Great information! Any ideas on how to drain the boiler when the hot water wand is scaled closed and blocked? I need to remove the hot water pipe but don't want the boiler to leak water everywhere.
I would appreciate your help, When I lift the handle, I get steam and not water. And when I turn on the hot water, the water comes out without a problem. What do you think could be the problem?
I have an older Rocket Giotto (over 10 years old) that hasn't been used for about 2 years. I'm going to start getting back into making coffee and was thinking I'd need to do something like this to drain all the old, stagnant water out of the machine before I start using it. Would this be worth it or should I just run a few reservoirs of water through to flush it out?
Hi Dan, In your shoes (and not knowing history of machine) I would start by running a few reservoirs of water through. Inspect the water for foreign material. If clean, odor free, etc it's up to you if you want to go further like pulling boiler for internal visual inspection.
hi. for example you are living in canada and now winter , a couple amount of water inside pipes or boiler won't damaged by frost ? while shipping. thanks
Hi v, This is how we drain machines for shipping and do not have issues with a tiny amount of water left in pipes. We are located in northern US across lake from Canada and experience temps well below freezing during winter.
My unit keeps over pressuring - the place I bought it from suggested updating my pressure stat and the thermostats but says I should look at the boiler element to make sure it hasn't cracked from overpressuring - would you do this, and I'm assuming if you were to want to look at the element you would drain the unit and then undo the big nut on the side of the boiler where the element goes in?
Hi Zandor, You can check the element without removing from machine. A broken element will generally present with other symptoms like tripping circuit breakers. If you have a pressurstat driven machine it's the pressurestat which controls boiler heating, could also be a relay controlled by the pressurestat. Relays sometimes stick on if bad which can cause continuous heating - eventual overheating. Here's a video cued to a section showing how to test for a break in element using a multimeter. It's demoed on a Profitec Pro 700 but test method is similar for any element: ua-cam.com/video/iaudLNlgR4c/v-deo.html
Just returned from a week without using my machine and now having trouble getting water to cycle through the machine (Watching this I believe the issue is the connection at the bottom of the water reservoir - Needing to create contact (as in using the Allen wrench to trick the sensor) - but don’t know how to better ‘seat’ the reservoir to make the connection to allow the sensor to activate. Could there be something misaligned or blocking the connection at the reservoir? In other words, what do I look for? What am I missing?
Hi james, here's my video that focuses on water sensing issues in Rocket machines: ua-cam.com/video/5tjstOnKIYI/v-deo.html Video covers a number of potential sensing issues including seating of the reservoir, wiring, distilled water causing no conductivity for sensing and more. Hope that helps!
I see a different pressurestat on this Appartmento than the one I have. I have a round one and have non stop issues. Is this potentially an upgraded pressurestat?
Hi JN, It's a more recent design and is stock now. It's more compact and maybe less likely to be messed with by end users than the old style. Not sure it's really an upgrade - just a different type.
My Appartamento is not building up steam pressure, so I can't drain the boiler through the hot water dispenser, as nothing comes out. How then should I drain the boiler?
Hi ED, Question is why is it not building steam pressure? Is it just not heating up? If your machine is heating and not building pressure then it's likely your vacuum relief valve on the boiler is stuck open due to scaling. If that was the case you'd likely hear some hissing as steam exits the valve. Easy fix for that is to clean or replace the vacuum relief valve. Here's a link to our support site for the Appartamento. It can help you track down and solve common issues: support.wholelattelove.com/hc/en-us/sections/1500000401242-Rocket-Espresso-Appartamento To drain a cold machine follow the procedure described at this point in the video: ua-cam.com/video/F0b_9_5w7ec/v-deo.html Basically you'll turn the machine upside down and open both the steam and hot water valves. Marc
WLL folk are the best👏🏻. This video helped me remove the water reservoir with ease. The water reservoir has an almost rust coloured tinge to the inside, could this be from standing water? I use bottled water every time. I would welcome you advice on how I can remove the rusty water colour and the colouring to the reservoir connector with the metal conductor? (the part where you held your allen key) by the way is someone on the video a doppelgänger for BJ Thomas?
Hey SB, Thanks for the kind comment. BJ Thomas, that's going back a ways - I guess there might be a resemblance to Marc? Color could be from standing water. You might try a soak in a citric acid based descaler to remove discoloration. A soak in Cafiza solution might help as well. Just don't introduce Cafiza solution to machine internals.
I usually drain my boilers when I go on vacation for longer than 2 weeks. Is that too aggressive? How long without using the machine before you think it's a good idea to drain it?
Hi a, Thanks for the question. I do not think that is too aggressive. Never hurts to turn over the water in the steam generating section of the boiler and it's easy to do. Personally I wouldn't bother completely draining the brew water section for 2 weeks of no use. I would just run a few cups out of the group before using the machine again. Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks. I have a Rocket Giotto R and it's connected to the water supply, so I can't really drain the brew section, unless I disconnect it from the water supply, which is a bit of a hassle. 😔 I do run fresh water for a couple of minutes when I return from vacation though.
Great information! Any ideas on how to drain the boiler when the hot water wand is scaled closed and blocked? I need to remove the hot water pipe but don't want the boiler to leak water everywhere.
Great video now I an drain it down before I take vacations
Hi m, Good idea!
