# Vesuvius specific cleaning.



## Rom (Jan 20, 2017)

Group cleaning / descaling

Machine cleaning / descaling.

Could you post your link(s) here @DavecUK better than them getting lost in that other thread. Cheers mate, appreciated as always.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

What links?

There might be something on the Vesuvius forum, I don't remember, you could search there. I never need to descale my machines because I use boiler safe water, so TBH I don't worry about it very often. If I add a section about descaling in a user guide, it's more luck than need. I am pretty sure i did a little bit in the Minima user guide for descaling, that would be fairly similar. You can download that from the ACS website.


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## Rom (Jan 20, 2017)

I asked you in the other thread about cleaning and you asked if I meant Exterior, Group or V in general? So I wrongly assumed you had some links that you could post once you knew what I was after. My machine doesn't need cleaning either as I haven't used it since it's been up for sale, I just thought it might be useful to know..



DavecUK said:


> What links?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I thought you had seen something I had posted, or linked to?


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## MrOrk (Apr 17, 2018)

Here's the descale link I found https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/vesuvius/viewtopic.php?t=196&amp=1


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

You see I forget....so much to remember. It's because I have the knowledge within me...I don't need links.


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## MrOrk (Apr 17, 2018)

This subforum should definitely be called 'ask @DavecUK '


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## Stevebee (Jul 21, 2015)

Never descaled - just use bottled water so hopefully won't have to.

Once a week remove, clean and lube the lever cam with molykote 111 if it looks like it needs it. DaveC has a useful video on Wikidot/Youtube showing how it's done. I do it this often as I pull over 200 coffees at Farmers markets on the weekend plus my own use during the week so I roughly worked out that once every 2 weeks would be appropriate.

I don't wait for it to feel notchy, just do it regularly. Other than that just remove and clean the water tank.

Removing the screen and cleaning obviously much more frequently but that is dead easy and quick to do.


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## MrOrk (Apr 17, 2018)

I was wandering as I'm only going to use Ashbeck, what frequency for descaling would be appropriate......Dave...


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

MrOrk said:


> I was wandering as I'm only going to use Ashbeck, what frequency for descaling would be appropriate......Dave...


I don't know I don't use ashbeck and don't know how much you use per day? What's the composition, how much do you use?


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## MrOrk (Apr 17, 2018)

DavecUK said:


> I don't know I don't use ashbeck and don't know how much you use per day? What's the composition, how much do you use?












On average I use it for 2 flat whites a day, sorry yes, may have been useful to know.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Perhaps descale a bit every 2 years...just remember there are other things in water that can gum things up a bit....It's why I have use RO. for over 15 years...plus I like the taste and don't have to bugger about with plastic bottles.

Important to lube the group and cam spindle where it passes through the viton rings in the group lever stem every 2-3 months though (or after any chemical backflush). If you don't after about 3-4 years it might start to drip from the spindle. The seals are pennies and very easy to fit. I think I bought a whole load of them about 12 years ago. In my spares box on top of the cupboard.


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## MrOrk (Apr 17, 2018)

Thanks Dave, I like those kind of intervals, it does seem quite an involved process, for a first timer anyway.

I have this also, something from another thread/forum.

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/e61-lubrication


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## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

@DavecUK when I had the Lelit mara I used to regularly remove the water tank to give it a clean.

I've just gone to do that on the V only to find that it is hard wired in, how often do you recommend detaching and cleaning?


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

igm45 said:


> @DavecUK when I had the Lelit mara I used to regularly remove the water tank to give it a clean.
> 
> I've just gone to do that on the V only to find that it is hard wired in, how often do you recommend detaching and cleaning?


 Are the wires Long enough to get to the sink ?


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## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

Nicknak said:


> Are the wires Long enough to get to the sink ?


 Not even close..


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

You can unclip it


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

igm45 said:


> Not even close..


 That's a bit shabby


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## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

Jony said:


> You can unclip it


 I see that, it seems to be a bit of a design flaw on two grounds:

1) It's wired in at all, the Mara magnet seems to be a much more intuitive solution.

