Silicone Gasket Longevity

[chas]

Since the silicone gaskets have now been available for a while, have any of the early purchasers had to replace one yet. Or is everyone still on their first gasket?

[MDL]

Still on my first.

[goodboyr]

Me too.

[adagan]

I am still on my first gasket, installed late June 2014.
Here it is compared to a brand new one never used:

New and old

gaskets.JPG (76.49 KiB) Viewed 60687 times

Besides the discoloration, it is still in perfect shape. I pull 4 shots a day on average.

[chas]

Great post thanks.

I have one question for you since I am not sure from your photo which side is up. When I used the rubber ones normally the first time I would remove it for inspection, the rubber would still be pliable but the bottom side that gets cinched up against the PF would have a permanent groove in it from the edge of the basket. Did you see any sign of this on the silicone gasket?

[adagan]

I know what you are talking about. The gasket is still pliable, no sign of a groove. Honestly I don't know which side is supposed to be towards the PF.
Here are the gaskets(both) flipped over:

other side

gaskets2.JPG (72.91 KiB) Viewed 60682 times

[expy98]

still on my first gasket as well.

[slo]

I also am on the first one. Although I has only been on for 6 months ...
The machine is on 24 -7 and there is still no sign of hardening.
My average with the traditional seal was between 6 to 12 months (and that is pushing the life to the limit...)

[chas]

If these will basically last the life of the machine, I wonder if we should still pull them out every now and then to do a good clean underneath. Perhaps even flip them over at the same time?

[jfrescki]

I just bought three. I figured even if they last forever, I'll probably change them out every decade anyway

[chas]

After about 6 months I started having an issue with the silicone gasket on my GS/3. The portafilter would start to rotate off 1/2 way through the shot with water starting to pour out over the top. If not watched, the PF could actually fall off.

Yesterday I decided to take it off and inspect it. Due to the group head differences, I have to use an ice pick to pry out the gasket on the GS/3. Whereas this always worked with minimum damage to the rubber gaskets, everytime i stabbed the silicone gasket with the ice pick it shattered in that location completely going to pieces. However, after removing it the other unstabbed parts of the gaskets still seemed pliable and not dried out.

The silicone gaskets for the GS/3 and for the S1 came out about the same time but are very different. The ones for the GS/3 are hard and the ones for the S1 are very spongy. Since no one with the S1 is seeing this issue, I guess I might have to try to find a source of the spongier type after my next gasket wears out.

[jfrescki]

The Spaz (as I'm sure you know) leaves the side gasket showing with the shower screen removed, so I've taken to pushing a small brad into the gasket side, then using pliers to pull down on the brad. Works wonders, no chance of damage to the group and a small pin hole in the gasket if you intend to reuse it. Don't know if you could do the same on the GS3.

[chas]

The thing about the Spaz is that when you remove the shower screens the dispersion disk also drops out and exposes the gasket. There is no dispersion disk in the GS/3. Instead the screw that holds on the shower screen has holes around its perimeter that squirt the water across the top of the puck in different directions.

Bottom line the only ways to remove the gasket are to stab it with something or disassemble the group head in order to get it out in one piece. Of course in the latter case you likely need to replace a pair of paper gaskets that go between the grouphead sections.

The S1 is definitely easier when it comes to most maintenance items...except maybe for draining the boilers.

[expy98]

I just bought three. I figured even if they last forever, I'll probably change them out every decade anyway

big spender!!! :-)

[jfrescki]

Yeah, but I might be soon. I'm heading to Lake George next month and my wife said "why don't we stop in on Chris Coffee since Albany is on the way, in case you want something."

[chas]

You must bow down before that woman!

[richardcoffee]

I have had one of these in since June 2014. Since it's the end of the year, I decided I ought to check it. It's still completely pliable. So, that's 18 months. No sign of wear. I have noticed though that my portafilter rotates slightly during a shot. It frightened me at first, but it stops in time and doesn't really come close to falling out. So far.

[slo]

I have noticed though that my portafilter rotates slightly during a shot. It frightened me at first, but it stops in time and doesn't really come close to falling out. So far.

Funny but this happened to me also recently. I have been very laxed on the tightening since these gasket are softer to begin with so I never had to lock hard. But one day the P/F just backed up enough to allow water and coffee to be splattered everywhere!
The very next day, the P/F started to slip again but I was watching that time and caught it. I now lock it in with a bit more force and it stays put.
I was wondering if it had anything to do with the gasket aging?

The gasket are now about 12 months old and look like it is no more than a week old with just a little brown staining. The browning is not even everywhere. The thickness and `sponginess` is exactly like the brand new spare gasket I have.

These are really good gaskets!

[chas]

It is interesting to see that S1 users are starting to see the same effect with their silicone gaskets that I reported seeing on my GS/3 last June. When it starts to happen I can give the gasket a thorough clean with a Cafiza soaked brush and get some more time out of it, but eventually the amount of time I get after a cleaning before the PF starts rotating off gets shorter and shorter.

When I take the silcone gasket out and look at it, it seems ok. It's still perfectly pliable. However, it's like the groove worn into the gasket gets deep and smooth enough to the point that the rotate off happens. The only option to make it stop is eventual replacement. Based on this, I don't see that much longer a life than with the rubber gaskets. Of course since the silicone gaskets stay pliable, getting them out in one piece and replacing them is less of a hassle. When I bought a batch of silcone gaskets last year they actually cost less for the GS/3 than the lowest price I found for rubber ones.

