Peppina Redux - Page 7

[SJM]

oh fiddle faddle, Richard, that is NOT what I wanted you to tell me. You were 'sposed to say: "now, now, Susan, it's all fine....it's just because you don't have the top on...blah, blah, blah...."

But, you didn't, and I guess it doesn't surprise me in the least that I'm going to have to dig still deeper into her.. Thank goodness there is so much help and information here.

And, yes, I've printed out the diagram....

Susan

[mogogear]

all still may be Ok- With the portlafilter and coffe in place with in same, the pressure created may inded create enough "back-pressure to force the "flapper washer closed . This will NOT allow the water to go back up into the kettle- but outward through said coffee in the portafilter... if that makes sense? Read- Espresso!

There could be just some "crud" in the flapper washer if some "backwash" does occur. The washer is directly under the small circle of holes located around the center threaded stud in the center of the element housing.

If you do need to clean and inspect the washer........You will need to refer to the instuctions in the list of threads that Richard previously listed to separate the upper part from the lower base and handle. Have no fear a small crescent wrench and basic tools are need for this procedure..

Ahhh the lesson continues...Susan- you are a game one we can tell!

[Bushrod]

Susan, did you try any more shots before you disassembled it? In my humble opinion, you really shouldn't worry about whether or not it's working correctly until you do that. You never said, though.

[timo888]

... when I pull the lever down, water in the very center sucks downwards; and when I release the lever it comes back up....Is that right? I read about a one-way flapper valve, and I'm wondering if it isn't functioning if the water just sort of pushes back up.

Richard is spot-on, I think.

The "one way flapper valve" is really nothing more than a flexible rubber washer that is fastened with a screw to the underside of the group housing, just under the ring of holes. It gets pressed back against that ring of small holes with the piston downstroke, sealing the holes and preventing water from getting back up into the kettle.

The rubber washer must have the correct diameter as well as the correct thickness and duro -- i.e. flexibility rating. Too thick and flexible, as silicone washers tend to be, and it will cleave to the piston head and not do its job. Too thin, and it will flutter causing the seal to be imperfect. It is a simple device but it has its precisions and tolerances. If you can order one from the supplier in California, go for it. My stock of them is depleted.

Regards
Timo

[SJM]

Okay guys, I'll report back after I get down to the flapper part.

Truly when I see the dinginess of the water coming out with the citric acid solution, I'm just as happy to be getting her clean all the way through before I start even thinking about drinking what might come through....Looks about like a lot of municipal water tastes....just not quite clear enough....almost murky....

Susan

[espressme]

Hi Susan,
You may wish to use a detergent cleaner like Cafix or similar. That would remove the oily crud and you may end up all OK! With the lever down, try a turkey baster to squirt warm liquid cleaner solution through each of the little holes in the kettle bottom . That might remove a gunk-ite that done you wrong!. Please treat the cleaner solution like an oven cleaner and wear eye protection.

If you do disassemble, it really makes it a lot easier to safely remove ( or repair a goof upon ) the three screws in the group gasket set. Coffee oils and attendant gunk hide above and to the front of the group water exit hole! That is why the screw head in the front of the group.

Remove the little set screw in front before loosening the squeeze bolt in back. Then you may play tug of war while doing the twist with someone to get the base and Group casting separated. A bit of warm water in the piston cylinder will help! These little beasties are known for resistance to de-parting! Have some one hold the lever about 45° when you re-assemble andredo the little screw in front to locate the group casting.

I had to clamp mine to the bench with a board in the drip tray ( to protect the paint of the front of the base) and use another large pistol grip squeeze clamp to hold the lever down for the removal and replacing of the group casting.
Cheers
Richard

Okay guys, I'll report back after I get down to the flapper part.
Truly when I see the dinginess of the water coming out with the citric acid solution, I'm just as happy to be getting her clean all the way through before I start even thinking about drinking what might come through....Looks about like a lot of municipal water tastes....just not quite clear enough....almost murky....
Susan

[SJM]

You may wish to use a detergent cleaner like Cafix or similar. That would remove the oily crud and you may end up all OK! With the lever down, try a turkey baster to squirt warm liquid cleaner solution through each of the little holes in the kettle bottom . That might remove a gunk-ite that done you wrong!. Please treat the cleaner solution like an oven cleaner and wear eye protection.

