Hi Nicholas,

not sure to be honest, I'm guessing that it was a slight pump leak as the ring around the pump holding it in place was rather loose.

Cheers,
Tom

Hi everyone,

I did a quick check on the internet, rechecked what I have and I'm quite sure what I need:

- group gaskets and heater gasket
- copper washers
- John Guest fittings
- melamine foam for boiler insulation

The last two ones should be easy to get (or quite easy, might have problems with the last one). The first two are probably going to be a really PITA to get, especially the group gaskets (bell gasket and all the smaller ones) as I don't think there's anyone who sells them in the UK.

Mark did you buy most of you stuff from Stefano? including the teflon gasket for the heater?

Cheers,
dsc.

Stefano's was my supplier for all parts. He also answered a number of private emails wrt my rebuild.

I ordered the a water softener to my current water purifier (filter + carbon) from Chris's Coffee and got the John Guest fittings from them.

BradS (who passed away recently) came up with a very nifty chart comparing the ways of insulating a boiler. In the near-ish future I'll be ordering the melamine foam from http://www.mcmaster.com/ McMaster-Carr. This will be plenty for anyone who buys it for insulating more than one system.
Part #86145K21
Melamine Foam Insulation 24" X 48", 1/2" Thick, Light Gray
$23.73

=-=-
Mark

By the way, while the boiler is easily accessible is the time to make a paper template of the boiler for use when cutting insulation to fit.

Mark

OK, I got off my butt and order some. Don't know what the shipping charges are going to be though. Better be less than the product.

Mark

I would have just filled the machine and run with it as-is if it were my box. It is not dirty enough to need pulled about for that level of a cleaning.

The tube that was inside the HX, that is the intermix tube. By changing the length of the tube you change where the cold water is injected into the hot HX. By changing that, you can make the machine run warmer or cooler. Don't mess with it, it is tuned to a specific length by the factory.

The pump, don't worry about it. When they spring a leak, it is around the bearing seals. That may be water that has dripped down from the cup warmer or leaked around the pump pressure adjustment lock washer. I would turn the pump by hand to make sure it has not seized. They will lock up if they sit for a while without being turned. Just grab the protruding blade with something like a crescent wrench or pliers with a towel wrapped around the shaft, you don't want to mar it up. Then give it a few twists to make sure it turns free. If not, put some muscle behind it and get it to break free, and then turn it a dozen times to make sure it has loosened up and remount it.

Hi guys,

I agree that I should have left it as it was, without disassembling everything. At least I know how every part looks like:)

The pump turns very easily even when I use my fingers, almost no force whatsoever.

Mark, would it be possible to send some foam over here to the UK? I will have trouble finding it here and it shouldn't cost too much to ship it. I can pay you with PP.

I'm going to pick up citric acid from the post office tomorrow and I've already ordered some John Guest tubing for the machine. I have two left over JG connectors which will fit nicely and I only need a piece of ordinary hose to connect the water line to the filter.

I have a valve at the end of the cold water line under the sink to which I'm planning to connect, can I use that as a pressure regulator? I would still have to add a pressure gauge somewhere though. Oh and how do I get rid of air in the tubes between the filter and the pump?

Cheers,
dsc.

dsc wrote:Mark, would it be possible to send some foam over here to the UK? I will have trouble finding it here and it shouldn't cost too much to ship it. I can pay you with PP.

I'd certainly be willing to split up my costs. Lets work out PP after I actually get the stuff and ensure that it works. I'll post info and such on how it goes.

dsc wrote:I have a valve at the end of the cold water line under the sink to which I'm planning to connect, can I use that as a pressure regulator?

Valves don't regulate pressure, you'll want to put a pressure regulator on it. This morning I ordered a John Guest pressure regulator and gauge to go along with it. I must say I'm very happy with Chris's Coffee on the fittings stuff. I added a request to my online order and they called me up to verify everything was what I expected to get.

dsc wrote:Oh and how do I get rid of air in the tubes between the filter and the pump?

When I had my pump fed from a nearby bucket of water, it just ate the air and I'd guess slightly pressurized the tank with it. The fit on the tube I was using wasn't all that great (extra tubing for filling up my fish tank with water) so it would leak air while I fiddled. Not the best, but for a 2 minute run of the pump it seemed fine. (Yeah, the cavitation police will be on this like a shot).
=-=-
mark

Hi Mark,

well I though I will need a proper pressure regulator anyway as valves only change the flow.

Any idea when the foam might come?

Cheers,
dsc.

dsc wrote:Any idea when the foam might come?

Melamine foam was ordered yesterday. By some miracle, they shipped from their Sacramento warehouse and it's already out for delivery!!! So I get the stuff today.

BTW: You can put your machine back together and use it while awaiting the foam since you apply it after all the parts are back together. In addition, you'll want to thermally cycle the machine a number of times and check for leaks. Once you cover it in the foam, leaks are not as simple to find...

Check the following thread out on how to make a paper template. I'll be adding my melamine foam experience to this thread.
insulating-elektra-a3s-boiler-t738.html

Mark