Used Bezzera B2000 with split heat exchanger - do I have a big problem?

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bctgrad
Posts: 8
Joined: 10 years ago

#1: Post by bctgrad »

Last weekend I picked up an old Bezzera B2000 (I think). It's dated from 1996 so I knew it was going to be a restoration project. I got everything unhooked and got the boiler out to descale. When I opened it up I noticed that one of the heat exchanger tubes has a split in it. Is this as bad as it looks to me or is it ok as is? Can it be repaired or do I need to buy a new boiler?

Here's the machine:


Here's the issue inside the boiler:

D'Laine
Posts: 68
Joined: 11 years ago

#2: Post by D'Laine »

It's a bit hard to tell from the photo what the real extent of the damage is.
A copper vessel can be easily fixed by a 'tool welding' shop. Make sure the filler material is safe to drink from. The same goes for brass but it is a bit trickier.
Cost that against a new boiler, likely 10 to 20 times more and hardly worth it.

D.

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bctgrad (original poster)
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#3: Post by bctgrad (original poster) »

Thanks D - that's better news than I expected. I know a couple places where I can check on getting it repaired. Any ideas why it split? Is it possible that the water inside froze at some point or something got clogged and the pressure split it?

Here's a closer pic of the split:

kize
Posts: 271
Joined: 13 years ago

#4: Post by kize »

Most common cause is storing a machine with water left in it. Exposing it to freezing temps create damage as posted in your pictures. If it was a boiler pressure issue you would have uglier pictures.

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stefano65
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#5: Post by stefano65 »

Not to be negative here
BUT
obviously the machine cannot be tested,
before investing too much into it
make sure that the control box and the "other" expensive parts are still around for you to buy and of course check the prices,

also unless the heating exchanger is removable (which barely any machine has that)
to do the brazing it will need to be removed from the boiler body
Stefano Cremonesi
Stefano's Espresso Care
Repairs & sales from Oregon.

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cannonfodder
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#6: Post by cannonfodder »

That heat exchanger is welded in. You have two options. Take the body work off the machine. You will have water supply lines to that particular group. Disconnect the lines from the boiler and put caps on the boiler fittings and supply lines to isolate that group. Hook it all back up and you have a real big single group machine. That is assuming the water freeze that burst that HX did not burst lines or controls in other locations in the machine. That machine will have flow meters in it, they are expensive to replace and if they had water in them, they could be ruined as well. Freeze damage can be catastrophic. The other option is fill it with concrete and use it as a boat anchor, or return it.
Dave Stephens