I have recently purchased and done some clean up on a second hand Fiorenzato Ducale 2 Group Automatic machine. I've got a number of issues, but not having a manual seems to be number one problem!

Can any one tell me what this knob is for?



It doesn't seem to "do" anything! My guess is manual override for filling the boiler, but it seems to have no discernible effect!

I think I'll be having a few questions in the next few weeks as I try and get to grips with my first "commercial" machine.

Thank you!

I'm with you; It looks like a manual fill for the boiler. Sometimes they are a lever and the action is a pressing one, meaning that the valve shaft moves in to open the valve.

Not to state the obvious, but have you pushed or pulled it?

Looks like a manual fill valve for the boiler. It has to be plumbed in with pressure to check it. Just follow the line, it should go to the boiler. If it does, that is what it is. You could also use compressed air but watch your pressure.

xtophr wrote:Not to state the obvious, but have you pushed or pulled it?

It only moves when you push. Maybe i just didn't hold it in long enough for it to have an effect. Also the inlet pressure was very low when it was being tested.

Thank you for your help!

Out of interest, does the manual fill valve have any real use??? i guess it could be useful for filling boiler for the first time when if you don't want to power the element, but on this machine the main power switch has three positions, (0) off, (1) fill boiler, and (2) fill and heat so does that make the manual fill redundant? Just curious!

Thanks once again.

It looks like a manual boiler fill valve. Just seeing that the location is next to what looks like the autofill solenoid, a small brass line that probably runs to your water pressure gauge and with what I assume to be the braided stainless water line connection right there.....

Was the machine hot when you played with the knob? If there is steam pressure in the boiler and you have really low inlet pressure the manual fill will not work. This can be one of the complications of running a machine off of a "bucket" without an accumulator. My work machine is like this and if you run the supply bottle out of water and get a bubble in the line, it will not prime unless you bleed off all of the steam pressure. The steam is basically pushing backwards on the line at 1.5 bar (20 psi ?). Since most supply lines exceed this by a lot, it usually won't matter.

A lot of machines have those manual fill levers but I'm not sure that they have much use past some sort of initial install diagnostics. I used a Faema Compact with a 3L boiler for a while and we would occasionally use it to "prep" or overfill the boiler for multiple Americanos. I have one on an Astoria and never use it.

WES

reverb wrote:Can any one tell me what this knob is for?

It doesn't seem to "do" anything!

I have one on my machine as well. When I push it, it lights a little sign that says, "Please do not push that button again. Thank you".

Really, though, it is the manual fill button. Mine just has a long lever that terminates on a knob that is semi-recessed in a slot in the frame, but otherwise identical.