I've been doing this turkey baster routine on and off all day with citric acid and water.

If you do disassemble, it really makes it a lot easier to safely remove ... the three screws in the group gasket set. Coffee oils and attendant gunk hide above and to the front of the group water exit hole! That is why the screw head in the front of the group.

That was the first thing I tried to do, but couldn't manage with the tools at hand, so tomorrow I'll go find a a thin flat-head screw with a short stub for my ratchet. I tried to get them undone with my shortest screwdriver, but it was just too puny for the job, at which point I started tackling the beastess from the other end.

Have some one hold ..

Except on the rare occasions of visitors, such as my friend Dan who helped me extract SAMA's piston, the only helpers in this house have paws, and frankly they aren't all that dextrous unless the offerings happen to be food....

So...we will just have to see how far I can revive her without disassmbling her....yet.
Thanks, Richard

Susan

[espressme]

Hi Susan,
The strong detergent cleaner is different ( the opposite , in fact ) than an acid solution. The acid solution chemically bonds with and removes/dissolves scale ( mostly Calcium Carbonate.) The strong non-foaming detergent, like many soap type preparations, emulsifies oils ( allows oil and water to appear to mix) and thereby breaks down and flushes away greasy grime.)
Luck to Ya!
richard

[SJM]

Okay then, Cafiza is next...
Thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow.
Susan

[espressme]

Okay then, Cafiza is next...

Thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Hah! Bye the way, some folks have different ideas of the perfect Espresso pot detergent cleaner. Cafiza came to me and I use it. Others available locally may be just as good. rp

Susan

[Bushrod]

I think timo recommends against Cafuza...

[timo888]

I think timo recommends against Cafuza...

Alkali can attack boiler plating, especially if it has already 'seen better days'. But soaking the shower screen etc in Cafiza ought to be okay.

Regards
Timo

[SJM]

Well, now I am thoroughly confused.
I know better than to use Cafiza in the boiler of my Gaggias because of the aluminum; guess I didn't check for sure about the LaPeppina's materials.

Anyway, I've used citric acid for a day.
I used Cafiza for however many hours it's been since Richard suggested that.

And now I'm just flushing the you-know-what out of her with water.

Tomorrow I'm going to see if my local salvage yard has the equivalent of that cute little right-hand-angle-ratched gizmo that Timo mentioned miles back when he was first taking his apart. Then I'm going to remove the shower screen for a scrub. And THEN I'm going to re-assemble her and see what happens.....

That's the plan right now....We'll see what happens to steps 2 and 3 after step 1 does or does not go as planned....

Nite All...
Susan

[espressme]

Both Timmo and I have your best success at heart, We look at some things differently from our individual viewpoints is all.

I really wouldn't leave the machine in any strong base solution for a few days as some person's might, nor boil it in the kettle for more than a short while.
I don't believe I hurt these two lovelies with the Cafiza! Both groups/kettle bottoms looked a heck of a lot better than before!:D
Both were soaked with hot solutions of both Cafiza and then citric acid, disassembled, soaked and cleaned most thoroughly with the product. Then rinsed with the citric solution after and finished with a lot of plain water rinses to do the deed right!

One is doing duty with my son and the other is the workhorse as my party machine.

So onward and cuss a bit!
sincerely
richard
PS yes that is a digital thermometer stuffed through the cap.

[SJM]

Both Timmo and I have your best success at heart

I have never for one second doubted that!
I wouldn't be here now if I didn't know for sure that I could rely on the willingness of all of you to share your enthusiasm and experience with a five-thumbed broad who has finally found an area of pursuit that continues to fascinate her day after day after day.

