The S1 Cafe - Helping Your Espresso Dreams Become Reality

**EDIT - Updated subject as well** So now that I have basically torn apart the machine I am thinking that it was built in 2011, since I have a triac that says 2011 on it. Also, IMHO my machine has all of the V2 hidden upgrades. I have read the comments below and I do not believe I have the old style steam boiler pressure gauge because I have looked at the S1Cafe website that describes the differences and mine looks like the new sensor. I also have the covered control box with the 15/20A switch AND the timer switch. I'm hoping I have the V2 control board but I tore the machine apart so quick that I didn't check the LED lights.**END EDIT**

**EDIT** I have also added comments in each picture grouping of any issues I had or how I did things.**END EDIT**

So I have been an Expobar Office Pulser user for 12 years but I am sick of a vibe pump so I found a used S1V1, most likely post-all-updates. I bought it sight unseen from a woman who used it as a backup but did not know what a backflush was. Needless to say it was DIRTY, and it looks like someone spilled something as well. I decided to tear it all apart while I have my other machine so that it can run without problems for many years.

I am already reading as many posts as possible, about checking the pump and drilling the weep hole, replacing electrical connections, descaling the boiler, etc.. I plan on replacing all of the plastic piping with new sleeves and ferrules, I'm thinking about replacing the temperature probes with the new versions so that I can flash the board and get the new features. I never plugged in the machine so I have no idea if I get three yellow or green lights but looking at all of the posts, my control board and its switches, etc. I have a feeling I have the new board.

Also, my machine does not say Vivaldi OR Vivaldi II. It has a red line where the word Vivaldi would be. Could this be a commercial version that I have read about?

What I would greatly appreciate is any comments people would like to throw at me as I am doing this. I am also posting the pictures on this site so that people can use them as a reference.

I am going to submit this and then add pictures so I do not lose my whole post.

By 2008 I thought that most vendors were selling SiV2s? I bought my SiV2 from Chris' Coffee in April 2007.
I believe that the "plastic" tubes are actually teflon and I see no reason to replace them if they are intact and look good. As I said, my machine is from April 2007 and the tubes are just fine.
Cleaning and descaling are clearly a good idea.

**EDIT** The comments have said that the brew boiler probe is the old version but my steam boiler certainly looks like the upgraded version. I do not have the pipe and I don't have the gray wire like the V1 vs. V2 pictures. It also looks like my vacuum breaker and steam boiler fill probe are swapped:) The control board certainly seems like the newest one since I have the 15/20A switch as well as the timer. The contact thermostat also looks like the new version.**END EDIT**

Quick reply! I wasn't sure if I said that it was a V2 if it would confuse things, since it is not officially a V2 because of the pressure gauge and temperature increment. Would it be a S1V1 with all upgrades?

I know that replacing the tubes is overkill but it is cheap overkill, unless I cannot get the small ferrules (7330) individually.

Anyway, here are some pictures.

**EDIT** It is interesting that my boiler says 02 and 07 on it. This is what initially led me to think that my machine was a 2008 or so but I have since decided that it was made in 2011 or so. The junk on the boiler has been commented that it is probably spilled milk from the cup warmer. The inside of the boiler doesn't look that bad. There was gunk at the bottom that initially did not let the boiler drain so I siphoned out the water. Once I had it apart I realized that I could poke through the gunk, which would have been an easier way to drain it. The pictures also show that I have the newer, full motion steam wand.**END EDIT**

More pictures.

**EDIT** I was thinking about replacing the teflon tubing but since it is impossible to only buy the copper ferrules I think I might skip it. The reason I was going to replace them is because it is cheap and I hate reusing copper ferrules. Once you crush something I do not like to re-crush it. The steam boiler element does not look too bad. You can see the temperature probe and how there is no tube. However, it looks a little different than the new one on Chris' Coffee so I'm not really sure what to think. Neither the new one or mine are/would be long enough to hit the water anyway.**END EDIT**

**EDIT 2** So I'm not going to replace the tubing but I did speak with Chris' Coffee and they do carry the sleeves and ferrules, both are about $3/ea. They said to give it a try to see if it seals fine before you buy all of the stuff. I also have decided that I do indeed have the new temp sensor so I believe my unit was made around 2011 because of a year sticker on one of the triacs.**

And more pictures. I have not cracked open the brew boiler yet.

