Sputtering e61 & HX scale build-up - Cured!
- Ozark_61
Based on Dan's mushroom picture, and my quick trip to Home Depot - here's what I found - crud in my HX! Maybe this has been causing my temp problems. If this is plausible, what can I do to fix it? I would imagine the whole HX system is full of this scale (?).




- malachi
You're going to need to descale the machine.
Jim's awesome Insanely Long Water FAQ has some great info on scale, water and descaling.
Jim's awesome Insanely Long Water FAQ has some great info on scale, water and descaling.
What's in the cup is what matters.
- HB
- Admin
I agree a descaling is in order, but I'm sceptical that there's enough build-up to affect the brew temperature you noted in your other thread since the water still flows freely. But it could be and it never hurts to descale. Flushing the HX with citric acid solution as Jim suggests in his FAQ is the first step, then checking the condition of the boiler by removing the heating element (which is very conveniently accessible on the Giotto Premium).crudo20 wrote:Maybe this has been causing my temp problems?
Dan Kehn
- Ozark_61 (original poster)
Alright - no problem. Wasn't sure if all the same people were on both places.
For descaling - is citric acid interchangeable with ascorbic acid?
For descaling - is citric acid interchangeable with ascorbic acid?
- HB
- Admin
I disliked chemistry and subsequently purged it from my memories. I've never heard of ascorbic acid ("Vitamin C", see chemical definition) used for descaling, only citric acid (see chemical definition), and only when the scale is very mild. Corrections are welcome.
Dan Kehn
- HB
- Admin
Re: Should my e61 sputter?
Thanks Geoff for the follow-up and for yet another good reason to follow preventative descaling as Jim suggests in Section 4, Water Treatment and Preventive Descaling for Espresso Machines of his FAQ.
Thanks Geoff for the follow-up and for yet another good reason to follow preventative descaling as Jim suggests in Section 4, Water Treatment and Preventive Descaling for Espresso Machines of his FAQ.
Dan Kehn
This post got me on the right track fixing my giotto suffering from the cold group-head and sour espressos...
thanks!
I made a post on CG
https://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espre ... nes/262079
Best regards
Peter
thanks!
I made a post on CG
https://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espre ... nes/262079
Best regards
Peter
- Ozark_61 (original poster)
Cool beans! You really have some nasties in the water...
Don't forget some good backflushing of your GH - I bet it's got some serious buildup as well. I did mine into a white bowl to the point where no more particulate matter was coming out.
Geoff

Don't forget some good backflushing of your GH - I bet it's got some serious buildup as well. I did mine into a white bowl to the point where no more particulate matter was coming out.
Geoff