I've been lurking here for awhile, but thought I'd start sharing my mini rebuild of the 2 group faema s87 I just acquired. It's pretty ugly and dirty but here she is. The picture below is after I put the stainless pieces through the dishwasher, but before I started disassembling it. At this point I have the groups disassembled and soaking. Hopefully I'll start reassembling in the next few days.

I started disassembling... there's quite a bit of scale here so as soon as I unhook everything, that's first on the list.


and here's with the side panels & groups removed:

Finally got my two S87 units home today! I am excited! One is completely restored and the second one could use a good restoring but both units work just fine. I need a heating element gasket on the second unit.

Ahh, now to get the 220V installed in the kitchen! Believe it or not, the wife is looking forward to it! I will be taking her by the shrink tomorrow.

Was that boiler powdercoated/painted as a factory standard, or was that an extra addition by the previous owner? first time ive seen a red boiler, looks hot!

I don't know the answer to that, but I have e-mailed the former owner who is a member of this forum and he may wish to respond. It does look clean, doesn't it? This is the restored unit. He told me he had $800 in the whole restoration, so this machine is ready to be plumbed and fired up!

That powdercoated boiler does look nice. I've mine most of the way stripped down now... hopefully I'll start putting it back together in a couple days after I've scrubbed the frame & descaled the boiler & tubing.

What are you doing for water filtration?

I thought about using a refrigerator in-line filter that would seem to do the job. I just would like to get some input on that idea. The fridge units are about 1/4 the cost of a in-line for a sink and I don't understand what the big difference is about. There may be, but I don't see it.

Any ideas?

Here is one of the units I was looking at : http://www.filtersfast.com/GE-GXRLQ-inline-water-filter-kit.asp

WilsonHines wrote:I just would like to get some input on that idea. The fridge units are about 1/4 the cost of a in-line for a sink and I don't understand what the big difference is about.

My only concern is the refrigerator filter's flow rate may be too slow during a boiler refill and the rotary pump will cavitate. I originally had the Elektra A3 on a filter system with 1/4" line and its rotary pump complained loudly. Replacing the lines with 3/8" cured it nicely (I use ubiquitous 10" filters sold at Home Depot/Lowes).

chriscoffee.com also has some generic 10" filters, that was my plan... softener & filter. We used to run something similar at the shop I managed awhile ago, and it was fine.

The other really nice thing about the 10" filters is that you can change them without tools... which means that its easier NOT to postpone changing them when its time!

Thanks for the input Dan and continued input fflewddur.

I went to chriscoffee.com and found a ton of links with a search like "10" Filters."

There is the following http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/plumbing/filtersystem for $69.99 - will this work? More precisely will this get rid of scale, too; or just filter the water for the standard "stuff" like for taste and bacteria?

[10 minutes later]

Now I find this one: http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/home/plumbing/softenersystem
$110 but it is a softener and filter. I guess, much to my chagrin, that not spending $100 is impossible with this stuff?

I was looking at the second kit, for yeah $100. I was going to price check it with homedepot just to make sure.

While I'm at it though I am going to run another tap to have some nice drinking water and be free of the pitcher.

Flewwdder is this for the home or a type of commercial setting?

Thanks

When I installed my two group rotary, I put in a dedicated half inch main with a 10 inch filter just for that line. Then a heavy duty regulator to step down the pressure to two bar and a 3/8 inch poly line that runs up to the machine. If your flow rate is too low, the pump will growl and howl as the rotary vane cavitates. A wise man once told me that it would be comparable to breathing out of a straw. You can do it, but a snorkel would work much better.

It's a bit of overkill, but I"m putting this in my home trying to avoid upgradeitis. I actually have an unused 1/2" main that I'll be using for this from a wet art hat I pulled a few months ago.

I am with you 110% on the "upgradeitis." This is exactly why I went for the kill with a first machine being a commercial machine.

The first shot I ever pulled was on a La Marzocco FB/80 and that is what I have spent the majority of my time working on. So, after watching video of guys working on silvas and other home units I knew that I wouldn't be happy with a home machine and would just eventually wind up spending more money and selling what I had.

I did the same thing with golf, I started with a brand new set of Callaway clubs and drivers: $3,500 worth of it. Never regretted that decision and after 10 years I haven't had the itch to hit with any other club.

On this filtration and water supply deal. I have a feeling this is going to slow my arse down!

First "Frustration Wall" has been hit!

It is a minor problem and I do have a "manual" of sorts with diagrams and pics to help. But, I noticed on the left group head there wasn't a screen. Shannon gave me a BAG of screens so I just went to the parts bag and then I noticed that the left gh had a screw in it with a hex head. No problem, I went and got a allen wrench to fit it and I can't find one to fit it out of my whole exhaustive set. On top of that, I have tried to use a set of pliers to get it out and it won't budge, at all.

On top of this, according to the manual, there are ... in my opinion... a lot of parts and screws that aren't included. It will just make things harder and slower. It wouldn't seem that anything that is missing would be vital. Like it doesn't have ANY of the heating parts for the cup warmer. This frustrates me because I like the idea of a working cup warmer. The parts probably were missing from the time it left the first shop, so Shannon had nothing to do with it. He gave me all he had.

I believe I used a 3mm allen wrench from my bicycle tool set to remove the screw. espressoparts.com has an exploded diagram of the express/special grouphead.

I've finally got mine almost stripped to the frame; just need to remove the pump and then I can start cleaning it up and putting it back together.

Interesting update. I called Shannon and I figured the problem out. The older unit I have has a three piece (including the screw) screen assembly. The newer unit has a totally different setup. I just need to get a new piece to replace this - cost: $6 and change. No problemo. I was wondering why I had a discrepancy with the manual and the machines.