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  • We've bought parts through prospero… I'm not sure if we've bought the filler through them though. I will for sure if I hear anything. yup those kind of techs... once you.. call the meter is running.. Beautiful machine though. Not many issues in the last 10 years, just a-lot of maintenance.

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    • Hi Everyone. I'm looking for recommendation on what to do with a 2007 3003A Monoblock from Prospero. We have loved the line and the line has loved us, averaging 30hrs/week for the past 13years, but it may have come to the end of it's era. We have not done the regular recommended maintenance over the years (lessons to be learned there...) and are being told it could cost as much as $80k for a complete servicing (including to replace all the seals, gaskets & bearings throughout the machine).

      It was turning and filling just fine up until we decommissioned it last month, except for a crooked threaded hole in the under-plate (that holds the drive gear in place to rotate the rinser). This crooked hole is causing gears to shear about every two months, costing about $800 each time, and the main reason why we took it off line. The plate estimate to fix is about $10k.
      We’re making a strategic decision to move away from 12oz bottles, so we don’t need this machine any further, but I hate the idea of selling the machine for scrap metal (which is our option at this point). I would like to know if anyone else has been in this position and what they've done. Selling it for parts may not make sense because no one needs 3003A parts(?). And possibly spending up to $90k for a rebuilt 2007 machine may not make sense?

      Anyone got any thoughts?

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      • We have a brand that we need to package with stainless crowns... they're a lot tougher than our regular crowns and require a lot more force to apply. We've ordered the larger size spring from what was fitted stock. Has anyone had any experience changing these out?

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        • Sean--I wish I could help you with that, but.... We decommissioned our 3003A about two months ago. We have it listed in several places and have had no bites whatsoever. Ours needs some maintenance, but ran when parked.

          HNC--I doubt that using a bigger spring would help. You'll just shear off the shaft from the roller cam follower to the crowning head. It has a hole drilled right through it at the most critical stress point and shears off easily--I've replaced it at least four times since '07.
          Timm Turrentine

          Brewerywright,
          Terminal Gravity Brewing,
          Enterprise. Oregon.

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          • Hello I run a 2015 GAI MLE 661 Bier 6 head filler. I am experiencing trouble with the infeed screw, the alarm says infeed screw: axe alarm. It wont let me do manual movements or a system restore. I tried to do new phasing on the infeed screw but the belt just runs and the screw doesn't turn. I have tried turning it off and back on, but that didn't seem to help. Any advice I would greatly appreciate.

            Piper Gladwill,
            Golden Valley Brewery,
            McMinnville OR
            Last edited by Piper Gladwill; 08-25-2021, 01:11 PM.

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            • Timm,

              I just started reading through this thread, so you might have figured out your problem by now. I just wanted to say, that on our circa 2016 Comac filler, they have a small regulated line blowing off CO2 from the headspace all the time. It's not much flow, but they explained to me that it was necessary to keep the bowl headspace oxygen levels low. There is always a small amount of air left in the bottle even after a double pre-evac and purge, and this air goes up into the bowl when you start filling. If you aren't bleeding the headspace off and continuously replacing with CO2, the oxygen levels start rising during the run, much like you described. I don't know if you have the ability on your machine to constantly be bleeding off the headspace, but it might fix your rising DO problem. Hope that helps, cheers,
              Linus Hall
              Yazoo Brewing
              Nashville, TN
              www.yazoobrew.com

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              • Thanks, lhall. That sounds like just what we needed.

                Unfortunately, we've decommissioned the GAI, so it's a moot point now. Perhaps someone else will find this useful.
                Timm Turrentine

                Brewerywright,
                Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                Enterprise. Oregon.

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                • Well guys I figured out why my infeed screw was not working, it had to do with the power grid fluctuating and caused lots of problems. It only took prosporo 3 weeks to figure it out while having us replace motors and circuit boards. I just had to fix another problem on my bottler there was a pneumatic valve leading to the vacuum pump that got stuck open due to a broken piece getting stuck in it. now I am stuck wondering were the little piece came from. I will be testing the line today to see if everything runs OK, so we can actually bottle product tomorrow.

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                  • Hi everyone

                    I operate a GAI MLE 661 that is well overdue a full o-ring change. We ordered the o-ring kit from GAI and attempted changing the filler head seals following the diagrams in the manual. Unfortunately, the diagrams are far too small to be useful which meant our first attempt was unsuccessful.

                    We were unable to remove the central levelling line which runs from the top of the filler through the upper and lower pneumatic valves to the filling head. It's the channel that allows surplus beer from overfilled bottles to be returned to the header tank. Until this is removed I cannot see how the rest of the filler can be disassembled.

                    Has anyone here changed the seals on this particular machine? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

                    Marc Southam,
                    Goddard's Brewery,
                    Isle of Wight UK

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                    • Hi there,
                      I found this post and thought maybe someone might have had some experience replacing the vibrator frequency drive board of a GAI 3003 (2012 model). On our last bottling run a couple of components on the board burned out (see picture) and the crown cap vibrator lost a whole lot a power. We're still unsure why it short circuited, but we ordered new board from prospero and got some directions from Victor on how to install it. However, each time we have turned it on, the fuses burn. The new vibrator frequency drive board is not identical as it's made for the latest 3003 model, but we have followed the instructions from Prospero. The first time we connected the new board, we put the power input the same way as it was in the old board, which caused the fuses to blow, this input is at the bottom.
                      After it did not work, we asked Prospero and they told us that the power input was from the top and the bottom was the output to the vibrator.
                      We made the change and changed the fuses that were blown with the same capacity. When trying it again with this change, the fuse for that input also blew so we're now out of ideas.

                      Anyway, if you've had this issue and can give us some tips on what we might be doing wrong, we'd love to hear from you.

                      I am attaching photos of the old board and the new one and how we have connected it.
                      Attached Files
                      imbottigliamento, etichettatura, monoblocchi, monoblocco, vino, linee di imbottigliamento, riempitura, tappatura, capsulatura, vino, birra, filling, labeling, labelling, GAI, gai, etichettatrici, riempitrici, tappatori, semiautomatico, enologia, costruzioni enologiche

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