Hmmm... Quickmill Vetrano not heating after descale

Equipment doesn't work? Troubleshooting? If you're handy, members can help.
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Fr. John
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#1: Post by Fr. John »

OK, so I finally got around to doing a descale on the Vetrano today. Took the vacuum breaker off, siphoned out the water, filled it with citric acid solution. I had to do some other plumbing too so it's been sitting in the boiler for about 3 hours.

I just now plumbed everything back up, flipped the power on, everything came on (red light) and the boiler started to heat. Vacuum breaker sealed. I went walked away for a few minutes to let it get up to full pressure, came back and it had stopped heating and neither red nor green lights are lit.

Don't know what I could have done as the vacuum breaker is the only thing I messed with (I cleaned it and put it back after filling the boiler).

Any ideas?
Fr. John

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allon
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#2: Post by allon »

It could be that the overtemp tripped - if the pressurestat got stuck or blocked by scale that was freed up by the citric.
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TomC
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#3: Post by TomC »

Were you able to drain and purge it a few times before bolting it back together and heating it up? Sounds like you tossed a clot!
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Fr. John (original poster)
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#4: Post by Fr. John (original poster) »

OK, well I figured it out.

First, I had tripped the GFI, which I hadn't noticed right away. Anyway, I reset that and the machine kicked back on. Unfortunately after heating and almost reaching pressure it tripped the GFI again. Kind of had me stumped for a few minutes (well stumped is putting it mildly, I was in a bad mood as my other plumbing for the day was NOT going well!).

I then thought that perhaps it had something to do with how full I had filled the boiler with citric acid a few hours earlier. The instructions I had were to fill it to within 1/2 inch of the top, which is what I did. Anyhow, I decided that maybe this was the culprit and I also figured 4 hours of citric acid was pushing it.

Anyhow, I pulled the vacuum breaker again and siphoned off the acid. Put back the breaker and turned it on. Worked perfectly.

Now to replace all my valves the HX (those little brass valves are outrageously expensive), and everything should be like new.
Fr. John

john_ertw
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#5: Post by john_ertw »

I'm glad you figured it out. I'll probably descale my machine in the next month or so when I'm planning to take some time off. Were you able to get any visual indication of the amount of scale in the boiler through the vacuum breaker valve port?
How did you support the boiler when you removed the vacuum breaker valve?

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Fr. John (original poster)
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#6: Post by Fr. John (original poster) replying to john_ertw »

No indication really other than some green tinted water, but that's really just indicative that the acid was in contact with copper I think. I've been told that the mushroom scales much worse than the boiler. Mine was fairly scaled BUT I'd have to say that after 6 years I would have expected less. These factors lead me to think the boiler wasn't that bad (and no, I couldn't really see in there!).

As far as getting the vacuum breaker off, it was easy, just used a socket set, didn't need to support the boiler as it was really not that much torque.

If you are replacing any seals or washers in the HX, I'd do that after you clean and descale, that way the new seals won't be exposed to the acid.
Fr. John

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erics
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#7: Post by erics »

As far as getting the vacuum breaker off, it was easy, just used a socket set, didn't need to support the boiler as it was really not that much torque.
In that case, you were either very fortunate or you only removed the top portion of the vacuum breaker valve.



Removing the portion of the vacuum breaker valve that screws into the boiler is typically difficult because those threads are coated with a sealer/thread locker. It is much easier to syphon and fill via the steam wand connection at the boiler.



Consider yourself also fortunate as regards the tripping of that GFI outlet. That is usually indicative of a pin hole in the heating element sheath uncovered by scale removal.
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Fr. John (original poster)
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#8: Post by Fr. John (original poster) »

Eric,

Well that raises a few questions then:

1. There may have been thread locker but I didn't see much evidence if there were. I used high quality Teflon to put it back on. Should that not work?

2. OK, the pinhole thing has me scared. Is it not then normal for the machine to have acted the way it did if it was simply over full? Should I be concerned?
Fr. John

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erics
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#9: Post by erics »

Teflon tape is fine.

If the boiler was overfilled and spewed water all over the top as it was heating up, then I suppose you could have tripped the GFI. But typically GFI's trip for the reason I gave. HOWEVER, if all is well and good as you read this, then I would leave well enough alone. But if it trips the GFI in the near future, I would first look at the heating element and that is no small job.
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bjornm
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#10: Post by bjornm »

Hi

I have a similar situation with my Anita after a descale. Hope you don't mind if I borrow this thread.
The situation right now is that the boiler will not heat up.

This is what happened.
1. I descaled using Durgol
2. The instructions says that the descaler should not (need to) sit in the boiler and should be rinsed straight though. This since it is a very powerful descaler (though made for espresso machines)
3. I started to run though the HX, then continued on with boiler using the water wand (and a little with the steam wand).
4. At one point the pump would not work. Since I had run everything almost continuously I thought that i might have blown the pump.
5. I shut the machine off and let it rest. This with the descaling solution in it.
6. When I came back after an hour or so the pump worked again, but the now the boiler will not heat up.

When I turn on the machine the pump will engage (I emptied the boiler twice from the bottom and refilled). The red lamp is on, but I don't get any heat.

I'm thinking that the heater may be damaged either from overheating when the pump did not work and if there was too little water in the boiler or if the machine sat too long with the descaling solution in it.

Would appreciate any advice.

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