The pictures that accompany the text here are in the photo album at left under Krups.
They are not in the correct sequence. FTP protocol notwithstanding.
This site will demonstrate to you how to add a drain to your Krups XP line espresso machine, and the method can be adapted to many other home espresso machines that are used on a counter near a sink and could benefit from automatic draining, so the drain tray does not have to be removed to empty it. No more spills or overflowing.
The cost is about $5 Canadian for 3 parts from your favourite home supply store, and you will need the proper glue and tools, and some skill and confidence with them. You will then no longer have to empty the drain tray of the Krups series XP 4000, XP 4020, and the XP 4050.
You can improve the functioning and enjoyment you get from your own espresso machine, and the world will be a better place, and I will feel glory for a nanosecond or two.
I have no connection with Krups or the glue brand I will recommend. My previous machine from them has worked for more than 12 years and is still being used. So as it was time for a newer machine, I bought another Krups, and I made it just a bit better.
I will also show some other changes made to my espresso machine as I get this page together. Who knows if the spiders crawling the web will actually link someone to here, and get this page seen? If you find this page useful, please pass it on to a crafty espresso user type, with time on his/her hands to make her/his coffee experience just a little better. Please link to here from discussion groups that may find this idea useful.
Instructions:
I use my espresso machine, a Krups XP 4020, to the left of a sink, so the steamer overhangs the sink. The tray however has to be removed to drain water from it. So I built a sloped drain out of 3 easily available brass fittings, and the tray now drains right into the sink, as the tray sits in its usual position in the machine. That’s right. Gravity drains the machine into the sink, as the tray gets filled.
The parts cost C$ 5.31 in Toronto, before tax. The length of the drain is about 2 ¾ inches, and it comes forward from the tray about 1 1/4 inches. Those numbers and these parts work perfectly on this machine. A longer tube, plastic tubing, even a shut-off valve could be added in to adapt a different style machine. This design empties most of the liquid in the tray straight into the sink. Then the tray just needs cleaning, as required, but no regular emptying.
The tray in the krups machine is made of ABS, a good to work with plastic. Easy to drill, but drill very carefully. Use a very sharp drill bit and don't punch through the plastic. If the plastic cracks use the same glue to repair it.I’ll name that glue soon. But there are many glues that work well on ABS, when properly used.
At my neighbourhood Home Depot I bought 3 pieces from the plumbing department. They are individually bagged, brass fittings, that are hung on hooks, with scores of other brass fittings, and are to be found at any good home supply store. They are sized in the British 1/8th inch size of threaded pipe. The pipe is actually 3/8 of an inch thick. I will fully describe them, so they will be easy to find in countries using this standard. They are likely even at auto supply houses.
First, remove the blue float from the tray carefully, one hinge pin at a time. You will no longer need that blue warning, because the tray won't fill up.
I drilled a 3/8 inch hole in the ABS tray, front bottom to the right of the tray, approximately 5/8 inch above they counter-top and about an inch from the right side of the machine and thus adjacent to the sink, the position chosen so as to be high enough to allow the pipe to drain into the sink, and yet close to the bottom of the tray to allow for maximum drainage. I recommend support at the back of the hole while drilling. Don't break your drain tray!
Part #1 - WATTS WCA-715, 1/8" X CLOSE Brass Pipe Nipple, Mamelon de Tuyau Cuivre SKU 0 48643 07204 5 (Watts is a company name, there are no doubt other manufacturers of these same sized fittings).
This is a piece of outside threaded brass tube, about 3/4" long, and about 3/8" thick. I wrapped the threads on one side only of the tube, with Teflon plumbing tape, 4 or 5 turns. This taped part is inserted into...
(I must interrupt my description, to apologize to any Americans offended by the use of the word nipple, and for any subsequent mentions of the word. You are an odd country.)
The taped end of the tube is inserted into one threaded hole of the two-holed,
Part #2 - WATTS WCA-700, 1/8" Female Pipe to FIP Elbow, Tuyau Femelle de Cuivre FIP SKU 0 48643 07197 1
Use the elbow to help get the short nipple turning into the drilled hole. It should go in a several turns, and come out the back side a few full turns.
Then glue it from the inside of the tray. Build up a little volcano of glue around the threads.
The glue once mixed is putty-like, and a toothpick or craft stick can be used to build it up around the end of the short brass pipe to seal against leaking, and more importantly to strengthen the ABS tray around the hole that was drilled into it.
I used Permatex PermaPoxy 5 Minute Plastic Weld, 2-part cream coloured plastic epoxy. I note that Permatex has been bought by Devcon. This product is available at Canadian Tire (Automotive Section - not the regular glue area). This is a wonderful glue for rigid plastics, somewhat stupidly packaged with air bubbles in the wrong ends of the tubes of the syringe dispenser. Use it in a very well ventilated space. It is very strong smelling, but cures in under half an hour to a hard plastic-like state.
Any glue good for ABS and metal and that is water resistant when cured will do. Goop Plumbing adhesive and sealant also would work, but takes longer to cure.
Part #3 is a 1/8" X 2 inch or 3 inch (Red) Brass Pipe Nipple of the same brass tubing as above with male threading both ends. My photo shows 2 inch. I have switched to 3 inch since. I must get the part numbers one day.
The Teflon tape layers on the threads allow you to easily rotate the drain tube to a good position once the glue has set. All parts could be glued together permanently if you choose to do so. In which case you don't need the Teflon tape.
The masking tape on the water tank has lines drawn with a black Sharpie marker, on the adhesive side and is applied to the back of the reservoir. This provides a visible reference point from above the machine when filling it. I don't like to remove it all the time so if just the right amount of water is put in for the beverage(s) being made, the reservoir ends up near empty, and fresh water is added the next time. I use a Brita filter pitcher kept refrigerated for my water supply.
Filling the insides of the rubber feet that sit inside the bottom of the Krups machines with silicone sealant, levelling it, and letting it cure overnight upside down, will give you a more non-slip machine, if you have a problem with having to hold the machine with one hand while removing the handle with the other. The surface of the new silicone feet does not have to be perfectly flat, for this to work.
If it is not good enough, because the rubber was worn down, then the second night put some silicone on each foot of the machine, put a piece of plastic or wax paper under each foot on the counter where it sits. A day later you shoul have a level non-slipping machine. Remove the plastic only after the silicone is properly cured.
The coffee machine then does not need to be held while removing the filter and handle. It is more stable on its own weight, on my counter.
You will notice that the stainless tray with the ring attached has also been reinforced along two bottom edges with Permatex Cold Weld Bonding Compound, a two part steel like epoxy, another of my favourite glues. This stiffens up the tray, as I found it to be a little too flexible.
The stainless steel ring I fashioned is somewhat explained on the other site mentioned below. It is 20 gauge s/s wire.
Q. Why have I bothered to write this and post it?
A. Too much time on my hands.
And now the Krups is just a little more convenient for its next ten years or so in my life. Making my capuccino, or iced latte is a little tidier.
As to this web page, I thought it was time to learn how to do one, and thought this information might be the most important information that I can share with the world. For now.
At http://coffeegeek.com/reviews/consumer/krupsxp I have reviewed the Krups XP 4020.
Happy brewing.
Latest update to this page May 16, 2006.
bravenet.com