Hello,
I just joined the forum but have been following it for years. Normally, I find all the answers just searching around and reading. Its a great forum with many knowledgeable people I've been very grateful to learn from. I have to mention Eric S here... this guy has been so helpful to me so many times without even knowing it!

I own a Quickmill Andreja Premium, the model one generation behind the latest one. I have a few questions I hope people can help me with. Please bear with me. TIA!

I've searched here and in other forums but can't find information about what the HX really is or what it looks like inside a Quickmill. Maybe my searches were too specific, or maybe not. I was also trying to find a photo but couldn't locate one. Is the HX just basically a hollow metal tube inside the boiler with the OPV going in at one end and the return at the other (with the E61 feeds included, of course)? I've been told that the OPV can be connected to either end of the HX. Does anyone know if this is true? The newest AP and my own have the OPV plumbed in from the bottom, while the older generations have the OPV going in from the top.

One of the reasons I ask about the HX, is because the way my AP is plumbed, it's very difficult to pull maintenance on the water solenoid. To replace it... is a bear!... and that's an understatement... especially with a frozen split-nut at the HX input. I either want to re-plumb it to the likes of the earlier generation APs, or re-plumb it just to move everything out from under the bottom of the boiler as it is now. So, if the HX is just a hollow tube, that would give me two ways to go. I just don't want to cause any damage otherwise.

That leads me to my next question. I've read many posts here about the hardware used in espresso machines, some being a bit specific, but not so specific that I can get a clear understanding of what I'm looking at when I look at my AP hardware. I've read that a lot of the machines use 1/8" - 28 for the plumbing in the area of the vibe pump, check valve, solenoid, etc... basically all the small stuff. However, I've found that some of the fittings on my AP have two different pitches in the threads of some fittings. For the most part, this only occurs where the copper tubing needs to interface with a fitting. For instance, on one side of an elbow that attaches to my solenoid, there is fine thread (which I assume is 1/8" x 28), on the other side where it connects to the water fill tubing, the thread is coarser. I don't mind that this is the way it is, but it sure makes it hard when trying to decide what fitting to purchase... especially when the only information on the fitting is that it's 1/8 BSPP... or BPP in the case of Orphan Espresso. By the way I have contacted OE, and am awaiting a reply in regards to this.

Anyways, I would appreciate any help with my questions! Thanks!

Chris' Coffee has a new manual for the AP http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/hom ... ejapremium scroll 2/3 way down. Any questions on the hardware could be answered by a phone call to Chris. You don't need to have bought your machine directly from them but they are the importer. They've been very helpful to me with my Vetrano which I bought used.

Marvin

Up until about a year ago, the Andreja Premium hx and water distribution system looks just like so:



Yes, changing out the boiler fill solenoid IS A BEAR - I just did it on Anita. While it can be done "in place", I decided to simply pull the boiler out of the machine and make other improvements at the same time.

iginfect wrote:Chris' Coffee has a new manual for the AP http://www.chriscoffee.com/products/hom ... ejapremium scroll 2/3 way down. Any questions on the hardware could be answered by a phone call to Chris. You don't need to have bought your machine directly from them but they are the importer. They've been very helpful to me with my Vetrano which I bought used.

Marvin

Hi Marvin,
Yes, I did read the new manual a while ago. Are you referring to the paragraph about "Cooling flushes"? I did see there that they call it a "tube", (that's why I said "basically a metal tube"), but was wondering if there are any other internals. I'm more or less worried about damaging due to pressure going the opposite way if I plumb like the old machines. I will probably call CC about this later. Thanks!

Hi Eric,
I did a lot of studying before posting my questions. I already have the water path drawing, along with the one posted by Chris Coffee. Yup, mine, and the new model don't follow the drawings since they moved the OPV.

At least on the old Andreja, and apparently your Anita, if you loosen the tube nut at the solenoid fitting and then at the boiler, you can eventually fully remove the tube because it can pull away from the boiler. Further disassembling the solenoid by pulling the coil and actuating plunger, you can then remove the brass portion of the solenoid as there is enough clearance without having to pull the boiler. For sure access is much better if you pull the boiler but I didn't want to mess with disconnecting everything else.

I was able to pull everything out, but I had to do it one part/fitting at a time. This is why I plan to re-plumb it. The newer APs have all the plumbing out to the side so I might take that route. I certainly don't want to have to mess with this kind of thing again... the cramped workspace, that is. Now, all I have to do is find the correct parts I need. Hopefully, I'll get an email reply from OE, or maybe Doug or Barb will comment in this thread. Thanks!

