Paolo,

I would suggest starting another thread otherwise your questions might get lost or you may not get as many responses because the age of this thread. I would also recommend posting pictures to clarify questions.

I purchased my citric acid from here: http://www.dudadiesel.com/

The price was very reasonable and received quickly. I'm not sure if they would ship overseas or if it would be cost effective for you.

Here are a couple of links found on HB regarding citric acid


Espresso Machine Cleaning Digest
What ratio citric acid / water to descale?

Let me know if you have any other questions

Mike

Get out the phonebook and look up your local home beer brewing store. They will have citric acid. I picked up several pounds for just a few dollars. Enough to last me years.

Hi everyone!

I recently bought a 1990 Cimbali Dosatron M30 (3 group) for 250$ that has probably not been in use since 1996. Technically the machine appears to be in pretty good shape, but still needs a full makeover.

Does anyone have constructional drawings of the machine and/or plans for (re-)wiring?
I'll probably take a million pictures while dissembling the machine, but still would be glad if anyone could help me out with some blueprints and stuff.

Any suggestions of European dealers where I could get replacements for seals, valves, etc..

Matt

Nice job Mike! Thought I'd drop by to see how the resto turned out....

Borat,

Thank you again. The pieces you sent me helped out greatly!

I also want to put a bow on this restoration. It wasn't actually 100% because of the non-functioning LED display. I didn't want to spend $400 on a new one. Luckily I noticed someone who was parting out a 3 group M30 dosatron and was able to pick up a display for relatively cheap. Now I can program the on and off time of this big machine. Works like a charm.

I also posted some time ago that the power switch wasn't operating as it should. Well I learned something the hard and expensive way. When I was removing the switch from the machine, I would often remove the handle and the metal switch rod that goes through the center. This is not the way the switch was designed. You are only supposed to remove the plastic handle and the center rod is permanently attached. This constant removal caused the internal switching to be off. This caused the switch to turn the machine off and on in a manner that it wasn't supposed to. Didn't hurt the machine but it did cause half the power to go to the water heating element. I thought a 45 min warm up time was normal ( not getting the groups to equilibrate). Well I was futzing with the switch getting it ready to sell (yes I'm selling it - I found out this is way too much machine) and I totally messed it up. I ended up buying a new switch due to my bungling and when I installed it, the switch functioned like it should and the machine came to its ready temp in 12 minutes. I was amazed! I was so used to it taking close to an hour.

So now I have a 100% functioning 2 group M30 Dosatron. Someone who is opening up an Italian restaurant is stopping by today to check it out and I'm hoping to give it a new home by tonight. I've already received my La Spaziale Vivaldi V1 (yesterday) to replace it. BTW has anyone converted a V1 to a V2? It seems that I'm never done tinkering.

Hello Mike,

I want to give you my compliments on the work you did on the Cimbali M30 Dosatron!
All the way here in the Netherlands you inspired me so much.
I was able to buy a Cimbali M30 2-group on an auction a few weeks ago, and by a search on the internet I found your story.
Seeing you taking the whole machine apart, cleaning, replacing, painting etc., and building it up again, amazing how the machine looks now after all those work!
You've done a great job, and as I said: you inspired me

I have only just started taking the machine apart, don't know what I will discover but we'll see.
Maybe sooner or later I would like to (need to?) ask you some things if that's okay with you.
Thanks anyway,
Kind regards!
Eric

Eric,

Thanks for the kind words. It was a great learning experience for me and you are more than welcome utilizing me as an information source. If you need any parts for your machine, I know of a potential source.

Just drop me a line if you need anything.

Thanks again

Mike