what size are those plugs 1/4bspt or 3/8 bspt?
an option could be an elbow an a cock valve attached to it
like this one
http://espressocare.com/Qstore/Qstore.c ... 2F8F++BSPT

From a picture that you posted in an earlier thread:



Choose the fitting at the bottom and apply one of these:



Follow that with this:



The street el and mini ball valve are available from a variety of sources in various sizes and configurations - this being one: http://fittingsandadapters.com/90streetelbow.html . The threads on the fitting you remove from the boiler are probably 1/4"-19 BSPP, but a 1/4"-18 NPT thread will seal with a careful application of some teflon tape.

stefano65 wrote:what size are those plugs 1/4bspt or 3/8 bspt?
an option could be an elbow an a cock valve attached to it
like this one
http://espressocare.com/Qstore/Qstore.c ... 2F8F++BSPT

If the measurement is the outside diameter of the threads, then I think they are 3/8.
I notice that the ball valve at "FittingsandAdapters" is only rated to 200F.
Do you think it would still be okay on my boiler?

erics wrote:From a picture that you posted in an earlier thread:.....

Looking closely at my machine, I don't think there's room. The picture you posted is actually someone else's One Black. Mine has a pipe and fitting in the orifice just below the OPV, which spatially hinders the elbow/valve configuration, I think.

I suspect I will have to use an elbow, then a length of pipe to the other side of the boiler, then the valve, and hopefully some sort of hose barb. Could I do that entire run with only compression fittings?

If you have the time and inclination to show me the appropriate parts, I think I could pick up a bending spring and do this.

You're right - that is not a picture you posted - it is one that I posted from somebody's thread about the Salvatore machine. I have never even seen a Salvatore but I am pretty familiar with pipe & tubing fittings. So, why not help everybody help you and post a similar pic of your machine? What is the horizontal distance between the face of the boiler and the machine casing?

erics wrote:You're right - that is not a picture you posted - it is one that I posted from somebody's thread about the Salvatore machine. I have never even seen a Salvatore but I am pretty familar with pipe & tubing fittings. So, why not help everybody help you and post a similar pic of your machine? What is the horizontal distance between the face of the boiler and the machine casing?

Thanks Eric. I put a pic of mine early in the thread. Here it is again:



Distance between face of boiler and frame is 29 mm (about 1 1/8").

I'm thinking a valve with a screw-type control might fit, but things are pretty tight:

the one we have do not fit in that little space you need to consider also a nut to attach the drain hose or barb fitting or or or

Here is the drain valve screwed into the bottom of the boiler.

If the measurement is the outside diameter of the threads, then I think they are 3/8.

Pipe threads and their respective sizes can be very confusing. However, if the diameter of the threaded portion of those plugs is about 3/8", then it is a 1/8" pipe plug; if the diameter is about 1/2", then it is a 1/4" pipe plug; if the diameter is 5/8", then it is a 3/8" pipe plug. This is pretty valid for both US and British pipe threads. Yes, there exists other differences and these dimensions are not exact, but that is not important here.

The 90 ell fitting which Salvatore used on the tube fitting below your boiler's safety valve likely has 1/4" BSPP pipe threads in the boiler. It is SIMILAR in style to what I suggested for the bottom plug. Unfortunately, it does not look like the required turning radius is available. Even if you extended the fitting away from the boiler by using either a short nipple or a close nipple, you would be very close to the rail.

As far as the 200 F rating on the valve, I missed that and, without doing a little homework on the valve, I suppose you would be taking a small chance even if you could fit it in. I have, though, retrofitted that very same valve as a drain fitting on an Astra espresso machine and it has been working just fine for well over a year.