# Descaling the R58



## AL1968

Could someone explain how to descale the R58 please without the faff of disconnecting the water level thingy. I understand part of the process ie mix citric acid fill water reservoir with descaling solution run hot water tap on machine and group head to get solution into the machine. My problem is the steam wand if you switch the machine on with the steam valve open it doesn't produce any water just steam as the boiler heats up.

Hoping someone can help, thanks.


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## MediumRoastSteam

I may be talking nonsense here, but would scale form in the steam wand? It draws steam From the top of the boiler, and impurities such as limescale would precipitate to the bottom of the boiler. As far as I know, to descale the steam boiler just do so via the hot water tap.


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## hotmetal

I'm inclined to agree with the above. The steam boiler provides the hot water and scale only forms at or below the water line. Even so, if the steam contains any descaler, it may well condense and end up in the wand anyway.

The biggest problem is getting the descaler out again. I can't remember if the boilers have drain cocks as I have never actually done it. (Feel free to ignore my post on this basis!) You may well end up flushing the machine for the whole day after descaling. Rocket say "descaling should be undertaken by qualified service personnel" which I find a bit unsatisfactory. That doesn't mean you can't do it yourself - just that it's more of a PITA than they expect most users to get involved with.

I've been running mine on Volvic or Waitrose Essential since I got it, precisely to avoid having to descale it! (Well, that and the fact the coffee tastes a lot nicer).


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## MediumRoastSteam

Same here. Running on Ashbeck to avoid descaling at all costs!


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## truegrace

Gonna try and find someone semi local to do a service on mine rather than risking doing it myself!


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## AL1968

Thanks all for your comments, you'd think if Rocket thought it would need descaling they'd have built a solution into the design so the consumer could carry this out. I had a Francis Francis before this and used to descale that about every 6 months without any problems. It's the fact the R58 has two boilers that threw me, but having thought about it it shouldn't be difficult. Fill reservoir with descaler run hot water and head to fill boilers switch off for an hour flush through with plain water, job done.

I understand some of you use bottled water but that's an extra faff so I'll just carry on using water from the Brita, the kettle seems to like it!

As for completely flushing the citric acid solution I can't see that being a problem but we'll see I'll get SWMBO to check the first couple of cups, I'm sure she'll let me know if it's not up to her high standard!!


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## hotmetal

Hahaha ok! It is doable, but I bet your Francis Francis was a single boiler machine. They are easy, same with a Classic - like you say, fill reservoir with descaler, run, leave, flush. The thing with a dual boiler is that it's difficult to get the last little bit out of the service boiler, (hot water/steam wands). So you normally have to open up the machine to drain it all out, or do sufficient flushes that you gradually dilute the remainder of the descaler that won't come out of the hot water wand, and keep tasting it to see if it tastes of citric! I haven't done it but I've heard that it takes quite a number of flushes so you might need to allow plenty of time for that.


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## AL1968

She likes lemon in her tea............now there's a thought!!


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## Dubman

I know it's too late now but I have only ever put volvic in mine to avoid ever descaling so when you do descale it, I would stick to eithr volvic or ashbeck - well worth it.


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## DavecUK

AL1968 said:


> Thanks all for your comments, you'd think if Rocket thought it would need descaling they'd have built a solution into the design so the consumer could carry this out. I had a Francis Francis before this and used to descale that about every 6 months without any problems. It's the fact the R58 has two boilers that threw me, but having thought about it it shouldn't be difficult. Fill reservoir with descaler run hot water and head to fill boilers switch off for an hour flush through with plain water, job done.
> 
> I understand some of you use bottled water but that's an extra faff so I'll just carry on using water from the Brita, the kettle seems to like it!
> 
> As for completely flushing the citric acid solution I can't see that being a problem but we'll see I'll get SWMBO to check the first couple of cups, I'm sure she'll let me know if it's not up to her high standard!!


I love a person with confidence, confidence that the manufacturers give a crap about future maintenance...they don't, unless forced into it. I also love the confidence for descaling the R58 (which isn't as easy as you think and doesn't just involve the descaling itself).

If you wanted something easy to descale, you should have got a Verona.

Good luck.


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## AL1968

DavecUK said:


> I love a person with confidence, confidence that the manufacturers give a crap about future maintenance...they don't, unless forced into it. I also love the confidence for descaling the R58 (which isn't as easy as you think and doesn't just involve the descaling itself).
> 
> If you wanted something easy to descale, you should have got a Verona.
> 
> Good luck.


Just seen your reply been away for a while, ok I'll bite what else does it involve? I'm aware that it will need disassembling and 're greasing.


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