E61 plumbed in - is drain line also required? - Page 2

#11: Post by **emason** » December 4th, 2018, 2:17 pm

billt wrote:Quite. All the leaks I've ever had have missed the drip tray entirely. The most likely catastrophic failures are likely to be in the supply line (had one of those) and the drip tray isn't going to help.

First plumbed in machine I used the drip tray drain, which was OK, but the drain would get clogged with grinds after some time and it was a pain to unclog it because the drain line wasn't very accessible. The second machine I only plumbed in the supply, but changed my technique to use a cup to catch flushing water etc. As it was a lever machine and I used a cup to catch the end of the pull anyway, it wasn't that much of a change.

I'm not going to plumb in te current machine at all.

No, you don't need to have a drain on the drip tray, but if it's convenient there's no reason not to have one.

This is my experience as well. The leaks I've had have been in other parts of the machine. I would consider the risk of a bad leak from the machine similar to other appliances like the washing machine. I manage the risk by Inspecting the machine regularly and replace components like fittings and hoses when needed or ahead of time if possible.

#12: Post by **Marcje** » December 4th, 2018, 5:45 pm

sluflyer06 wrote:The only reason a drain line would clog is improper slope.

I added a drain line to my setup a month ago and 110 shots later there isn't a single visible coffee particle anywhere in the drain line.

We have a dedicated wet bar for coffee, I simply replaced the PVC going from the sink to the P-trap with a section that included a 5/8th Barb that would normally go to drain of a dishwasher.

I have a drained drip tray and the drain line runs horizontal towards a hole in the wall behind the machine.
Produced almost 2500 shots this year and it has not been clogged once. It's so convenient that I don't think I will ever go back to a non drained drip tray

December 5th, 2018, 11:11 am

I'd have already tried it if there were any way besides cutting through the counter top and running 6 to 8 feet of line through 2 cabinets and behind the dishwasher to get to the drain. My only question / concern is about cleaning the tray itself. I routinely wash mine out at least once a day, and there's almost always a little visible particulate coffee debris in the water. Some machines have the drain connection on a fixture mounted to the frame under the tray, so you can easily lift it out and clean it. But others plumb directly to the bottom of the tray, which would seem to make keeping it spotless a bit more difficult. How do you keep your drip tray clean?

#14: Post by **ira** » December 5th, 2018, 2:03 pm

Well, on my Brewtus there is a cup that installs under the drip tray the the drip tray drains into, so it comes out just like always except it's always empty. On the big one, the drip tray unplugs using an o-ringed fitting so it helps to wipe out the few remaining drops before pulling it to avoid drips. But in either case taking them out to clean is trivially simple.

Ira

#15: Post by **Marcje** » December 5th, 2018, 2:39 pm

bluesman wrote:I'd have already tried it if there were any way besides cutting through the counter top and running 6 to 8 feet of line through 2 cabinets and behind the dishwasher to get to the drain. My only question / concern is about cleaning the tray itself. I routinely wash mine out at least once a day, and there's almost always a little visible particulate coffee debris in the water. Some machines have the drain connection on a fixture mounted to the frame under the tray, so you can easily lift it out and clean it. But others plumb directly to the bottom of the tray, which would seem to make keeping it spotless a bit more difficult. How do you keep your drip tray clean?

My drain is connected directly to the bottom of the tray. I drilled a hole in the center recess, put in an 'elbow' and slid on a tube that I guided towards the back of the machine, into a hole in the wall. I keep it clean by flushing with water after each session and once a week I use a brush and detergent.

#16: Post by **lagoon** » December 5th, 2018, 10:44 pm

bluesman wrote:I But others plumb directly to the bottom of the tray, which would seem to make keeping it spotless a bit more difficult. How do you keep your drip tray clean?

Good question, but the answer is that it's not an issue.

Plumbed drip trays inherently remain much much cleaner than stagnant drip trays. The water and grounds basically drain off immediately.

An extra tip when plumbed out, is to purge half a litre or so of water from your steam boiler into the drip tray at the end of the day.

This gives the tray a good rinse with hot water and also keeps the inside of the drain hose nice and clear. And it turns over the mineral rich water in your steam boiler, so it's a win win win.