# Fracino Heavenly boiler leak



## Mr Guy Ho (Sep 7, 2011)

I bought a used Heavenly last autumn, and after some vigorous cleaning I've been really enjoying the coffee I've been able to make. However, I've noticed that I get a pool of water under the machine sometimes. I took the cover off and watched the machine heat up just now, and there's steam escaping, and a persistent drip coming from the boiler, which looks somewhat corroded on the outside.

Here's some





 of the boiler.

What are my options? Is this something that I can repair, or is it likely that I need a new boiler? And if so, is that something that I could install, or do I need to get a pro to do it for me?

Thanks in advance.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

It looks like the heating element seal has been / is leaking. Cleaning off with some de-scaler and unscrewing the heating element will reveal the seal, probably hardened/ damaged.

The element may well be corrode in and may / will require some effort to remove. If it is tight you will need a strap wrench to hold the boiler (close to the end) while applying a spanner / socket to the element. The replacement of the seal is straight forward the difficulty is removing the element.

Providing the boiler is not deeply corroded you will only need a replacement seal. DO NOT get water on or into the element terminals.

Worth de-scaling the boiler at the same time ?


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## Mr Guy Ho (Sep 7, 2011)

Quick update: I ordered a new element, but unfortunately it didn't have a seal on it, so I've not fitted it properly yet. Here's a pic of the old element:









It doesn't look as terrible as I expected, given the corrosion on the outside of the element and the boiler, and given how much blue scaley water came out of the thing then I first started descaling it last year.


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## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

the element looks great ( I recently looked in mine and it has some limescale fur compared to yours) was the inside of the boiler as limescale free ? (maybe you will post a picture)

.. I did not understand your comment 'corrosion on the *outside* of the element and the boiler' did you mean outside of heat exchanger insert ? [it is an hx machine no ?]

what was you de-scaling technique and chosen chemical ? I am contemplating something more aggressive on mine


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## Mr Guy Ho (Sep 7, 2011)

Inside the boiler looked fine when I shone a torch in there. There was a bit of debris floating around on the surface of the water, but since I chose not to remove the boiler from the machine to take the element out, I wasn't sure how to get it out. I could have a go syphoning it off or using a syringe.

The corrosion that I was referring to can be seen in the image above, if you look at the top of the element. I thought the element fitted into the boiler, but I know it's an HX machine, so maybe I'm wrong about that?

For the first few cleans I used citric acid, which feels pretty safe (I've even used it in cooking when out of lemon juice), but following a recommendation from Peter of Espresso Underground, I've started using formic acid, which comes in a big plastic container with all kinds of hazard warnings on it. The water still turns blue on the way out, so that's a handy indicator.


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## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

I had posted a thread about descaling a bezzera bz02 which had some exploded parts diagrams, but maybe the heavenly is different.

bz02 has a middle heat exchanger tubular insert put in from top of boiler and element is inserted by unbolting base of boiler.

(btw although I can see inside my boiler I have never seen the inside of heat exchanger itself and am curious about the configuration)

heavenly must have something different in so much that I have to empty the boiler to get the element out (I have not googled for images yet and maybe I will quickly understand)


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## jpaul__ (Feb 19, 2016)

ok I see (I guess heat exchanger itself is internal tubing that cannot be removed and not shown in parts diagram)


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## Mr Guy Ho (Sep 7, 2011)

That shot illustrates nicely why I decided to keep the boiler in place when removing the element!


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## Mr Guy Ho (Sep 7, 2011)

After fitting the washer badly, or not tightening the element into the boiler enough, I had another go, and the machine is now up and running, perfectly! As far as I can tell.

Thanks for the help, folks!


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