More reference pictures.

I struggled the first time I opened my brew boiler. I did not want to use a penetrating oil "just in case". I actually dislodged a ribbon connection from a board with all the banging, etc (I thought I killed the machine until I found the loose connection). Eventually I relented and it made life so much easier. Just a quick squirt of WD40 on the threads.

jfrescki wrote:I struggled the first time I opened my brew boiler. I did not want to use a penetrating oil "just in case". I actually dislodged a ribbon connection from a board with all the banging, etc (I thought I killed the machine until I found the loose connection). Eventually I relented and it made life so much easier. Just a quick squirt of WD40 on the threads.

Thanks. I think I read your post so I will keep that in mind. Maybe I can find a socket big enough that would fit on in and I could use my impact wrench:)

**EDIT** I have since removed the element from my brew boiler and I followed this poster's advice and used some WD-40. I put a few squirts on it and came back a couple of days later and then, instead of using a block of wood, I used a molding pry bar placed horizontally on the metal tab of the locking ring and whacked the pry bar a few times and it loosened it.**END EDIT**

I'm scratching my head as to the origin of your machine. If it was made in 2008 then it was made after Chris Coffee had been selling the V2 for at least a year. If so it should have the new controller board.

Your machine also has the old style temperature sensors on both boilers. That feature was replaced on all shipping machines with the new style sensor- at least on the steam boiler - since 2007. For a while, the machines shipped with the new style sensor on the steam boiler and the old style sensor on the group boiler. However, the newest machines now ship with the new sensor on both boilers.

Is it safe to assume that your machine only allows temps to be set or displayed in 5C increments? If so, it could still have the newer controller board. When La Spaz started making the S2 for US import, it continued making the S1 for the rest of the world. To save manufacturing costs they made S1 and S2 operation as switchable modes on the new controller boards.

Should you find that you do have a new controller but the current front panel displays 5C increments - and you want to switch the controller to V2 mode - you can order a new 1C front panel decal.

The machine doesn't look bad overall except that it looks like the previous owner put a pitcher of milk up on the warming tray and then knocked it over.

Thank you for the info! It has the 5C increments but it actually does have the new wand, not the S5, but the full motion wand. I will need to plug it in to see what board I have, unless there is a way to tell once I have it all taken apart. I was guessing on the year so since I have the old temperature sensors maybe it is a 2007?

More reference photos.

**EDIT** The rotary pump looks good. I will follow the advice of others and drill out the weep hole, to 1/4", as well as adding some grease on the bearing to prevent any water from getting in there if I do get any leaks. I also seem to have the new motor mounts.**END EDIT**

And more:)

**EDIT** I plan on doing the fan mod in which I will put washers between the fan and the frame. My fan was only connected with 2 screws so I will find 2 more and add washers.**END EDIT**

And more.

**EDIT** The brew boiler doesn't look bad at all. See a previous edit of mine about how I got the locking ring off. I used a utility knife to cut loose each side of the gasket and then I was able to pick some out with a needle nose pliers and then remove it in a few pieces. I then made sure to clean out all of the remaining gasket material so the new one would have a good seal.**END EDIT**

More pictures.

**EDIT** So yes, it was a PITA to remove the old gasket material:) My method was to use a 1/2" chisel to scrape out the old material. I would then clean it out, remove some more, clean it out, rinse and repeat. Once I got the majority of the gasket out I used some sand paper to clean it out even more. I think it looks good now.**END EDIT**

Even more pictures.

One more.

Here are some more pictures, this time of the Gicar flowmeter. Once I pressurized the system I noticed a small leak from somewhere near the flowmeter. I took the flowmeter off and found out why it was leaking. Unfortunately I cannnot rebuild it because there is a hairline crack on the front bolt area but more importantly the top is warped so even if I tighten it down it will not seal correctly.

You can see all of the junk that was in the removable plug area but I don't think that effects much since it uses magnets to sense the flow.