Hi all, my less than 2 year okl ECM Technika has started making an odd metalic tapping sound when heating up, It’s around the same time you can hear the boilier coming up to temperature (I often notice it if the machine has been switched to “ECO” mode - but is re-heating).

The tapping lasts for 5-10 seconds, then it’s fine. My guess at the moment is that it’s the vacuum breaker starting to close as the pressure builds, but would like to avoid taking the top off the machine for now if possible, so was wondering if anybody else has noticed this type of noise when their machine is heating.

BTW I’m using Ashbek water and don’t get any scale at all, so I think I can rule scale out,…

Thanks !

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    PeteHr Is there any chance you could upload a video with sound to YouTube, mark it unlisted and post the link here….then we can have a listen and watch the gauges etc… as it does it.

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      Dave, thanks for your reply. I’ve attemped to make a video and uploaded it to youtube. Here is the link:

      https://youtu.be/WQfsRDDdwpE

      It’s not easy to capture the sound (funnily enough on the phone I recorded it on it’s fairly clear, but not so much when replayed on a PC). The first tapping sound is around 5 seconds, then another around 15 seconds. At about 25 seconds the sounds get more regular then the boiler makes quite alot of noise (like a kettle boiling) before it all settles down, At this point the noises stop and pressure gauge starts to creep up until it gets to final pressure, and there are no more noises.

      Temperature wise we are at around 90 C when the above starts.

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        PeteHr It does sound like the vacuum breaker…open the top of the machine and take a photo for me…just something I saw.

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          Dave, thanks again. I took the top off this morning and it’s definitely the vacuum breaker,. As it’s heating up and getting nearer to boiling point the vacuum breaker plunger starts rattling away against the brass body until it pops up and then everythings is quiet. I can’t believe how noisy this is !

          Now the bad news, the copper pipe from the boiler to the group head is actually touching the the vacuum breaker - you can’t even get a thin piece of paper between them ! You clearly can’t get a socket on the breaker to undo it, and even if you could somehow get a normal spanner in there it would damage the pipe I think. So I think they must have put the pipe on after installing the breaker. See the attached pic.

          I’m reasonably good at taking things apart etc but I’m not sure I fancy taking this on ! Anyone in the general Oxfordshire/Berkshire area used to doing this type of work on a machine ?

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