Hello,

I just opened up for the first time my Bezzera Mitica to fix another problem.

In the process, I noticed that the valve on the boiler seems blackened, and there is also a black streak under it on the boiler itself, looking like a leak:

Should I worry about this?!?
Thanks,
Nicolas

That is from water spitting out of the vacuum breaker. The color is due to the composition of your water

Thank you!

So it seems that I had quite a leak through the vacuum breaker, it looks in pretty bad shape to me on the picture I posted. Two questions:

1) I guess I should exchange the vac breaker, right?

2) Any idea why this might have occurred, and how to prevent it from happening again?

Nicolas

It intentionally "sputters" as the boiler starts to boil.

Some machines have a version with a tube over the outlet to drain the water elsewhere (with an air break in the line). That also helps keep the sputtering out of the electric and electronics.

Here's one example. I don't know if the threads are the same as your machine. https://www.chriscoffee.com/products/va ... aker-valve

If you decide to change it, don't run the hose straight into the drip tray or water reservoir as, when the boiler cools, that valve opens, and you'll suck back into the boiler. An air break can help prevent that.

Done, vacuum breaker exchanged:



There was a black crust all over the old one

Also ordered the version with a tube outlet on top of the valve, next time I open up everything I'll check if the Mitica has a convenient place to add a T to the drain valve going to the tray...