Hi all,

erkal

Yes the anti vac o ring just crumbled as soon as I touched it so that needs changing. This machine is 17 months old and I have already replaced the anti vac 1 month after purchasing the unit. Is it normal for them to need replacement so frequently?

Steam temp is set to 130. If it was not reaching 130, why would that cause these issues?

Also, is this what limescale buildup looks like? I am not an expert but that pin seems to be covered with it.

Thanks!

InfamousTuba

erkal Is it normal for them to need replacement so frequently?

Not sure about this specific machine but usually as part of a yearly service for an espresso machine we would change the o rings (or replace the whole anti vac if it was a different model).
Shouldn’t happen that often at home usually

Checking the steam is just in case it was a problem with the temp probe or SSRI. The boiler might have only been reaching close to boiling so the anti vac would function incorrectly. But ignore that for now because the o ring is not working.

It could be limescale, what water are you using in the machine and have you ever drained the boiler?

MediumRoastSteam

erkal Steam temp is set to 130. If it was not reaching 130, why would that cause these issues?

Wow. My Elizabeth is 5 years old and everything is working fine (touch wood). Anti vac valve is fine too. So I have no idea how that’s even possible with your machine - and you only turn the steam boiler on when you need it if I remember what you said in another post. Very strange and certainly not normal. Grind with a MaraX as old as my Lizzy is going strong too.given by another picture you posted, where the connectors are all yellow - tells me the temperature inside the machine is higher than what it’s been designed for. Where is your machine located? Is there ventilation around and at the back?

erkal

InfamousTuba I had started with Ashbeck from Tesco but a year on I read that it might cause limescale, so now I am making my own water from Zero water filter jug. I think this also improved the coffee as well.

AI says the o-ring is size AS568-007 and it suggests I should go with a Viton rather than silicone or rubber. Does this sound right?

Thanks

InfamousTuba

erkal
The la marzocco viton one will fit on that one, viton is what we use as well

So there can still be scale in the steam boiler, because as the steam is boiling off the minerals will concentrate in the water over time. So it might be worth draining it and having a peek inside

erkal

MediumRoastSteam I love the machine but I also feel like I have been seriously unlucky with it as well. 1 month after purchase I had to replace cracked water tank, group head gasket and the anti vac. Now anti vac needs replacing again.

I started turning off the steam boiler because it’s been bubbling away and leaking from the bottom when idle for some time now (I had made another thread about it) but I finally had to open it up when it tripped the fuse of my house. Today it’s not short circuiting anything anymore so I guess that’s a plus.

It’s literally just sitting on my kitchen counter in the open, brew temp is set to 90 and steam to 130.

delta76

erkal everything has a failure rate. My Liz was trouble free for 2 years I had it. My Bianca failed twice in 2 years. So don’t feel too bad about it - can happen to anyone and any machine. Good thing yours is running now and you probably gained more experience to keep it trouble free in the future :)

MediumRoastSteam

How far is the machine from the wall? Note on the Lizzy vents are at the back, not at the top.

erkal

MediumRoastSteam About 2 inches.

erkal

delta76 Haha yes it has definitely been a learning experience :) I had never seen the inside of an espresso machine 17 months ago and here I am trying to figure out the perfect o ring dimensions for an anti-vac valve!

I just wanted to drink some tasty coffee…

delta76

erkal it’s inevitable that you will need to replace some o-rings if you want to keep your machine(s) for 2y+. I think our late Dave recommended to open up the machine yearly to check for leak and rust as a preventative measure.

erkal

delta76 He is the reason I went with the Elizabeth :)

I feel these anti-vac valves come with low quality o-rings. I am wondering if Viton rings might last a little longer, as suggested by Google?

Also Bella Barista does not know the size of the o-rings which is frustrating as I don’t own a caliper. I am guessing its size is BS007?

erkal

InfamousTuba Thanks that’s good to know! So I have found Viton o-rings, now I just need to figure out the size.

delta76

erkal me too, bought Elizabeth because of his review
You can always find the part from this diagram https://www.1st-line.com/technical-support/lelit-technical-support-page/parts-diagram-lelit-pl92t-elizabeth-v3/

erkal

delta76 Thank you for this. I can see that it only shows the anti-vac valve but not the o-ring inside the valve. I think they changed the type of valve a few times.

InfamousTuba

erkal
The la marzocco one I linked to earlier will fit. Because you are in London you could also ask any la marzocco engineers if they would give/sell you a couple?

delta76

maybe some clue https://coffeetime.freeflarum.com/d/1998-count-me-in-on-lelit-elizabeth-leaking-steam-valve
Dave linked this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124351963431?hash=item1cf3f46127:g:HvcAAOSwiGJfaa%5C~f

erkal

InfamousTuba Based on the La Marzocco dimensions, I have found and ordered this one.

https://bearing-king.co.uk/products/bs007-3-68mm-bore-1-78mm-section-viton-o-ring?variant=57947491991933

I am hoping it will do the job. Thank you very much!

erkal

So for the record the BS007 sized o rings worked fine on the Elizabeth anti vac. The bubbling stopped and no more steam coming from the tray.

However there is still continuous hissing sound coming from the steam boiler. I opened the back to make sure it was not from the bottom and it seems that its coming from this part:

When I touch the tube the hissing changes. What is this and is it normal? I am pretty sure the unit did not hiss so much when idle. It used to be pretty silent.

Thanks!

erkal

OK Nevermind. I figured its the hot water tube, I pulled it out and shoved it back in. The machine is now running with absolutely zero sound. This is amazing, it hasn’t been this silent for months. It’s so quiet I was worried it broke lol!

Thanks all!

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