# Coffee temperature alarm



## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

Not dropped ACS a line yet, but started getting this on my Vesuvius yesterday.

When running the grouphead, the temperature looks to be jumping all over the place.

I'm guessing that the brew boiler temperature probe has failed, anything else obvious I can check?


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

Paolo's sent me a new temperature probe - anyone have any hints on getting the existing one out without having to take the boiler out?

It's right under the frame - I can get a spanner on it, but I can't get enough torque on it at that angle to move it (all the fittings seem really tight).


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

You could ask Davec but if your not using R.O whip the boiler out and check things over and snip those bloody zip ties on your cables they are super tight,haha


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

Water here is really soft, I'm not even remotely concerned about limescale.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

Gotten the compression fittings undone, and the olives are properly jammed in the fittings. ?

(Stainless steel pipework, which might be the reason - never had issues getting things out of compression fittings with copper).


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

> Gotten the compression fittings undone, and the olives are properly jammed in the fittings. ?


 Right, gotten those out of the way finally.

Temperature probe still seems to have all of the torque behind it, though.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Use an air or electric powered impact wrench whilst holding boiler in 1 "protective gloved" hand. I have one, you can pop round and use mine any time.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

DavecUK said:


> Use an air or electric powered impact wrench whilst holding boiler in 1 "protective gloved" hand. I have one, you can pop round and use mine any time.


 Thanks! I think if I can get the boiler out, I should be able to get enough leverage on it.

I ran out of time with it though, it's going to have to wait for a while.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Just remember panels all come out individually and the boiler can be withdrawn from the bottom. I removed my brew boiler to renew the O ring for the heating element a month or so ago. Someone had put the Heating element in very tight...which is why the O ring failed so soon. It was an easy job to get the boiler out, I only needed to remove one side panel and the lower access hatch.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

DavecUK said:


> Just remember panels all come out individually and the boiler can be withdrawn from the bottom. I removed my brew boiler to renew the O ring for the heating element a month or so ago. Someone had put the Heating element in very tight...which is why the O ring failed so soon. It was an easy job to get the boiler out, I only needed to remove one side panel and the lower access hatch.


 I think I might struggle with enough access to loosen the fittings that lead to the group head (unless I also take the steam boiler out). All the fittings so far seem to have required a very large spanner to loosen them. Certainly when the new temperature probe has an o-ring on it, I didn't imagine I'd need to take the boiler out in order to have enough leverage to remove the old one.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I'd fit the new one using PTFE tape if I were you....plus I don't know how your existing probe is fixed...I'm using telepathy, perhaps if you provided a photo?

I managed to get the brew boiler out without removing the service boiler?

I also think you can get the sensor out without removing the boiler....but I'd really like to see a photo or 2 first (and before advising you). We all have smartphones with cameras these days.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)




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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Right, here are some things to try:

Long open ended spanner onto sensor....use a metal tube or something solid to place on the other end of the spanner and sharply rap with a hammer on the end of the tube. You are not trying to make a huge impact and bang the thing loose, it's lots of sharp raps (not Thor type swings) to put a lot of torque on it with a very short moment. This should shock it free. In once sense the smaller hammer is better because you can move it faster over a short distance.

If it doesn't and I'm guessing that you don't live 2 miles away (because I see your location is secret)....the other thing you can try if you have a good hammer drill. Place a steel tube on the end of the spanner and then press the hammer drill (with nothing in the chuck and chuck closed, spray of lubricant) Into the end of the tube and with hammer action on press reasonably hard (not too hard) and spin the chuck. You hopefully get the idea....you might be able to use the hammer action of the drill to send enough shocks down there to free it....your not actually trying to drill anything.

If both those don't work...boiler out and air/electric impact wrench (used carefully). Or go find someone with some tools who can also give what I said a try.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

It look's quite confined, would it be possible to thread a 'cranked ring spanner onto it to prevent slipping?


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

El carajillo said:


> It look's quite confined, would it be possible to thread a 'cranked ring spanner onto it to prevent slipping?


 Hm, that might be a good option. Might buy one.

Issue I was having was that you have to angle a spanner in over the service boiler/water inlet and under the lip of the chassis. Then there's limited space for leverage with the hot water and steam delivery pipes. Also, with angling downwards, it's difficult to apply effective torque (and avoid unduly stressing other components in an undesirable direction).

I'm out for a couple of weeks now anyway, I'll have another go when I get back.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Aidy said:


> Hm, that might be a good option. Might buy one.
> 
> Issue I was having was that you have to angle a spanner in over the service boiler/water inlet and under the lip of the chassis. Then there's limited space for leverage with the hot water and steam delivery pipes. Also, with angling downwards, it's difficult to apply effective torque (and avoid unduly stressing other components in an undesirable direction).
> 
> I'm out for a couple of weeks now anyway, I'll have another go when I get back.


 Check the offset, you can obtain ring spanners with different offsets. What size is the nut ? met or imperial ? How much offset does it need to clear other items ?

Let me know, may have one you can borrow.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

Cranked spanner was the right tool for the job - thanks.

Got the temperature probe switched... but... it doesn't appear to power up 

First time I turned it on, it went on but showed a empty green screen on the display, rather than the usual boot up message in blue.

I turned it off to check I'd had all the connections in place - now it doesn't seem to show any sign of life at all.


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## Aidy (Jul 8, 2015)

Aidy said:


> Got the temperature probe switched... but... it doesn't appear to power up


 Got it - same issue as

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/41085-vesuvius-power-loss/page/3/?tab=comments&do=embed&comment=589959&embedComment=589959&embedDo=findComment#comment-589959

Obviously knocked the cable loose - let's see if that sorted the temperature alarm


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