Bottom line, is it okay to backflush the Le'Lit PL041? I bought one from 1st-Line this summer and I love it. At the time, their web site and the customer service representative both recommended against backflushing and said running Cleancaf periodically through the machine was sufficient. The customer service rep also added that backflushing can be bad for the pump. However, I recently noticed 1st-Line has changed the website and now recommends backflushing the machine.

With the group head attached directly to the boiler, what prevents detergent from getting into the boiler during backflushing? I noticed on the exploaded parts drawing (found at the Lelit web site) that there is a vertical copper pipe inside the boiler. Does that pipe connect the group head and the 3-way valve to prevent contaminating the boiler with detergent during backflushing?

Thanks in advance for any advice and explanations to help me decide whether or not to start backflushing the machine!

Lelit are now supplying (at my request) 57mm blind filters for backflushing. They now come as standard with the PL043, the PL041/PL53 combination. There is no possibility of boiler contamination, and the fact that the OEM is supplying the blind filters should set your mind at rest.

Alan

Thanks for the reply. Is there no possibility of contamination because of the copper pipe in the boiler? Just curious about the mechanics of it all.

The Gaggias are similar, in that their boilers are directly attached above the group, and the models with 3-ways get backflushed. I actually JUST backflushed my classic not even 15 minutes ago. I think there is a "brewing intake" tube, which takes water from the boiler, to the group, and when you turn off the pump, the 3-way valve sucks the water off the puck, through this tube, into the drip tray.

I think that is how it works. . . But, in any case, No, there is no reason to worry about getting chemicals in the boiler from backflushing. . It just wont happen.

And yes, ANY machine that has a 3-way solenoid should be backflushed. Rancilio apparently says not too BF the Silvia, yet, it still needs to be, and people do.