Rancilio Silvia Boiler Insulation Upgrade

As part of my Rancilio Silvia mid-life overhaul (noise damping, group head maintenance, PID temperature controller installation, etc.) I decided to insulate the boiler. There's some debate about doing this on the internet, and there are insulation kits available from various sources, but these are the reasons I decided to do the boiler insulation:

• Faster group head warmup (head has to travel down from the boiler to the group head, and a warmer group head permits better and more consistent brew water temperature at the portafilter)
• Energy efficiency - particularly when considering the addition of a warmup timer which turns the machine on about 45 minutes to an hour before first use in the morning
• Protection of the PVC wiring and terminal insulators from excessive heat

I had some thin, fibreglass piping insulation available in my project bin, and this turned out to be perfect for doing the boiler insulation. 

The naked boiler prior to insulation installation. Note the group head below and forward of the boiler - heat has to move down and forward to pre-heat the group head. 

I used Climaloc Fibreglass Pipewrap Insulation for the Boiler

Wrapping the boiler with fibreglass pipe insulation

Boiler wrapped with fibreglass pipe insulation

Boiler wrapped with fibreglass pipe insulation

Insulating the wiring from the top of the boiler
simply cut out openings for the steam outlet,
boiler heater element and temperature sensors. 

You can see that I wasn't too fussy with the insulation installation - there are some small gaps around the top of the boiler and I wanted some heat loss to heat the top cover / cup warming tray.

Conclusion

In terms of performance, I've definitely noticed that the front and top covers of the machine do not get as hot as they used to - and I was careful when installing the noise damping mat not to cover any air vents or gaps around the top cover. This preserves the ability for air to move through the machine to manage the internal temperature. The group head warms up well, and a 45 minute pre-heat time seems to work very well for optimal brew water consistency in operation.

Sources and Links

I hope you found this post useful. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section below. I answer all questions. If you're interested, you can help support this site by using the following links to Amazon.com in the United States. My go-to place for Rancilio Silvia parts in Canada is Espressotec.com.

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Patio Pergola Project - Outdoor Grade Ceramic Tile Installation

The next step in the Patio Project was to select an attractive and durable concrete finish so that the two concrete surfaces - old and new - appear consistent and neat. The challenge was to come up with a ceramic tile product and installation system that could withstand freezing temperatures in the winter.

Completed Ceramic Tile Installation

See my other posts regarding the concrete patio works - enlarging and squaring off the patio with a 6" thick concrete extension and additional ground support, and the selection and installation of an aluminum framed pergola structure with retractable vinyl awning.

Alternatives Considered

• Epoxy paint
• Teak wood slats applied to the surface
• Recycled plastic / synthetic planks or tiles applied to the surface
• Ceramic tile
• Interlocking brick

The key constraint was the lack of height between the top surface of the concrete and the door threshold entering the house. I wanted to maintain a height difference so that water during spring melt could not back up and flow into the house through the door. This effectively eliminated all the options except for epoxy paint and ceramic tile. 

My other issue was the lack of surface finish consistency of the concrete between the old and new surfaces. The old concrete had been poured on a compacted earthen berm which was subsequently excavated. The top surface was not particularly well finished or flat. The existing epoxy paint provided a consistent color, but the surface finish was slick, slippery when wet and not particularly appealing. 

So - we settled on ceramic tile as the selected finish. Next steps were to consider the type of tile and the tile installation system. Our climate is northern, with lows in the winter of -40F/C and considerable snow. The ceramic tile and installation system would need to be able to withstand freeze and thaw, and a temperature range from -40 to +40C for thermal expansion. 

Surface Preparation

There were two principal concerns for surface preparation prior to ceramic tile installation. Removal of the old epoxy paint from the 25 year old concrete, waiting time for proper curing of the new concrete extension, and sealing the interface between the old and new concrete so that there wouldn't be movement between the old and new concrete which might lead to cracking of the ceramic tile. 

First - I bonded and sealed the crack between the two concrete slabs using Sika crack fix. I got underneath the patio and sealed the bottom of the crack using adhesive tape, to help retain the Sika crack fix epoxy and manage the amount of material I would require. I then filled the crack in stages until I had pooling of epoxy on the surface. 

Note the interface between old and new concrete - sealed with Sika Crack Fix. 

