Hi Guys,

My Anita is starting to act a little strange (or so I think) in that the boiler auto-fill runs more than it used too. It always runs a little (3 or 4 seconds) towards the end of steaming. And today it ran for about 3 seconds mid-shot. The only change I have made is that I raised the boiler pressure a little from 1.1bar to 1.3bar a few days ago.

I don't notice any drips, leaks or steam leaks anywhere. Why would the auto-fill be running like this? Sitting idle it doesn't activate but maybe once or twice during the day and that is typically after a couple/few hours of idle time. It also always runs when I first start the machine up in the morning, but it has done this since day one so I assumed it to be normal.

Is this a problem? Should I be concerned? Everything else seems tiptop shape. She's only a few months old is it a scale issue (my water is 3-grains).

Thanks!

If it's auto-filling, water or steam is going somewhere. Hmm-m. A hairline crack in the HX would have the opposite effect during an extraction. And water could not bypass a leaking boiler fill solenoid because of the vibratory pump. I'm stumped. If there's no exterior leaks, it's probably nothing, though it's an interesting puzzler.

Thanks Dan I did email Chris and he quickly responded with much the same thoughts. I'm going to pull the cover off her tomorrow and take a much closer look. I was only cautious because today it activated mid-shot twice and it's never done that before. I haven't seen any water on the counter around the machine so I hoping it's a minor steam leak that I can locate and easily correct.

If nothing else any precautions I can take to ensure the auto-fill doesn't activate mid-shot? Force overfill by tilting the machine, or running the hot water tamp then letting it refill?

Man what a dummy I am!

I wasn't closing the steam valve all the way.

Being used to my Gaggia Coffee's steam knob which didn't like to be closed too tight I've been going very easy on Anita's. Unlike the Gaggia the Anita's knob comes to a firm stop when going closed (I was verifying that everything was closed up good before checking for steam leaks). As soon as I closed her off securely (I was off by an eighth of a turn) the boiler pressure range went up noticeably without adjusting the p-stat after going through a few cycles. I dialed it back down a little to my preferred bar and let her run several cycles. Things seem great now.

Classic case of the problem being on the handle side of the portafilter!

Follow up: This morning the auto-fill doesn't even run when steaming at all. I must have been bleeding pressure all the time she was sitting there. Man I feel so lame...

Well I may not have resolved the issue after all. Today after being on for a few hours the issue occurred again.

I don't mind the auto-fill running when I'm steaming and I can see why it does. I really don't like to see it when I'm in the middle of a shot. I don't get it.

I have had the outer shell and water tank holder removed so I can see everything that's inside the machine. It's been on and I've been watching it. I don't see any signs what so ever of water leaking or steam escaping anywhere. I've looked up around and behind everything. I'm not seeing anything. Wouldn't an issue that's causing this be obvious by now?

I just wish it wouldn't kick on mid-shot, and why it's starting to now I don't understand. I can't imagine it being a scale issue being only 4 months old but perhaps a descale won't hurt. My water tested out at 3 grains.

I did notice a small drip from the bottom of the group (where the water comes out from back flushing). I did just back flush again with Cafiza (I'll admit this is only the second time I have done it). Could that have something to do with it?

So confused...

TimEggers wrote:I just wish it wouldn't kick on mid-shot, and why it's starting to now I don't understand. I can't imagine it being a scale issue being only 4 months old but perhaps a descale won't hurt. My water tested out at 3 grains.

It couldn't hurt to clean the probe (see Chris' How to properly replace a liquid level sensor probe for hints). If you cannot find any leaks, the probe is clean and its wire connections are tight, then improbable as it is, my suspicion turns to the auto-fill controller.

That's a good idea Dan. I have since finished the back flushing and the dripping has stopped completely from the bottom of the group. It's been three hours too and the auto-fill has not run at all. In comparison yesterday it ran every 45 minutes to an hour (during idle for a few hours) for about 2-3 seconds at a time.

Could that drip been an indication of something not sealing and shutting off properly? Could that be releasing pressure/water from my boiler via the thermo siphon circulation circuit?

I'm going to watch the machine and see what she does; if she is still acting up I will remove and clean the liquid sensor probe. This is kind of baffling to say the least but I'm sure I'll narrow it down eventually.

Thanks for all the help (Lord knows I need it ).

TimEggers wrote:Could that drip been an indication of something not sealing and shutting off properly?

I read your comment in the other thread... Four months without a chemical backflush? For shame! That's a long time, evidently enough time for built up crud to prevent the top chamber valve from sealing:


From Is there a purpose for the E61 middle brew lever position?

TimEggers wrote:Could that be releasing pressure/water from my boiler via the thermo siphon circulation circuit?

That would allow water to drain from the HX loop, but not the steam boiler. The mystery of the overzealous auto-refill continues...

Well I don't have an excuse but I should clarify that I have chemically back flushed before but just once. I've had Anita for 4 months (well 5 actually) and the first 2.5 months I used her a lot and back flushed then (besides daily water back flushing). Then things came up and she sat up until about last week (about a month total). I kept her flushed and filled with fresh water, but I wasn't pulling shots/steaming so I didn't chemically flush.

On a more positive note since back flushing the auto-fill hasn't been running at all today (Anita has been on since 7 this morning). First shot at about 9am without the auto-fill running at all. I even steamed and it didn't run. I've been pulling shots off and on today and unless I'm steaming it isn't running. The brew isn't dripping either.

I can't explain it but she seems back to normal. Knock on wood.