This is a great forum and was the inspiration for purchasing a commercial machine on craigslist this past weekend.


After the tear down, I discovered an issue removing the HX. I have one of the port fittings off. Now the HX spins when trying to loosen the other fitting. The HX itself has hex fittings, but what tool will fit inside the boiler to hold it in place? Any tips or tricks will be greatly appreciated!

~richard

The HX terminates with a hex fitting. It's close quarters in there, any ideas how to hold this from moving?

Looks like a crowfoot wrench would work.

Crowfoot wrench is a great idea! I would wrap the metal in some sort of plastic/electrical tape to avoid damaging the inside of the boiler.

I will try the crowfoot wrench on the boiler of a San Marco 95 Sprint E that I'm about to descale.

I had some luck previously with regular wrenches, but the boiler design had a wider opening. Your boiler has a tougher design with the narrower opening. Let us know how that goes.

I took apart the main switch last night. Is there an espresso machine cop to report abuse?




Is there any hope in fixing the pressure gauge?

Mad Scientist wrote:I took apart the main switch last night. Is there an espresso machine cop to report abuse?

Is there any hope in fixing the pressure gauge?
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In my experience no, unfortunately. The gauge contains two flat ribbon-type tubes that expand/contract based on pressure. If there has been any damage, these tubes deform. I wouldn't be confident that the measurements would be accurate if you tried to reposition the needles yourself or bend the leafs back to "zero" the hands. I ended up buying a new one - the design of the new one differs, but it's fits perfectly. Almost feels like they stopped production of the types of gauges you have.

Broken pressure gauges might indicate other issues inside - in my case, it was an issue with ice damage to the auto-fill valve. Ended up successfully repairing it myself.

Photos of the Pressure Gauge Disassembly from my San March 95 Practical S (Single) rebuild:
Broken gauge (front with cover off):


Broken gauge (disassembled - front view) - you can see I pulled off the needles:


Close up view of the inside of the gauge:


Tried to get the close up of the leaf - there is a bubble that formed on the inside of it:

Hi Richard,

Funny enough, I started testing my SM85 16 M which I haven't tested before (got it as brand new, never used, and finally found some time to fire it up). I have the same issue but worse. No water emerges from the group head and goes straight into the boiler.
Edit: Resolved - the issue was a flow meter that has been plugged by corrosion and scale.

Thank you Nick for the information Another part to add to the list...

UPDATE: I am like 100% sure now that the HX has a 30mm hex on it. I ordered a 30mm crowfoot wrench and is back ordered about 2 weeks.

I am grappling with what I feel is a problem (concerned about for sure). After a descale soak procedure, I found one copper pipe having a deep red hue on the inside when I swabbed it with a q-tip. How are we verifying the inside of the pipes are sanitized after an acid descale bucket soak, followed by a neutralizer and rinse?



Chrome plated steam wand after a white vinegar soak, q-tip reveals coffee residue

I have a question on my Sirai pstat. The wires I pulled were attached to the upper right and the lower left. I want the use the center set of contacts. Do I need to reconfigure these jumper wires?