Chrome plated boiler on Olympia Cremina - Why?

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Aloha Espresso
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#1: Post by Aloha Espresso »

Does anyone know, or can anyone make an educated guess, as to why Olympia started chrome plating the inside of the Cremina boilers? Hearing about all the issues people are dealing with on older machines (c. 1982 - 2002) with the chrome plating inside the boiler flaking off, it makes me wonder what the purpose was in plating the inside of the boiler in the first place? Was there something about the brass or the welding material they felt was not food grade so were plating the inside in an attempt to buffer the water from the boiler? Or was it just cosmetic? Or something else?

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homeburrero
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#2: Post by homeburrero »

I always assumed it was probably just nickel plating without the final layer of chrome, and that the intent had to do with a protective layer, probably to make sure it would meet the most stringent lead standards, or perhaps to alleviate consumer apprehension about lead in brass.

They* still do that today. There's a patented nickel plating process called "Ruveco Teck" that you see advertised in the Faema Carisma and La Cimbali machines, developed to prevent leaching of lead out of the brass into the boiler water.

* Edit additions: - Should have said "some espresso machine makers", not "they." I think Olympia switched to stainless.

And is not clear that Ruveco should be called nickel plating. Based on some online info by a La Cimbali dealer it appears to have a tin and nickel coating of some sort after a chemical wash to remove surface lead.

www.intercof.com wrote:RUVECO TECK
To prevent water coming into contact with heavy metals, the Cimbali Group has stipulated an exclusive contract with a chemical company for the development of RUVECO TECK treatment of some parts used in its production.
In particular, the boiler and the delivery unit.

The RUVECO TECK treatment is exclusive: it cannot be used by other companies without prior agreement of Cimbali Group. The treatment envisages eliminating lead from the brass by means of a chemical bath followed by lining with a protective anticorrosion layer.
The RUVECO TECK treatment meets the specifications on foodstuff set forth in Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004; it was approved and therefore listed in NSF 51 Food Equipment Standards.

RUVECO TECK technology is rather complex, but we can summarise the processing stages in four main points:.

1. Degreasing
2. Elimination of lead: chemical washing eliminates lead from the surface of the treated wall.
3. Pre-lining with Tin
4. Lining with Nickel and Tin to protect the material against corrosion.
Pat
nínádiishʼnahgo gohwééh náshdlį́į́h

Aloha Espresso (original poster)
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#3: Post by Aloha Espresso (original poster) »

Interesting. I wonder how much of a concern a brass boiler should be? Is there enough lead to worry about in brass?

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JohnB.
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#4: Post by JohnB. »

Don't worry, after a couple dozen shots you'll forget all about it. :lol:
LMWDP 267

Richard
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#5: Post by Richard »

homeburrero wrote:I think Olympia switched to stainless.
Yes, a long time ago. And the Cimbali I had a few years ago was also a stainless boiler.
-- Richard

DJF
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#6: Post by DJF »

The copper/brass boiler taste thing has been done to death (no pun intended) but still pops up like a dribbling old uncle. It is of about as much concern as drinking water out of the kitchen tap.

The plating inside a boiler, if any will be a nickel plate.
"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I don't think so."

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dmccallum
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#7: Post by dmccallum »

I think the purpose of the nickel plate was to try prevent dezincification or selective leaching of the brass, where the zinc content of brass leaches out leaving the bass copper component. There are a few things that will cause it, but ever wondered why brass fittings turn a copper color after an acid dip ?
It's also why Faema boiler lids are still available as these fail with pin-hole leaks and cracks over time as the nickel plate flakes off, allowing the leaching process to start on the brass. I have a couple of brass lids from the 60s which I have repaired with 1/8 copper rivets and silver-brazing. I'm about to have the insides tin plated to prevent any further leaching. Time will tell how effective this will be...

You can clearly see the flaking effect in this shot

After repair (which exposed other faults),

And after an abrasive prior to plating. Note you can see they still suffer some leaching at the edges and the one on the right still has traces of nickel plate.


Wikepedia has a good article on dezincification.

Aloha Espresso (original poster)
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#8: Post by Aloha Espresso (original poster) »

Has anyone ever had the inside (and outside too of course) of a Cremina boiler re-chromed?