I would appreciate your help,
When I lift the handle, I get steam and not water. And when I turn on the hot water, the water comes out without a problem.
What do you think could be the problem?
Hi, sounds like the HX section of the boiler which produces water for brewing is not filling properly.
I have an older Rocket Giotto (over 10 years old) that hasn't been used for about 2 years. I'm going to start getting back into making coffee and was thinking I'd need to do something like this to drain all the old, stagnant water out of the machine before I start using it. Would this be worth it or should I just run a few reservoirs of water through to flush it out?
Hi Dan, In your shoes (and not knowing history of machine) I would start by running a few reservoirs of water through. Inspect the water for foreign material. If clean, odor free, etc it's up to you if you want to go further like pulling boiler for internal visual inspection.
hi. for example you are living in canada and now winter , a couple amount of water inside pipes or boiler won't damaged by frost ? while shipping. thanks
Hi v, This is how we drain machines for shipping and do not have issues with a tiny amount of water left in pipes. We are located in northern US across lake from Canada and experience temps well below freezing during winter.
My unit keeps over pressuring - the place I bought it from suggested updating my pressure stat and the thermostats but says I should look at the boiler element to make sure it hasn't cracked from overpressuring - would you do this, and I'm assuming if you were to want to look at the element you would drain the unit and then undo the big nut on the side of the boiler where the element goes in?
Hi Zandor, You can check the element without removing from machine. A broken element will generally present with other symptoms like tripping circuit breakers. If you have a pressurstat driven machine it's the pressurestat which controls boiler heating, could also be a relay controlled by the pressurestat. Relays sometimes stick on if bad which can cause continuous heating - eventual overheating. Here's a video cued to a section showing how to test for a break in element using a multimeter. It's demoed on a Profitec Pro 700 but test method is similar for any element: ua-cam.com/video/iaudLNlgR4c/v-deo.html
Just returned from a week without using my machine and now having trouble getting water to cycle through the machine (Watching this I believe the issue is the connection at the bottom of the water reservoir - Needing to create contact (as in using the Allen wrench to trick the sensor) - but don’t know how to better ‘seat’ the reservoir to make the connection to allow the sensor to activate. Could there be something misaligned or blocking the connection at the reservoir? In other words, what do I look for? What am I missing?
Hi james, here's my video that focuses on water sensing issues in Rocket machines: ua-cam.com/video/5tjstOnKIYI/v-deo.html
Video covers a number of potential sensing issues including seating of the reservoir, wiring, distilled water causing no conductivity for sensing and more.
Hope that helps!
I see a different pressurestat on this Appartmento than the one I have. I have a round one and have non stop issues. Is this potentially an upgraded pressurestat?
Hi JN, It's a more recent design and is stock now. It's more compact and maybe less likely to be messed with by end users than the old style. Not sure it's really an upgrade - just a different type.
How about steam is not ready
My Appartamento is not building up steam pressure, so I can't drain the boiler through the hot water dispenser, as nothing comes out. How then should I drain the boiler?
Hi ED, Question is why is it not building steam pressure? Is it just not heating up? If your machine is heating and not building pressure then it's likely your vacuum relief valve on the boiler is stuck open due to scaling. If that was the case you'd likely hear some hissing as steam exits the valve. Easy fix for that is to clean or replace the vacuum relief valve. Here's a link to our support site for the Appartamento. It can help you track down and solve common issues: support.wholelattelove.com/hc/en-us/sections/1500000401242-Rocket-Espresso-Appartamento
To drain a cold machine follow the procedure described at this point in the video: ua-cam.com/video/F0b_9_5w7ec/v-deo.html
Basically you'll turn the machine upside down and open both the steam and hot water valves.
Marc
WLL folk are the best👏🏻. This video helped me remove the water reservoir with ease. The water reservoir has an almost rust coloured tinge to the inside, could this be from standing water? I use bottled water every time. I would welcome you advice on how I can remove the rusty water colour and the colouring to the reservoir connector with the metal conductor? (the part where you held your allen key)
by the way is someone on the video a doppelgänger for BJ Thomas?
Hey SB, Thanks for the kind comment. BJ Thomas, that's going back a ways - I guess there might be a resemblance to Marc? Color could be from standing water. You might try a soak in a citric acid based descaler to remove discoloration. A soak in Cafiza solution might help as well. Just don't introduce Cafiza solution to machine internals.
@@Wholelattelovepage yep to Marc😀. Thanks for the tip on the Cafiz
Should I do this before putting the machine in a plane?
I heard the cold in the skies could freeze the water inside some parts and blow up them...
Hi GMC, Yes, if you expect the machine will experience freezing temperatures.
I usually drain my boilers when I go on vacation for longer than 2 weeks. Is that too aggressive? How long without using the machine before you think it's a good idea to drain it?
Hi a, Thanks for the question. I do not think that is too aggressive. Never hurts to turn over the water in the steam generating section of the boiler and it's easy to do. Personally I wouldn't bother completely draining the brew water section for 2 weeks of no use. I would just run a few cups out of the group before using the machine again.
Marc
@@Wholelattelovepage Thanks. I have a Rocket Giotto R and it's connected to the water supply, so I can't really drain the brew section, unless I disconnect it from the water supply, which is a bit of a hassle. 😔 I do run fresh water for a couple of minutes when I return from vacation though.