Izzo Alex Duetto with noxious smelling strange growth on top of boiler

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kgataveckas
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Joined: 9 years ago

#1: Post by kgataveckas »

I work in the coffee machine service industry and am fairly new to the game...getting better everyday. I've recently come across an Alex Duetto III in for service with a leak under the boiler. Not a problem to take care of that, but when I opened up the unit the top of the boiler is covered in a strange green growth that smells almost toxic like an acid of some sort. I've attached a picture. Anybody seen this before and should I really care or worry about it.


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erics
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#2: Post by erics »

YIKES !!
Skål,

Eric S.
http://users.rcn.com/erics/
E-mail: erics at rcn dot com

mgthompson
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#3: Post by mgthompson »

My guess is that it is copper carbonate. I'm willing to hazard you have it because you have a leak, and the water is either spraying onto the top of the boiler, or pooling there.

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Bob_McBob
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#4: Post by Bob_McBob »

Looks like verdigris and other mineral build-up. The original Duetto vacuum breaker sprayed quite a lot of water if you turned it on and off regularly (just look at the back wall), and the reservoir was difficult to fill, which often lead to minor spills on top of the steam boiler. That is much, much worse than my machine, though.
Chris

LATrapp
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#5: Post by LATrapp »

Had the same issue...see pics attached. Changed the OPV per ChrisCoffee's rec. I'd recommend changing the old style OPV even if you don't yet have issues unless you like the look of the green monster.




DaveC
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#6: Post by DaveC »

kgataveckas wrote:I work in the coffee machine service industry and am fairly new to the game...getting better everyday. I've recently come across an Alex Duetto III in for service with a leak under the boiler. Not a problem to take care of that, but when I opened up the unit the top of the boiler is covered in a strange green growth that smells almost toxic like an acid of some sort. I've attached a picture. Anybody seen this before and should I really care or worry about it.
I love to see a machine that's regularly checked :D It's probably the Safety Valve leaking....just get a replacement and clean it up a bit. A little citric acid and a scrubby should sort you out.

kgataveckas (original poster)
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Joined: 9 years ago

#7: Post by kgataveckas (original poster) »

Thanks all.
Changed the safety valve and cleaned it up with some light citric acid. Green gone and smell gone too.

DaveC
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#8: Post by DaveC replying to kgataveckas »

That Duetto safety valve, looks good and expensive too...but I have seen more than a few that have been leaking?

kgataveckas (original poster)
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Joined: 9 years ago

#9: Post by kgataveckas (original poster) »

I have another Duetto in for "regular maintenance" as per the customer and pretty much the same story although not as bad smelling but the top is fairly covered. I do notice a little vapour coming out of the safety valve when it reaches the point where the vacuum breaker has been activated but not too bad. And then I tried to use steam...watch out...the steam comes out of the wand just fine but out of the safety valve water just spurts out and covers everything on top. This regular maintenance has now turned into an E61 cleaning and rebuilding with new valves, safety valve replacement, PID replacement as the screen was malfunctioning, and descaling. Well the customer will be happy to pretty much have a revamped machine.