I certainly don't want to have to mess with this kind of thing again... the cramped workspace, that is.

I understand . . . BUT, you really don't have to UNLESS your boiler fill solenoid valve fails (in any way) AND it has the brand name OLAB. This manufacturer stopped supplying to Quickmill and an improved fill solenoid (Parker) has been fitted to machines. The internals are not interchangeable.

If you send me your drawing of the hydraulics and post a couple of pics of your tubing arrangement, I will modify the hydraulic diagram to reflect same.

Hey Eric,
Funny you mention the old style solenoid. My brother's machine is 8+ years old and he has an ODE solenoid... he hasn't had a problem with it yet. I guess there have been several manufactures to Quickmill with Parker being the latest. I would be interested to know what the inside sealing apparatus of the ODE looks like. My machine is about 2 1/2 years old.. it has a Parker solenoid. The seal area is very small... I wonder if all the solenoids have the same size seal/mechanisms. As with everything, sometimes newer isn't better.

I didn't take "before" photos, so I just loosely reinstalled the plumbing. The fill tube is very short and I had to bend it to get it out. There is no slop whatsoever and so regardless, I do need to re-plumb this.



It doesn't look that cramped with everything moved out of the way, but as you can see, there is no way to pull anything out without taking it out piece by piece. At the very entrance to the HX, there is a connector that appears to be able to unscrew apart, but this thing is frozen (or sealed/locked). In any case I plan to install (at minimum) a copper tube between the solenoid and the Tee, or I may just go all out and plumb it like the newer APs and move everything to the side where it's more accessible. I would still add the tube between the solenoid and the Tee.



By the way, do you happen to know how much pressure the check valve can handle before it opens?

The fill tube is very short and I had to bend it to get it out. There is no slop whatsoever and so regardless, I do need to re-plumb this.

I would simply order a new fill tube from Chris' Coffee together with two nuts and two ferrules and you could be back in business quickly. You may also order a new OPV tube as it looks as though the existing one has suffered a little bend. Think about the assembly process - if you had to bend the tube for removal, then someone had to bend it for assembly - doesn't sound correct to me.

The adaptor fitting which screws into the hx inlet has 1/4" male BSPP threads and the other end has 1/8" BSPP male threads. I do not know the cracking pressure of the check valve.

I'm sure it is possible to do what you want but the time, trouble, and marginal benefits loom pretty heavy.

edit - The adaptor fitting which screws into the hx inlet has 1/8" male BSPP threads and the other end has 1/8" BSPP male threads. I do not know the cracking pressure of the check valve.

I already ordered all the parts needed to repair and mod the AP.

I believe the way they installed the lower plumbing is that they put everything together, connected the tube fitting at the boiler but left it loose... then connected the other end of the tube to the elbow on the solenoid and left that loose, and at the same time, they connected the split-nut at the HX and then tightened everything alternately. Unfortunately, they probably sealed the threads on the split-nut and so now, everything cannot be taken apart easily. This is the only way I can see to install this area as one piece. They wouldn't need to bend the tube during install if it's done this way.

The fitting that attaches to the HX inlet is 1/8" on both sides. I don't know what kind of thread is in the middle of that fitting, but it looks like 1/4". The OPV tube is fine... they bent it that way, but there are no kinks in the line. Ok, I was just wondering about the check valve.

The way I look at it, it can only help by modding it. If for some reason I put this all back together without modding, and it leaks right after assembly or down the line, or if I experience a premature failure in the solenoid again, then I would have to go through this whole exercise again. I don't mind my machine being down for a little while and doing it now seems like a good time. What can't be seen in the photos (because everything is loose and hanging) is that you can't even remove the solenoid coil/piston without first backing off the tube connector at the boiler. Compared to the old AP where you have comparatively easier access in this area, the newer design leaves much to be desired.

However, since I'm going to mod it and don't know exactly where I'm going to put things, I may have to buy some 6mm x 4mm Teflon tubing. I've been hunting around, but can only find a source for an ~8" piece (espressoparts). I searched McMaster Carr, but can't seem to pinpoint the correct tubing. I've even found some on ebay, but it'll have to come from China. Don't want my machine down THAT long! I also checked 1st Line and they do sell the stuff... for $9.95 a foot. I'm sure there must be a better price than that somewhere! Do you know of anywhere I can buy the tubing in a continuous piece, like maybe 2 feet of it? Uhhh, preferably cheaper than 1st Line!

Did you measure that teflon tubing? I have 5 x 3 tubing on Anita and am not aware of any change there. Chris' Coffee would have all you need.