Overheating

If your VBM DB (Super / Junior) or Junior HX has indications of limescale, it will first be evident in one of the two following scenarios (first one covered here):

1. During or after machine warm-up, you may hear a popping sound, sometimes sounding like a locomotive or what sounds like a steady release of steam pressure. The boiler pressure gauge, instead of being at its typical 1/1.5 range, will go over 2.0 reading (not the pump pressure gauge), and/or
2. After the machine has warmed up, the boiler pressure gauge ‘nose dives to zero’ and then slowly comes up to proper pressure. This is an indication of limescale build-up on the vacuum breaker valve – it is making it stick. The machine must be cooled, and the bleeder valve itself needs to be descaled separately or replaced.

You always want to descale the machine and remove any limescale contamination into the new pressurstat.

1. Descale the machine according to the machine you have (HX is a different process than double boilers)
2. Power off and unplug the machine. Allow to fully cool. Remove the top cover and reservoir.
3. Remove the 6 screws around the back body panel and place the body in a safe place to avoid scratching.
4. On top front corners under the cup warmer tray, there are 2 screws to be removed.
5. The underside in the back, remove the 2 screws holding the reservoir platform.
6. Push aside platform. There are 3 wires connected to a switch. Please make a note or photograph of how they are situated in case they come off or apart.
7. Find the pressure switch. Please make a note of or photograph how the wires are situated.
8. Disconnect the wires.
9. With 2 wrenches, grab one fitting on the copper pipe and use the other wrench to remove Jaeger or similar pressurstat from the pipe.
10. Check for any discoloration on the inside. If there is no color of white, green, or black, then the unit needs to be replaced. If there is a color, use cotton swabs dabbed in citric acid or descaling solution to clean out the inside of pressurstat until brass metal turns pink.
11. Put everything back together and test. If there is still a problem, the Jaeger will need to be replaced.

Finally, the water needs to be softened – NOT JUST FILTERED! Filtering only removes sediment, bad taste, and odor, etc. Most filters do not soften the water. Our strong suggestion is to attach a water softener (in-tank for tank model uses or a direct connection plumbed in-water softener for inline uses) AND to descale the pressurstat pipe and pressurstat separately during the descaling regimen.