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Espresso: Espresso Mods and Restorations
rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

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Discussions > Espresso > Espresso Mods > rebuilding...

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emradguy
Senior Member

Joined: 31 Mar 2011
Posts: 1,722
Location: Houston
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II
Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,...
Drip: Espro press; Aeropress
Roaster: internet

Posted Mon Nov 26, 2012, 6:59pm Subject: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Does anyone know if one needs to lube any of the parts in the Duetto II steam valve? I've got mine apart as it's been dripping slowly from inside the wand. There are no o-rings inside of the valve, it's compression fittings, springs and a single rubber plunger between the feed line from the boiler and the knob/wand assembly. I'm thinking some small particle got stuck between the plunger and the line at the T...and that it just needed cleaning. Thanks in advance! EDITED: I got some advice from Randy Glass (frcn) last night and applied a little lube to the shaft of the plunger at the spring. I also contacted Jason at Chris' Coffee and he sent me a photo of an insert at the knob that likely came loose, which I will follow up on tonight. Having taken the valve apart and played with it quite a bit last night, I'm pretty sure Jason's thought is right on target. I'll post a followup and some photos, once I get this all squared away, in case anyone else runs into the same problem.

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calblacksmith
Moderator

Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 5,680
Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A.
Expertise: I live coffee

Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1
Grinder: Many different commercial
Vac Pot: 40s era Silex
Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis...
Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner

Posted Tue Nov 27, 2012, 10:56am Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Good luck, a food safe grease likely will not hurt anything but if it is in the water / steam path, it will quickly become washed away and into your drink. If it is where a shaft passes through a seal, more than likely it will stay just fine and help more than it may hurt the situation.

In real life, my name is Wayne P. Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 3:32pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Followup, as promised (no photos YET)... So last night I reinstalled the OEM knob, powered up the machine, let it come to full temp (thermal stability) and prepared 2 lattes and two cappas. Jason was spot on about the loose insert and all is working perfectly. I fixed the custom knob today and am letting the thread sealant cure before installing it tomorrow. I snapped a couple of more photos for the posts to come...

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 5:48pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Here's the valve opened up, The plunger (on the left) has a rubber tip that contacts the inside of the other fitting when the valve is in closed position. (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 5:50pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Here's a better view of the rubber insert. You can see a faint ring where the contact is made at closed valve position. (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 5:52pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Here's a view of the inside of the machine side fitting of the valve (the plunger is in the knob side). You can see how the rubber insert gets its faint ring when the valve is closed. (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 5:56pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Here is the OEM knob installed. There is a brass washer that sits over the shaft and a small retaining clip locks into the groove near where the shaft protrudes through the knob. Notice the flat brass surface where the washer would be sitting. It is actually an insert that screws into the threads of the knob's core. (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 6:00pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

This knob has a loose insert, and if you look closely, you can see how there's no room for the brass washer below the groove and the retaining clip cannot be put on easily. To put the retaining clip on, the plunger must be pulled out slighty with pliers - essentially opening the valve. Thus, the loose insert causes the valve to leak, so water drips out of the wand. (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 6:01pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

Here's the knob with the insert removed. The insert has tiny grooves in the wall of the inner circle, enabling one to use a flat head screwdriver to remove it. However, they really are tiny and I found it easier to do this with needle nose pliers while it was loose. I did use a screwdriver during the reinstall with thread lock sealant (see later post). (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

emradguy
Senior Member

Posted Wed Nov 28, 2012, 6:02pm Subject: Re: rebuilding Duetto II steam valve

...and here's a photo of the insert inverted, so you can see it's threading. (Click for larger image)

CoffeeGeeks don't let their friends go to *$$

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