La Pavoni Europiccola heater gasket material

#1: Post by **dbvieira** » March 1st, 2015, 7:48 am

Hi

Just bought a 1980 Europiccola. After removing the heater group to descale thoroughly I get leaks on the base. So i have some doubts:

1) Is this gasket reusable?
2) What is the black stuff of the gasket
3) What materials are made the orings.

Regards

David

#2: Post by **drgary** » March 1st, 2015, 1:20 pm

Gaskets generally harden over time and stop sealing the surfaces they join. Often gaskets like that are made of a high temperature rubber. But the answer to your rebuild is probably easier. Francesco Ceccarelli and probably others sell a compatible gasket.

March 2nd, 2015, 8:30 am

Hi Gary

The reason I postes this was because I read that people are using auto grade paper gaskets. Indeed they look like that.

I checked several stores and indeed all of them were not food safe. And im intrigued. How can such important part ie not well documented after wall will be in contact permanently with potable water.

Im considering epdm or expanded graphite. Teflon or PTFE seems to leak after some time...

Regards

David

#4: Post by **Marcelnl** » March 2nd, 2015, 8:42 am

The green paper of fibre seals are also used in hot drinking water house plumbing so shoukd be food safe. I'm using them, in a different size than you need) in my faemina and they work well.

Would check with Francesco to see what alternatives you have, custom ordering some seals should be doable if you can find a company for it in your region.

http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... za_eng.htm

#5: Post by **drgary** » March 2nd, 2015, 9:53 am

dbvieira wrote:Hi Gary

The reason I postes this was because I read that people are using auto grade paper gaskets. Indeed they look like that.

I checked several stores and indeed all of them were not food safe. And im intrigued. How can such important part ie not well documented after wall will be in contact permanently with potable water.

Im considering epdm or expanded graphite. Teflon or PTFE seems to leak after some time...

Good thinking. I don't know what kind of gasket will be most leak resistant over time. I've got an OEM paper gasket on my Conti Prestina, so I assume it's food-safe. I've had to retighten the boiler bolts several times to stop leaks. They loosen, as measured by a torque wrench. I don't think that's a malfunction but is how the gasket seats after repeated heat cycling.

#6: Post by **OldNuc** » March 2nd, 2015, 11:16 am

If the gasket material is not resilient it will take a set when hot/expanded and the clamp load will relax as the boiler cools and then it may leak. This little item is a function of the design. Leak tight over time and temperature requires a material that is resilient. The material properties must be suitable for the conditions expected. There are multiple items that are non toxic but not certified food safe.

March 2nd, 2015, 6:09 pm

I know a company that used toxic silicon membranes because they tought all the silicon was equal...but you are right

#8: Post by **OldNuc** » March 2nd, 2015, 6:28 pm

Very few things are certified food safe. Finding out why they are can be difficult to impossible. In the U.S. you can pull up the MSDS and make your own educated guess as long as you can correctly identify the material.

March 3rd, 2015, 5:22 pm

I just followed the advice of

Marcelnl wrote:The green paper of fibre seals are also used in hot drinking water house plumbing so shoukd be food safe. I'm using them, in a different size than you need) in my faemina and they work well.

and used the NBR green paper 80/70 x2mm, altought my touhgts are on expanded graphite paper...

This is the original stuff

When cleaning the surface the paper gives a graphite reflection, either the glue or this gasket have graphite.

The new gasket