pcrussell50 wrote:....
I use an old "bean bag" filter not for the long used up ion exchange softener beads, but for the extra particle trapping provided by the white filter floss.

Thanks, That is what I am going to do (I think you told me that some time ago). I have been using a Zero Water pitcher for the water, added with KHCO3 so really no need to further filtering it. I think I want to change the filter from time to time anyhow just because they are cheap but I do not know if there is really the need to do that.

pcrussell50 wrote:The old filter holder does work in the new tank.
......

And as always you are 100% correct.





Here is what I did. I hope I have not missed something important but it seems to be working.

I tried both the old and the new filter holder. The main difference between the two is that the the old base has a metal mesh, the new one does not.
I do not know if that is because the old water tank did not have a metal mesh itself, but the new one does.

Metal mesh part of the water tank


Old style base left with metal mesh, new style base right without metal mesh



Both bases fit snug to the water tank. I did several test to make sure that there was no water going from under the base.
The only difference between the two is that with the old style base the flow out of the valve is slower. This is probably because of the presence of a second mesh, and the fact that they touch each other. I was actually thinking about removing it but for now it's there.

New style


Old style



Unfortunately the old style filter holder is too tall and does not allow the thank to go back inside the machine. So I cut the top and put it in a drawer with the other espresso stuff, to keep it as a reminder for when I am supposed tho replace the filter.

Old style left, new style right


Old style holder after cutting the top part



I filled the tank completely and I run plenty of hot water, probably a quarter of the whole tank, to see if there was a regular flow of water from the tank. I did not see any problem.
Then I celebrated with a cappuccino.


Here are a couple of pictures of what is inside the new style filters. In case somebody wanted to see it.

Great, informative write up. The last two pictures look like they came out in a sepia tone version of black and white. But I'm assuming the inside material you flayed out is amber resin beads, and carbon black? Resin for removing scale causing ions and carbon for removing chlorine and odors.

Also, as always, if you are going to rely on the softener filter, it's just important that you get a hardness testing kit so you know for sure when to replace it.

Oh and Breville makes those old style filter holders for several different machines and they come in various heights. The short one is the one you want if you don't want to have to to trim down a taller one.

-Peter

pcrussell50 wrote:Great, informative write up. The last two pictures look like they came out in a sepia tone version of black and white. But I'm assuming the inside material you flayed out is amber resin beads, and carbon black? Resin for removing scale causing ions and carbon for removing chlorine and odors.
......

They were white and black beads. In the picture that may look a little off white but they were just white.

Hmmm. Well, that has me beaten. I am unfamiliar with that technology for softening.

-Peter

Three months of daily use, 5-8 single shots per day + usual new coffe fine tuning.
Back flushed with the cleaning tablets every two weeks at the beginning, every Sunday lately.
First time I take the shower screen off.






After cleaning with a brush and soap. Not sure it is ok now but I think I'll start doing it more regularly.




Question: I think this is the side up, right?

I think you have your orientation right. When you have it right, the rim of the black plastic disc sits in the groove in the white silicone group seal.

Want the bad news?
What you are seeing at the bottom of the group, I believe, is some kind of non-stick coating bubbling up, quite possibly because of heat damage in the presence of coffee oils and residues from too infrequent cleaning. AFAICT, ALL BDB's are susceptible to it. See, the thing that makes the BDB as good as a saturated brew group commercial machine is it's temperature control. And one of the key components of that temperature control is the heated group. What you are looking at is essential the bottom of an electric skillet, heated by PID, so that the final water entering the puck is exactly what you have set.

If you are bothered by it you might either notify Breville and send it for service, (recommended). Or see if you are super DIY motivated, sand it off and just use it that way. But if you are still on warranty, I'd go with the former.

-Peter

I think this is galvanic corrosion of the base metal (aluminum) under the non stick coating, if my theory is right, It would happen because of the direct contact of the steel brew screen screw and the aluminum brew head. I think others have posited that theory on this forum too.

The metal to metal contact probably happens at the threads. People have written about the subject of galvanic corrosion more eloquently than I can here. Check it out on google if you are interested. You can find descriptions of the mechanism as well as photos of galvanic corrosion in aluminum. Looks pretty similar to me.

Thank you guys. It was a surprise. I have being doing the back-flushing at more than twice the rate recommended by the manual, and in fact I would say that the shower screen was quite clean, considering three month of use. But I should have taken it off instead of doing only the standard cleaning.

pcrussell50 wrote: ...........
If you are bothered by it you might either notify Breville and send it for service, (recommended). Or see if you are super DIY motivated, sand it off and just use it that way. But if you are still on warranty, I'd go with the former.

Thee machine works 100% perfectly. But I'll contact Breville and try their after sales service support. I will have to travel for a couple of weeks so it may be a good time to send the machine for service.
I'll post in the other thread about my interaction with them.

@Chris/lance a lot... That makes more sense. Thanks for that.

-Peter