2) The clip is at the back of the machine, against the wall, this making the removal fiddly/making the user slide the machine forward for access.

How often do you remove to clean?


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

usually I wait til its empty, then whack some milton in and a quick wipe round. I don't mess around withe shitty clip haha


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Mines capacitive sensing...no wires, no magnets 



Nicknak said:


> That's a bit shabby


 If the wires were long enough to reach the sink, that would be silly not shabby.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Your lucky.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Jony said:


> Your lucky.


 Well only lucky I got mine before users started complaining and they moved to a more "reliable" system. Unlike magnets wires and a float pretty much always works properly, magnets can give problems, the floats can jam or position of the tank can make them temperamental as evidenced over the years by many machines that use them. The electric contact design where the tanks slot into a cup can also be problematic over time and require a straight up path for insertion and reinsertion.

I thought the capacitive system was way better than all the other methods...but the users complained and therefore got something else. Their complaints were that the water level could be quite high and not down to a few cm or whatever before the sensor went off (so what), they were unwilling to adjust the sensitivity to fine tune it (it wasn't that hard). In fact it is a great solution, once tuned very reliable. The factory rather than have complaints, put in a float system...cheaper for them and easier for them to adjust. Users stopped complaining....well until they realised removing the tank involved unclipping 2 connectors.

So that's the backstory.....often user/retailer pressure drives development, sometimes I wish it didn't! Annoyingly the few times I would like user and retailer pressure to drive development....it doesn't.....what can you do.

Oh, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to lengthen the connector wires to make it much easier. Just some wire, spade connectors a crimper and a few minutes. If you want to be super flash, you could put on a magnetic clip connector and be really modern (it's only about 5V). Or a pushfit male female round connector, even soldered and heat shrink for a really neat job (rather the little boy ones below). I'm sure now a member will be inventive enough to do this and share the solution with you all. I might even ask Paolo to use them on the next production run.


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

DavecUK said:


> Mines capacitive sensing...no wires, no magnets
> 
> If the wires were long enough to reach the sink, that would be silly not shabby.





DavecUK said:


> Mines capacitive sensing...no wires, no magnets
> 
> If the wires were long enough to reach the sink, that would be silly not shabby.


 No really ?.. ??


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

The factory just told me they use a pushfit connector similar to the second photo, one end mounted to the frame I think and the connector is just pushed in. Sounds OK and not shabby at all to me. I got the impression it was difficult or something perhaps a couple of spade connectors (like Fracino use on the heavenly). Very similar to the connector used on the Lelit Bianca for it's low water detection circuit, allowing the tank to be unplugged and repositioned on the machine.

Of course I still prefer my capacitive sensor... 

*
@igm45 you do have felt pads on the feet don't you to make sliding around a lot easier?
*

for some reason I can't unbold the above


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## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> The factory just told me they use a pushfit connector similar to the second photo, one end mounted to the frame I think and the connector is just pushed in. Sounds OK and not shabby at all to me. I got the impression it was difficult or something perhaps a couple of spade connectors (like Fracino use on the heavenly). Very similar to the connector used on the Lelit Bianca for it's low water detection circuit, allowing the tank to be unplugged and repositioned on the machine.
> Of course I still prefer my capacitive sensor...


Hmmm...

Here is mine:









Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Same as mine. If I really wanted to I could change and solder up some of my Castle Creations connectors, but I can't be arsed,haha With some decent Gauge wire I have.


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## igm45 (Mar 5, 2017)

Don't get me wrong it's not a massive problem just a bit fiddler than I'd like being positioned at the back of the machine.

Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

igm45 said:


> Don't get me wrong it's not a massive problem just a bit fiddler than I'd like being positioned at the back of the machine.
> 
> Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk


 Felt pads.

Actually I like my connector type better. I would soon flipping solder something different on it if I had that. I would probably go for the magnet type.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> Felt pads


 On your jumpers maybe.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Jony said:


> On your jumpers maybe.


 You young whipper snapper....


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

HAHA


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