Hello everyone,
I have been slowly working my way through an espresso restoration project I have an Astoria Argenta SAE 2. When I turn the machine on the bar pressure kicks up to just in the red, but then the boiler pressure will rocket way past the the red to the point it will kick off pressure relief valve. It will not kick the boiler pressure up if the hot water dispenser is on or one of the steam wands is open. Please Help.

There should be a little pressure relief valve (correct name?) On top of the boiler, a little nun in a fitting that might be stuck or scaled. Try to wiggle that free, see if it helps, otherwise descale or replace it.

Hope that helps.

(If the boiler is sealed, the air above the water will increase in pressure with temperature long before the pressure rises due to the increasing steam pressure and trip your safety valve.)

inbae wrote:It will not kick the boiler pressure up if the hot water dispenser is on or one of the steam wands is open.

As piezo noted, this is a symptom of the vacuum breaker valve sticking closed. Can someone please explain false pressure? provides a more detailed explanation.