Cleaning coffee residue from Sama boiler?

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realdoctor
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#1: Post by realdoctor »

I recently got a Sama Lusso that has significant amounts of old coffee residue in the boiler. The piston seals probably failed at some point and coffee got pulled back into the boiler.

Can TSP-based cleaners be used on brass? The Lusso has a sealed boiler, so opening it up and cleaning it manually is not a realistic option.

Any alternative suggestions? Thanks!

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peacecup
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#2: Post by peacecup »

I guess the boiler is plated brass. Rpavilis can suggest the best options. I just rinsed mine numerous times with hot water then started brewing.
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realdoctor (original poster)
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#3: Post by realdoctor (original poster) »

Thanks Jack!

I have tried some hot water flushes, but it seems the problem was pretty advanced and I think coffee oils may be cooked onto the boiler. My next step probably is pulling the heating element and trying to flush with a pressurized stream of water through the hole where the element mounts. However, I am not sure I can get the stuff out without some sort of chemical treatment.

I noticed an earlier post that suggested ethanol as a solvent. I have no experience using it for this purpose. I wonder if anybody else has tried alcohol for this purpose?

Jim

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rpavlis
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#4: Post by rpavlis »

190 proof ethanol can work very well for this purpose, depending on what the residues are. It is NOT a good idea to use denatured alcohol, of course. I had a boiler with all sorts of heavy deposits, and a short soak dissolved them away. (This was after a piston seal failure on my La Pavoni.) Aqueous solutions generally do little good, and many organic solvents are quite toxic. Also, ethanol will cause fewer problems with seals. You do not need a lot of alcohol, you can splash it around to contact all the interior. It is not a bad idea to make a second ethanol rinse, and then water rinses to finish it off.

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sorrentinacoffee
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#5: Post by sorrentinacoffee »

I restored a badly/heavily scaled SAMA boiler by soaking it for a long period in a citric acid bath (I also added CLR). On mine the scale was like concrete- I had to hit the boiler with a mallet to help break it up and loosen it. After some time in the citric solution some of the welds where the the pipe entered the boiler failed- and I had to have them re-welded (brazed) by a guy at a radiator repair shop.

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drgary
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#6: Post by drgary »

The seals leaked on my Conti Prestina when I tried to force several high pressure pulls, pretending it was a huge Cremina. Lots of coffee got into the boiler. Last week I did two fills and rinses of 1 tsp Pulycaff to 1 quart water (over 4 quarts each). I followed this with three fills and rinses of our home's softened water. The boiler is brass inside. I didn't run the solution through the group but did run it and the rinse water through the steam and water taps. The seals were undamaged and just needed a relube. The machine now runs completely clean and problem free.
Gary
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realdoctor (original poster)
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#7: Post by realdoctor (original poster) »

Thanks everyone. I will report back after I get the job done.

Jim

HoldTheOnions
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#8: Post by HoldTheOnions »

Does sama have copper boiler? If so, I'm guessing it's a normal coating of oxide. I don't think you want to remove that.

Marcelnl
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#9: Post by Marcelnl »

I discovered that coffee cleaner typically is a triphosphate based cleaner, the good stuff taken out of washing detergents for environmental reasons some decades ago. Don't think they do any harm to brass and they do work wonders dissolving coffee gunk. Alcohol i only use for making limoncello etc. :mrgreen:
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