Stoner Coffee

[Larry]

After numerous years, I decided to take my Stoner Coffee machine boiler apart to see how it works, clean it, and possibly fire it up.  Just curious if anyone has ever taken one apart before?  Not much to it, I really just want to see if there's any anode rod left and take a peak inside.

I know the water in it was from the seventies, at least the cups were, and the water that came out of it was clear, but there is something inside that rattles.

[Larry]

Here's a few small pictures from my camera.  The boiler was packed with fiber glass and then there's an asbestos ring around it (corrugated cardboard).  

Originally I thought the heater was one of the controls and went inside of the boiler.  Like an electric water heater, but that's not the case.  The heater is underneath the boiler.

I need to take out the anode rod.  There is something rattling inside the boiler and that would be a large enough hole to see inside.  Could be part of a spent rod.  I put some Kroil on the anode rod nut but its not budging yet.

[Jim]

I haven't begun to restore mine, so with that said, take good notes and photos that way I can bug you when the time comes to disassemble my machine...
Keep us posted with your progress...

[Ltransam]

Larry  

All I can say if anyone can do it . I'm Betting on you Buddy !!!!!!

If if the Kroll oil doesn't work you may have to heat the fitting up with a propane torch . That the route I go and it works 8 out of 10 times

Call you soon Buddy !!!

[Larry]

I was going to use heat on the cast but I decided to let the Kroil work a few more days.

I took the whole machine apart about six years ago.  I had the body sandblasted and painted.  The first painter was doing a bad job, the second painter was all right but I wasn't 100% happy.  Lost interest in the machine.  Still not feeling it, but I need to get it back together.  Too many parts under my basement machines.  I need the room to stash another machine or rearrange.  Running out of options.  

At least when I was interested in it, I took everything apart (except the boiler section), cleaned, lubricated, and replaced any broken micro switches.  Then I put it together in sub assemblies and boxed the different components.  It should be as easy as a jigsaw puzzle to reassemble.  I have pictures for the wiring.  I think the wiring was coated in asbestos too.....the plastic sleeves had little rocks glued to them.  I remember submerging the tubes in my basement and rubbing the rocks off under water to prevent any fibers from flying.  The adhesive holding the rocks may be tainted.  Has anyone ever tested this kind of wire covering before?  It was pretty suspicious.

If the boiler pans out, I will look at the water controls.  There was a solenoid and a pressure relief.  One step at a time I guess.  I would like to clean the original solenoid but there probably is a rubber gasket and I may destroy it in the process.  I'm sure I can use a new one but I like the old brass.  Has anyone ever taken one of these apart successfully without destroying it?  I'm sure it would work as is but I'm pretty phobic when it comes to cleaning any of my machines where the actual product comes in direct contact with the machine.  It has to be spotless before I will use it.

[dr galaga]

Good luck. Keep us posted. How much water does it hold?

[Larry]

I can't get it opened yet.  I'm guessing one and one half gallons.  Anywhere from one to two gallons would be a safe bet.

[cohammer]

I have worked on water heater and boilers for the past 36 years and the basic is the same you have an anode , thermostat and element . Change the element , thermostat , and clean the anode and scrape all you can out of the inside with bottle brush or something . Once you have put it back in service anything left inside tank that flakes away and don't stick to the anode sticks to the element and after a while of build up it shorts out. If I were going to clean it up again and make sure it last a while put a good water filter in it that takes out iron and lime .

[Larry]

Thanks for the tips Cohammer.  The boilers heater is not in the water side at all.  It's a heater mounted underneath the boiler on the outside.  It's similar to an electric frying pan heater.  The thermostat and what I believe to be a high temp safety is mounted to a flat plate that is welded to the outer boiler casing.  Those are the devices on the green table in the pictures above.  They are surface mounted.

I have other components but I can't remember off hand what they are.  I found a picture in an older post that shows the parts.  There are two solenoids.  My guess is water in and water out.  There's a valve with a dial on it.  Not sure what that is.  I thought maybe a regulator but in this picture it doesn't look like it's in the inlet side.  I'm sure I have better pictures at home....somewhere on an old computer.  Finally there is a brass piece.  Not sure about that but there was a copper tube venting to atmosphere.  Maybe a bleeder vent or a safety?

Again I appreciate your input and if you don't mind, I will probably be pestering you later on about part information, if I need them, where to buy , advice, suggestions, things of that nature.

Larry.

[Larry]

Well I got the anode rod out and it was gone.  All that's left is an eight inch stick.

The tank has a good wet layer of crud in it.  I left the plugs out so it can dry.

The sides have some barnacles growing on it    but the rusty nuggets seem to rub off.  The tank says it was glass lined (Like a thermos), but it looks like cast iron to me.  It's hard to see when you are gazing through a 1 1/8" hole while shining a light in another port.

It's pretty nasty, but I think it will clean up nicely.  It might be easier to rig up a small instantaneous stainless steel water tank instead. I found one years ago that gets up to 180 F. and was relatively cheap ($160.00??).  Not sure if it's still being made.  The one picture shows the crud and the other shows the side and some crud.

The last shot is the heater.

Any thoughts on this boiler?