Lovely collection, Richard.

And you all will probably enjoy the verbal picture of my last few minutes last night when I decided to flush just a bit more clear warm water through LaP....except that I forgot that I had removed that set screw in the front....hmmmmm: horizonal warm shower with yelp....

More news when it is available.

Susan

[espressme]

snip
And you all will probably enjoy the verbal picture of my last few minutes last night when I decided to flush just a bit more clear warm water through LaP....except that I forgot that I had removed that set screw in the front....hmmmmm: horizonal warm shower with yelp....
More news when it is available.
Susan

And, I hope you're old enough to remember " Oooh that's gotta smart" forgot where though! Charley Manna I think?
For clarity:

Screw 1174/1 holds the water in the front of the group! ( If you got that one out you done really good! )And, a real quick bath!
Set screw 1234/1 holds group to base.
Keep on trickin"
richard

[timo888]

A wet Peppina is a Peppina you won't want to touch if the plug is in the electrical outlet.

I think the safest way to use Peppina would be to boil water in another vessel and transfer it to Peppina's enamel kettle. You can figure out the temperature logistics fairly easily by trial and error.

Regards
Timo

[espressme]

He's got that right, if your Peppina tests as electrically unsafe!

The Peppina factory 3 prong switch cord with the steel clip/strip over the Peppina socket end is designed as a grounding plug. Having said that, I would suggest doing an electrical check of the surface metal of the machine to ground before believing it!

Start with the cord off the machine:
A check would be performing ohmmeter / resistance checks between the ground pin on the plug and one blade at a time on the plug.
Then from the metal clip on the Peppina socket end to each blade on the plug.
Then with the Peppina socket end in the machine, check the continuity of metal machine parts to each blade of the plug.
All ohmmeter readings should be off scale "infinite resistance" at the highest ohm/ resistance setting of the ohmmeter.
Metal parts should read zero resistance to the ground pin on the plug.
A resettable GFCI* in your wall outlet would be a nice Idea too.

In most cases a dedicated GFCI* outlet mounted into an outlet box on a cord is a good way to treat any machine you may be working with away from the "code GFCI" kitchen electrical outlet.

Both factory three prong switch cord Peppinas I have checked as safe to ground ( so far!)

Howsomever, Until I rebuild it, my two prong plug Europiccola will give a real thrill

Cheers
rp
* (Ground Fault current Interrupter.) that device shuts off the power instantly if there is any part of you or the machine that connects to the hot side of the power and ground ( electrical return path).

A wet Peppina is a Peppina you won't want to touch if the plug is in the electrical outlet.

I think the safest way to use Peppina would be to boil water in another vessel and transfer it to Peppina's enamel kettle. You can figure out the temperature logistics fairly easily by trial and error.

Regards
Timo

[SJM]

You can keep your Peppina in a state of next-to-godliness with this diminutive right-angled ratcheting screwdriver from Lisle Corp (http://www.lislecorp.com). Remove the three screws from Peppina's dispersion screen--without first having to unseat the entire group from the base.
<image>

Timo, did this little gizmo really get your shower screen screws out?
I rummaged around at the hardware/salvage shop and came home with a screw adapter for my ratchet, but it really doesn't fit quite deeply enough into the slots to get a good grip. I even tried grinding the tip down, but to no avail.

I'm guessing I really will need to order one of these if this is what does the trick.

Is this the one?:
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-Ratch...iver/dp/B0006BIC9E

Susan

[SJM]

Me, again, just reporting in. I still didn't get the shower screen off (see previous post), but I've bypassed that and just put her back together again. From the lovely shower of clear water coming through the brew head when I lever her, I think she's working.

I, on the other hand, have some work to do on technique....Tonight I will read myself to sleep with Richard's and Timo's explanations of "how", since winging it today brought me various versions of swill.

Now that I'm relatively sure that she is working, I can concentrate on getting her to do what we know she can if only I can follow directions.

Tomorrow we start work on pulling good shots.

Susan