ECM Mechanika - Steam temperature sensor broken?
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hlitz
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 8 years ago
Hi
my ECM Mechanika always showed a pressure of 1.2 bar for the steam foam unit. This morning it raised to over 2 bar and then suddenly steam came out of somewhere in the machine.
I assume the steam temperature sensor is broken which is why the water gets too hot and the steam pressure too high. Would you agree with this? Is this simple to repair/fix? What parts do I need?
Heiner
my ECM Mechanika always showed a pressure of 1.2 bar for the steam foam unit. This morning it raised to over 2 bar and then suddenly steam came out of somewhere in the machine.
I assume the steam temperature sensor is broken which is why the water gets too hot and the steam pressure too high. Would you agree with this? Is this simple to repair/fix? What parts do I need?
Heiner
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Giampiero
- Posts: 851
- Joined: 8 years ago
When you said temp sensor, i assume you have a model with PID, so if the sensor is broken, interrupt or short, you should see an alarm message in the PID display....if i remember well.
What model is your ECM?
EDIT: the OP did add the machine model after my post, that's why i asked.
What model is your ECM?
EDIT: the OP did add the machine model after my post, that's why i asked.
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JRising
- Team HB
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: 5 years ago
Sounds like the safety valve worked properly if it didn't open until higher than 2 bar, and then protected the boiler by releasing the excess pressure.
Was the pump running while it happened?
In the situations where the machine does this while the pump is running the "fill boiler" routine, I suspect a dirty level probe. Check for boiler-overfill.
If it occurred while brewing, I suspect leaking boiler fill valve. Check for boiler overfilling.
(The following is assuming you have a Mechanika IV with a pressostat)
If it occurred while just idling, you'll have to watch the machine and see if it's going to do it again. Once you see the pressure climbing above 1.5 Bar, be ready to shut it off. As you watch it climb you can open the steam tap to see if you get nothing but water out (boiler terribly overfilled) or if it's proper, dry steam. (opening the steam tap will also buy you a little time by releasing some pressure as you watch the machine).
Does it work normally, idling in range for a while, then out of the blue do this for no apparent reason? That would likely be a sticking pressostat.
If you adjust the pressostat down, does the machine now idle at a slightly lower pressure range?
If, on the other hand, it overheats any time you allow it to just idle. ie. you hear the pressostat click off but the machine continues slowly heating until the safety valve blows off steam, then your heating element is probably cracked.
Was the pump running while it happened?
In the situations where the machine does this while the pump is running the "fill boiler" routine, I suspect a dirty level probe. Check for boiler-overfill.
If it occurred while brewing, I suspect leaking boiler fill valve. Check for boiler overfilling.
(The following is assuming you have a Mechanika IV with a pressostat)
If it occurred while just idling, you'll have to watch the machine and see if it's going to do it again. Once you see the pressure climbing above 1.5 Bar, be ready to shut it off. As you watch it climb you can open the steam tap to see if you get nothing but water out (boiler terribly overfilled) or if it's proper, dry steam. (opening the steam tap will also buy you a little time by releasing some pressure as you watch the machine).
Does it work normally, idling in range for a while, then out of the blue do this for no apparent reason? That would likely be a sticking pressostat.
If you adjust the pressostat down, does the machine now idle at a slightly lower pressure range?
If, on the other hand, it overheats any time you allow it to just idle. ie. you hear the pressostat click off but the machine continues slowly heating until the safety valve blows off steam, then your heating element is probably cracked.
