Hey everyone.. I need a little guidance.


My machine, QM Anita, is making a funny noise. Every, idk, 10 seconds? It makes a hissing noise. "PFFFFT".............."PFFFFFT". Its not every ten seconds on the nose, but the noise is steady, its roughly the same length everytime, and its roughly ten seconds apart.. Maybe once or twice its 5 seconds, maybe once or twice it goes 20 seconds in between.

The noise just started today, after I had to move the machine.. The machine was off for about roughly 12hrs, while I was out at work. When I came back home, I moved the machine, which meant carrying it about ten, maybe fifteen feet. I moved the machine, set up the grinder and the rest of my bar area, and powered up the machine, and let it heat up for an hour.

That is when I noticed the sound. So, I opened the steam valve and the hot water valve, separately, and let them bleed off steam/water for a bit. Then I pulled a couple shots, and steamed some milk. Everything worked as normal, except for this sound. It doesnt SEEM to be affecting anything, operation wise, but im worried that it could be something small, which could grow into something big.

The sound sounds like it is coming from the boiler area, but Im not 100% sure.. I have this assumption from holding my head to the vents above the boiler and listening, but there is plenty of reason to believe it could be coming from anywhere, as Ive never heard this sound before.. in fact, Anita hasn't made any sounds out of the normal.

Does anybody have ANY idea what could be causing this sound? I thought maybe the vacuum breaker was stuck, but there was no false pressure, and everything is hot and running.

Should I just call the tech guys at Chris's? Or does somebody have some insight?

Any help is appreciated, I really love this machine.

Jeff

It's hard to say from your description, but it might be a leaking vacuum breaker valve. They tend to get clogged with scale over time a leak a bit of steam. Not a big deal, but kind of annoying. You can usually take the valve off the machine and soak it in vinegar to descale it, or if it's completely worn out you can replace it.

That was my first thought, the vacuum breaker, but since there was no false pressure built up, I ruled it out. As for scale clogging it, I very much doubt that it the problem. The machine is roughly 2 1/2 months old, 3 months at the absolute most, and the water I use for it is put through a whole-house softener/filtration system.. The water which enters the machine is at 2grains of hardness.

I know there will always be some sort of scale buildup eventually, unless the water is distilled, but is it really possible that after such a short time with such soft water, that scale could even be present? Enough to clog the vacuum breaker?

And if that IS the problem, is it something that is just annoying, or something which needs fixing? I mean, as we speak, Im drinking an americano, so the machine is functioning normally as far as I can tell.

JmanEspresso wrote:It makes a hissing noise.

Could be the vacuum breaker leaking, could be a fitting leaking. Remove the casing and find the source of the sound. Hint: It's easier to locate the sound precisely by listening through a tube (e.g., from a roll of paper towels, turkey baster with bulb removed, etc.).

Alrighty, Thanks Dan, And Thank you Beezer.

Im off to work, but when I get back home today I will begin the diagnoses.

Hey,

Well, I got home yesterday kind of late, but I opened Anita up and started to see if I could find out where the "sound" was coming from. I had a empty paper towel roll to help.

Wouldnt you know it, the sound has stopped. I stood over my machine for 120 seconds, and not one sound. So, I left the cover off for a little while, made a few shots.. Nothing. No sound, good shots.

Im stumped. But its gone so Im not worried anymore. Weird.