Rosscopico0 wrote:So the first machine is completed and being tested. It was doing quite well until yesterday afternoon, the left group started making a screeching noise. It was tools down time, so I left it until today.

Now both groups are making this sound, it seems to be coming from within

maybe you have air in there someplace? did you open the air purge screw on the group lids?

After bleeding the air, try adjusting the expansion valve, that makes a squeal sometimes. You just need to move it around a bit to change the position of the gasket and the spring.

Solenoids rarely make a noise, but that is a loud buzzing.

The groups had already been bled. I checked a few times.
It was the expansion valve, I turned it as I head the noise, the pitch changed, then the sound stopped - Thanks Paul!

The first machine is now ready to use.
Im trying to rent or borrow a grinder for a day to put about 5-10 lbs through it.......

The machine has now had Piero caps added (thanks Bill!) and been fully tested as a non profiling machine. However it has 0.6mm gicluers for a smoother ramp up to pressure.

This machine is going into a shop I am setting up in the new year in the East Village in NYC. The shop should be open by late January.

Currently, the machine still has the Sirai pressurestat, Im planning on swapping to a CEME & SSR in a few weeks to minimise the deadband for busy times. I have doubts whether the extra cost of a PID controller for the steam boiler is worth the extra cost......

As funds permit I am planning on adding the TMFR pump setup (ala Mr Scace) and a ramp soak controller for profiling.

Stay tuned......