# Teflon tube inside steam wand: How's attached to ball valve?



## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Hi, my machine has a no burn steam wand. It has one of those red tubes made of silicone. It slots outside of the tube coming from the ball valve (as it is flexible) and then goes all the way down inside the steam wand.

Now, for those with a Teflon tube (Alex Duettos, Expobars Brewtus, newer Pro-700), how's that attached to the ball valve that connects the steam tap and the steam wand/arm? How's that sealed so steam does not escape?

There are plenty of images on how the Teflon tube meets the steam tip. I am interested about the ball valve, on the top of the steam arm.

Thanks.


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## @3aan (Mar 2, 2013)

The "steam" takes always the route with the less resistance!

So the inside of the tubing, if there are some steam leaking so what, there is enough to frot your milk.

Is it handy? NO not at all, the amount of steam passing the tube is simply not enough, take a lot longer to steam the milk, I speak for myself using it in my trailer, it sucks.

I now have an tubing along the whole steamwand, except the last 6" if I don't forget Iwill take pictures tomorrow of the outer tubing I use.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

The tube fits into a close fitting recess in the straight portion of the ball joint, I think some have an "O" ring in the recess.

If you remove the steam wand and slide the nut down the tube you will see two flats on the ball joint. This enables you to unscrew the ball from the tube. You can then see how the inner tube fits.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

El carajillo said:


> The tube fits into a close fitting recess in the straight portion of the ball joint, I think some have an "O" ring in the recess.
> 
> If you remove the steam wand and slide the nut down the tube you will see two flats on the ball joint. This enables you to unscrew the ball from the tube. You can then see how the inner tube fits.


Hi, thanks for this.

I've taken the steam wand off a few times, so I am familiar with the internals. The question for me is whether there is a difference in how the teflon tube is attached to the ball valve when compared to machines which have a silicone tube instead, given that the Teflon tube is rigid and the silicone is not. As you can see by the image attached, my machine (Pro 700) has a silicone tube inside the steam wand. Then the ball valve connector goes inside that silicone tube.

Like this:

So, how do machines which have a Teflon tube connect to the ball valve?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

The ones with the teflon tube do not have that short spigot, imagine the one pictured without the spigot and the remaining portion of the ball having a recess/ counter bore to suit the diameter of the teflon tube. The steam tip has a corresponding counter bore and the tube is "sprung" between the two.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

El carajillo said:


> The ones with the teflon tube do not have that short spigot, imagine the one pictured without the spigot and the remaining portion of the ball having a recess/ counter bore to suit the diameter of the teflon tube. The steam tip has a corresponding counter bore and the tube is "sprung" between the two.


Understood! Thank you for the clarification.


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## @3aan (Mar 2, 2013)

@3aan said:


> The "steam" takes always the route with the less resistance!
> 
> So the inside of the tubing, if there are some steam leaking so what, there is enough to frot your milk.
> 
> ...



















Tubing is around 3 euro p/m1

No more burns on my arms!


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