 Next step was to level the concrete surface, and remove as much of the old epoxy paint as possible. My local rental center had a scarifying wheel attachment for a floor polisher which I tried and was very effective. The wheel has angled diamond cutters around the perimeter of the wheel which were effective at removing not only the paint, but the high surfaces of the concrete.

Diamond blade of the scarifying wheel.

Paint removal in process

Detail of the joint between the old and new concrete. Grouted with Granirapid.

Surface prep was completed in a weekend. 

Ceramic Tile Selection

We needed to consider a tile which would not absorb any water. This led us to a porcelain tile, rated for outdoor installation. We also sought tiles with a rough surface which would be less slippery when wet - to avoid falls with kids coming into the house out of the pool or in wet weather. It took some time but we finally settled on a tile from Italbec:

Italbec Basalt Gray Ceramic Tile Samples

Next task was to select the ceramic tile installation. I got into touch with Mapeii - they have a technical department which will advise on installation systems and applications. They were super helpful, and we settled on the Granirapid installation system. The Granirapid system is a modified polymer flexible grout system which dries rapidly and minimizes entrained water underneath the tiles - this has the advantages of reducing the possibility of efflorescence (white stains) and cracking or delamination from freeze and thaw movement. We added a shear barrier - Mapeguard - which helps to prevent cracking due to temperature changes between the ceramic tile on surface and the concrete structure below. In addition - we added flexible expansion joint strips every 10 feet to help manage thermal expansion.

Mapeguard Shear Barrier - Green Material. Ceramic tile installed overtop using the Granirapid mortar system. 

Tile Trim and Joint Profiles

In my research I found a Schlutter balcony edge profile which looked like it would eliminate the requirement to bond ceramic tile on the vertical edges of the concrete slab. I went ahead with these profiles - they are available in a range of heights and colors. I selected a 6" high profile (the tallest available) in metallic gray color. My ceramic tile installer had never worked with balcony edge profiles before, but it turned out well and in the end, he thinks it saved him considerable time and aggravation. 

Schlutter Balcony Edge Profile

An interesting feature of the profile is that by design, it allows water to escape from the tile system and drip down behind the profile - preventing a buildup of water which could lead to freeze cracks. The profile is easy to apply, using the tile mortar, and has corner profiles for a neat final appearance.

Schlutter Balcony Edge Corner Profile detail

Expansion joint profile running laterally in the photo

Conclusion

The Patio has been through 2 winters now, with absolutely no issues - no lifted tiles, no cracking or other damage. So far so good. To reduce the risk of problems, I try to keep snow accumulation to a minimum in the winter, so I don't end up with a glacier come spring time which might allow water to accumulate and penetrate the grout causing problems. 

The completed tile surface

Tile surface on the steps

Sources and Links

My local sources for the ceramic tile was Italbec in Montreal. All the Mapei installation products were sources from Ciot in Brossard. All of the metal profiles were sourced from Marty's Carpet and Flooring in New York state, who managed to get the 6" balcony profiles in a matter of days from Schlutter's distribution center in upstate New York. Thanks to all the suppliers - they were all great. 

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Patio Pergola Project - Selecting the Type of Shade Structure - Palmiye Silver Pergola

This step of the process took time - about two years. What type of structure to erect on the newly finished elevated concrete patio? We wanted something that would allow us to control insects, protect us from the sun on hot days, protect us from the rain when barbequeing on wet days, and look good at all times.

The completed Palmiye Pergola Installation

We considered the following major concepts:

• 4 season sunroom;
• 3 season sunroom or screened porch;
• Prefabricated gazebo;
• Classic wooden structure pergola, with some rain protection awning;
• Tubular structure awning with removable insect panels;
• Metal structure pergola with retractable awning. 

Ultimately, we decided to go with the last option. We found a North American distributor for the Palmiye pergolas with retractable awnings, and thought that this would be the best fit for our needs. 

https://palmiye.eu/products/silver/#silver-plus

I took care of the measurements and marking up the manufacturer drawings - these are custom manufactured for particular applications and I was able to adjust the dimensions to fit our Patio perfectly. 

