Hello,

I received a used espresso machine that for the most part is working really well. Having a good time learning how to use it (first hx machine.)

The question I have is the boiler pressure gauge without any pressure sits above 1 bar and when powered up and ready to go is about 2.5 bars. Is there anyway to fix the gauge to get it to start back at zero? Am I hosed and have to buy a new one?

I've attached a pic of the machine not plugged in and pretty much right out of the box. Haven't plumbed the machine in either, so no water.

Thanks for any input.

Look at it this way; if you are going to buy a new gauge, then you don't have much to lose trying to fix the old one. I have repaired a gauge in the past where one of the needles had come off the shaft. It can be a bit of a job to get the glass off the front, but once you have that off, you can try resetting the needle. You should be able to remove it gently, trying not to score the gauge face, and then gently slip it on again in the zeroed position. If it is a plastic needle, you can probably push it on from the front, if it is metal, then you should try to support the rear of the shaft as you push it back on.

Its hard to imagine how the pointer might have slipped around, some, like Elektra Microcasa gauges just decay over time, the zero point rising and the full pressure point remaining more or less in the same place. You need to calibrate the gauge again so that you know what the 2.5 that its displaying actually means.

If the vacuum breaker is 'sticky' (or absent) the gauges will be subjected to negative pressure as the steam cools down to liquid.

I took apart my old Anita gauge and fixed it (but only after getting a new one). If I was to do it again, I'd likely just take the gauge apart and adjust the needle and not buy a new gauge. After all, these gauges are only telling you the pressure as measured from one spot in the system and are not highly calibrated measuring tools (as you already know).

Mark