Leaking Expobar Brewtus trips GFI

Equipment doesn't work? Troubleshooting? If you're handy, members can help.
Frogboy
Posts: 1
Joined: 10 years ago

#1: Post by Frogboy »

Hi there!

First time poster here!

I have a Expobar Brewtus III that's been tripping the gfi. So I opened it up and see there's a lot of water leakage and corrosion around what looks like a brazed joint. I don't think he leak is coming from the water connector itself.

Here's a pic:



I am not sure the best way to fix this. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

OzarkTroutBum
Posts: 52
Joined: 10 years ago

#2: Post by OzarkTroutBum »

I am FAR from an expert and am only getting started but first thing I would do is try to get that cleaned up. Looks from the pic like scale buildup.

If it is scale, I'd start with a mix of a stout descale mix and a small wire brush and see if I could remove it. On the outside of the boiler I would probably go with a product called CLR from Jelmar (calcim, lime, rust remover) but never on the inside. Spray a little on and give it time to react and then expose a little more with the brush and reapply and take it down in layers. Don't mix with bleach or anything else as it is an acid and may react.

Another thing I would do is to mix a dish soap and water mix and power the boiler up and apply that in small amounts with a brush on the fitting above and look for any bubbling as it heats up. This might help locate the actual leak before you go any further. The leak could be in the fitting above but not calcifying until it hits the heat from the boiler. If its not in the fittings then you can apply the soap mix after you've cleaned the area to check for pinholes in the solder joint.

Good luck!!

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Randy G.
Posts: 5340
Joined: 17 years ago

#3: Post by Randy G. »

Since we only have your post on which to base any opinion, and looking at that picture, I will venture to say that this machine should be taken in for service. It would be nice to see a few more shots showing the rest of the inside of the machine as it looks like it has been coated with something, but if that is scale as Robert stated, and I believe it is, the inside of the boiler is going to be a mess as well and very scaled up. if that assumption is true, the machine will need to be disassembled at least partially to get it descaled. If you use the standard method of running descaler through it then the chunks of scale which will be dislodged will clog the machine up through the various pipes and valves.

There are many of us here who would a) not have gotten into the predicament in the first place by being knowledgeable about our water and dealing with that before letting the water into the machine,m and B) having the mechanical skills and tools to get into the machine to do the job. Let us know where you stand in terms of mechanical ability and we can further assist.

Another possibility could is a heating element that has failed causing the GFCI to trip.

Pulling the water level sensor will give a good indication as to the level of scaling inside the boiler. Remove the wire and unscrew the entire assembly, not just the smaller nut that the probe enters.
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OzarkTroutBum
Posts: 52
Joined: 10 years ago

#4: Post by OzarkTroutBum »

Randy G. wrote: the inside of the boiler is going to be a mess as well and very scaled up. if that assumption is true, the machine will need to be disassembled at least partially to get it descaled. If you use the standard method of running descaler through it then the chunks of scale which will be dislodged will clog the machine up through the various pipes and valves.

Another possibility could is a heating element that has failed causing the GFCI to trip.
Good point!! I didn't even consider why the GFI would be tripping.