. I need to call them I guess".


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[Endo]

The pressure safety valve never moves under normal operation, so I suspect they are almost never replaced ( it either leaks on day one or never). I suspect this is why you won't find one for sale on their website. Still, if you call, I suspect they can find you one.

It seems pretty clear your steam temp probe is broken and is the source of all the pressure problems you describe. This is what caused your safety pressure valve to open and then leak. I recommend you change both the probe and valve at the same time.

Also, I wouldn't fool around with spacers. Like I said before, it's a critical last chance safety device that prevents your machine from becoming a bomb. It seems to have done its job. Don't get fancy and prevent it from doing so.

[bgosselin]

After more testing I came with the same conclusion. The temp probe must be broken. I actually think my safety valve is not at fault at all. The safety valve seem to work fine an open if steam boiler get higher than 1.7 bar like it suppose to. I would have never try the spacer if I didn't have a gage to follow the pressure evolution.

I just don't get why it the temp probe experience a delay when my machine just turn on but work fine after I got some steam out.

I will replace the probe and see how it goes. Thanks for your input.

[Endo]

The probe is broken. It often becomes unreliable rather than simply off. Don't try to figure it out. Just replace it.

As you say, it could be your safety valve won't leak any longer when your steam pressure is in the normal 1.4 bar range.