From order to delivery took about 6 months - these are fabricated in Turkey and were shipped by sea container to North America. Nick from Retractable Covering Solutions in Brantford, Ontario supplied the Pergola and performed in the installation. I wasn't able to find anything of similar quality fabricated in North America - if you're aware of anything - feel free to let me know in the comments. 

Unfortunately, installation had to take place in December. 

Installation took place in December, in freezing conditions, however it was relatively simple to install. Installation took three days - two days for erection, and then another day for installation of the awning motor which was delayed, and final adjustment of the awning.

Structure complete and awning installed

Structure complete and awning installed

Structure complete and awning installed

Note the steel roof sheeting which protects the vinyl awning when retracted. 

Once the Somfy awning motor was installed, and the awning could be extended and retracted, the installation was complete and functional. One nice feature of the awning is integrated LED lighting, with the electrical wiring hidden within the structure of the awning.

Note the LED light fixtures on the awning crossbars.

Heres the effect with the LED fixtures illuminated.

Conclusion

The awning is rugged and functional, and does not need to be retracted even in heavy rain or wind. The water flows down the awning, and the front metal crossbar has an inverted U water collection channel, and water is diverted to the vertical structural members which are hollow and act as downpipes for water coming off the awning.

Water runs down the structural columns and out these spigots. 

Sources and Links

Palmiye was the fabricator of the pergola and awning system. Retractable covering solutions imported the awning and installed it.

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Saving Money and Time - Bypass your Refrigerator Water Filter with a Simple Kitchen Filter System

There were a few problems here that I wanted to solve. We've become addicted to carbonating our own water - and eliminating the trips to the store and the wasted empty bottles from purchasing carbonated water. We bought a name brand carbonator - and really enjoy it except for two things. The cost of the CO2 refills, and the time it took to refill the carbonating bottle from the carbon filtered fridge water outlet (about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes each time). Our only water filter was in the refrigerator, an expensive model that cost about $50 to replace and needed replacement about every 6 months. The refrigerator had a coil of 5/16 plastic tubing to cool the water - and a 1/4" copper feed line running across the kitchen, about 20' of line. By the time the water reached the fridge and crossed the water filter, we had significant pressure drop and slow flow out of the fridge.

Whole House 10" Filter Upgrade - For Kitchen Sink Cold Water, and line to Refrigerator

I looked at ways to upgrade the fridge system - increasing the size of the feed line, increasing the size of the lines in the fridge - and realized this would be just too big of a retrofit, and would take too long. So - I decided to install a 10" whole house water filter housing under our kitchen sink - and filter all the cold water going just to the kitchen sink and refrigerator. I would install the carbon block filter there under the sink, and remove and bypass the carbon block filter in the refrigerator.

Ready to drill the hole in the countertop to run the CO2 line to the carbonator. 

 I've solved the cost of the replacement CO2 cartridges by purchasing a 20lb CO2 bottle and an adapter hose compatible with my carbonator. Works great, now I'm refilling the 20lb tank about every 6 months, instead of small CO2 bottles every 2 or 3 weeks. I wanted to hide the CO2 tank under the sink - so I needed to drill a hole in the Quartz countertop. I purchased a diamond tipped hole saw for this purpose - drilling the hole was real easy and took only about 15 minutes.

The only tool I had to purchase - a small diamond tipped hole saw. Decided to get a good one.

Drilling the hole in the countertop - the red colour is from the paint coming off the hole saw.

After photo - paint removed from the hole saw

Nice clean hole in the quartz countertop

 Now - onto the water filter installation. I purchased a Dupont branded 10" whole house water filter housing online. I purchased threaded brass PEX tubing adapters to screw into the head of the water filter to be able to make the cold water connections. I installed 4 small ball valves to be able to completely bypass the water filter in case of a problem, or while changing filters. Redoing the PEX water piping was the longest part of the job, took me a Saturday morning to do, combined with re-routing my sink drains (that's another story).

Plumbing the new water filter under the kitchen sink. I've removed the double sink drain pipes to give myself some room

 Cold water runs through the single 10" filter - I have nice clean municipal water feeding the house so all I needed is a single carbon block filter. If you're water isn't clean - well water or otherwise - you may need a second particle filter upstream of the carbon filter. The only consumers downstream of my water filter are my kitchen sink, and the refrigerator. So now - to refill water bottles for carbonation, I can refill from the kitchen sink to have carbon filtered water without any Chlorine taste, and it only takes about 10 seconds to refill a bottle. The carbonator is right behind the sink - so very quick and efficient.