Based on that the silcone gaskets still seem like a good deal, but the thought at the time that we might get several years out of each silicone gasket doesn't seem like it is going to happen.

[MDL]

Chas: My experience is different.

I am still on my first silicone gasket and am not experiencing any issues with the rotating PF. No matter what anyone is experiencing, it seems clear that the silicone gaskets have a number of advantages over the rubber:
Cost
Pliability
Potential extended lifetime
Ease of removal for cleaning or replacement

I don't see why anyone would continue to use the rubber PF gaskets?

[goodboyr]

I'm still on my first ( about one year) and have not experienced the rotating issue.

[jfrescki]

Mine is in just over 6 months with no problems, but I'll definitely report back if the portafilter moves.

[slo]

I am now around the 1 year mark and I just turned the gasket over and it now behaves like a new one.
Lets see if I get the sliddiong again .

I never got more than a year on a classical gasket. Based on this the silicone is definetly a better solution no matter how long it last from now on.

[mdecorte]

Hi,

I was wondering where you purchased the gaskets from? I don't see them on CCS. Is it from Steve per the below post?

viewtopic.php?t=2081

thank you in advance

[jfrescki]

Hi,

I was wondering where you purchased the gaskets from? I don't see them on CCS. Is it from Steve per the below post?

viewtopic.php?t=2081

thank you in advance

Yep

[jfrescki]

I reached up and pulled my silicone gasket out with my fingers this morning while doing the routine screen and disbursement block cleaning! Looks great after 6 months with a little discoloring. So if you're interested in checking yours and have a vivaldi, it practically fell out.

John

[rhinoevans]

Still on my first, in fact I don't even check it any more. Had totally forgot about it till this post!

[expy98]

I guess it's been about 1.5 yrs and my first gasket still going strong. It does lock slightly further than initially
but each time I backflush w/ detergent, it seems to go back to the 6pm position. Perhaps it's accumulated
oil that does that. I haven't flipped it neither...

[sorinherea]

Where can I buy a silicone gasket for a Vivaldi II?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[chas]

viewtopic.php?t=2081

[slo]

I was doing my routine cleaning of the group dispersion screen when I though about the silicone gasket. So I pull it out to look at it and check for general condition. To my continued amazement it is still nice and flexible 3 years after installation with the machine being ON 24/7.
The only effect of age that I can notice are the coloring, it is definitly stained by the coffee, and it seems to be very slightly worn or permanently compressed.
Still very usable and I re-installed it.
Thanks to steve96822 for these gaskets.

[goodboyr]

+1000. Great product.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[mkc]

Thanks to steve96822 for these gaskets.

+2000

I just received my gaskets from steve96822. Looking forward to tomorrow's morning lattes, the first ones with the new gasket.

Michelle

[alanmd]

I bought 3 from Steve in 2012, still on my first. I switched to the second a couple of years ago, but the first would probably work- it discoloured and compressed slightly, but didn't compress as much as the original black rubber. I kept the first one as it's probably still usable.

[steve96822]

I noticed this thread and interesting posts including photos of my silicone gasket after time. I use the original one and have not noticed any decline in function. In January 2015 I made a video showing the gasket integrity after 8 months (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvkrbSWXciI)

This last week I again removed the same gasket, washed it and also soaked it in pharmacy hydrogen peroxide. It is normal for silicone to retain the color of coffee oil but I wanted to see if it could be lightened. The flexibility / structural integrity of the 3 year gasket appears to be unchanged from that of the new gasket. This gasket has actually been in place in excess of 3 years if you do the math but I rounded it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT9lzZmFxLg&feature=youtu.be

[steve96822]

After about 6 months I started having an issue with the silicone gasket on my GS/3. The portafilter would start to rotate off 1/2 way through the shot with water starting to pour out over the top. If not watched, the PF could actually fall off.

Yesterday I decided to take it off and inspect it. Due to the group head differences, I have to use an ice pick to pry out the gasket on the GS/3. Whereas this always worked with minimum damage to the rubber gaskets, everytime i stabbed the silicone gasket with the ice pick it shattered in that location completely going to pieces. However, after removing it the other unstabbed parts of the gaskets still seemed pliable and not dried out.

The silicone gaskets for the GS/3 and for the S1 came out about the same time but are very different. The ones for the GS/3 are hard and the ones for the S1 are very spongy. Since no one with the S1 is seeing this issue, I guess I might have to try to find a source of the spongier type after my next gasket wears out.

Install a S1 gasket on your LM GS3. It is stretch a little around center grouphead hub but easy to install. When you need to clean the grouphead very easy to remove and it grips the grouphead well. The result and function can be seen here. PS also works great in Slayer (video pending)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5DA_UYyG7U


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os2_qBYc5N4


I also experienced that silicone shattering while attempting to remove it from a La Marzocco but I was not using a sharp instrument. I dont know what brand silicone gasket it had. It reminded me of the term "friability"; Friability, the condition of being friable, describes the tendency of a solid substance to break into smaller pieces under duress or contact, especially by rubbing. The opposite of friable is indurate