The completed water filter installation - complete with a full bypass line in case I need to take the filter out of the circuit

20lb CO2 tank underneath the sink located next to the water filter.

Bypassing the water filter in the refrigerator was very easy. For my refrigerator, all I needed to do was to remove the water filter - there is an automatic bypass valve inside the refrigerator that bypasses the water flow when the filter is removed. Now - filling a glass of water from the refrigerator is about twice as fast with the water filter removed - since the pressure drop across the filter is gone.

All in all - very happy with this upgrade. Great tasting water without waiting around for water to get out of the refrigerator outlet. Let me know if you have any questions.

Sources and Links

I hope you found this post useful. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section below. I answer all questions.

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Can anyone identify this Dining Room Table Extension Leaf Catch?

I've done a few google image searches to try to find a vendor selling this hardware, or anything similar, to no avail. This hardware is from a dining room table fabricated in Italy, approximately 15 years ago. This is the catch that holds the extension leaf gap closed.

Table Extension Leaf Catch - Seeking Vendor Source

Table Extension Leaf Catch - Seeking Vendor Source

Table Extension Leaf Catch - Seeking Vendor Source

If anyone out there recognizes this hardware, please leave a comment below, or send me a message. Many thanks!!!

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Self Closing Yard Gate Upgrade - TruClose Hinges & MagnaLatch for Pool Safety

I wanted to upgrade my yard gates to be self closing to increase safety for our backyard pool. Our galvanized steel fence is 4' high, and the two gates to the yard were hinged with two pins into support plates and the latches needed to be manually opened or closed. With the kids going in and out of the yard all the time, it was not uncommon to find the gates left open, despite the warnings to the kids. 

So - it was finally time to take care of this project. 

The completed MagnaLatch and Truclose Latch and Hinge Installation

I decided to go with Magnalatch top pull safety gate latches, and their TruClose gate hinges. These are available at Lee Valley Tools, mail order, among other suppliers. This was going to take some work - because my gates did not have a full frame, the frame was open on the hinge side. So - I went to my local metal supplier and purchased a length of 1-1/2" galvanized square tubing, took it to a local welding shop, and had the tubes welded to the gates to close the frames.

Gates modifed with square tubing (on right side) to permit installation of the TruClose hinges.

Detail of the Welding.

With the gates modified, it was time to cut off the old hinge and latch hardware - first with a jigsaw and metal blade, then grind the remaining metal and weld off with a grinder.

Gate latches ground off.

Gate hinge and latch weldments cut off the gates and posts

I got to exercise a few new tools with this project, my Dewalt 20V angle grinder and reciprocating saw. I'm almost now fully converted to Dewalt 20V cordless tools - and have pretty much sold off most of my corded tools.

Dewalt 20V Grinder and Reciprocating Saw - They still have that new tool smell. 

The convenience of cordless is really apparent when you're working around the yard in various places.

Time to start grinding

With the gates squared away, I painted the areas affected by welding and where the tabs were ground off with some spray galvanizing compound. Then it was a simple matter to install the hinges and latches using the instructions provided. Sharp drills, using the hardware supplied, made for a very secure installation.

MagnaLatch top pull magnetic latch installed. 

Another view of the MagnaLatch top pull installed. The top pull was adjusted so that it was 54" above the ground for security.

All of the grinding, cutting and welding was touched up with cold galvanizing spray - it's a zinc rich coating that's designed to maintain the zinc cathodic protection on steel parts.

TruClose hinges installed. The cap with phillips screw removes to give access to the spring adjustment knob. You can easily increase or decrease spring pressure for reliable closing. 

The back fence isn't quite vertical - but I was able to increase the spring pressure of the hinges to firmly close this gate even with a slight uphill slope on the gate travel. The hinge adjustment is impressive. 

Conclusion

So - one more project completed. A nice feature of the MagnaLatches is that they are key lockable, so if I need to I can lock the gates closed. Very well made, professional grade hardware, I'm very satisfied with these latches.

Sources and Links

I hope you found this post useful. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section below. I answer all questions. If you're interested, you can help support this site by using the following links to Amazon.com in the United States.

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