... split from Commercial espresso machines in the home by Moderator ...

cannonfodder wrote:In the end, I... ...got an Elektra A3, which I still consider to be a commercial machine but in a single group.

I've been looking at that machine, and I'm wondering how the steam and hot water levers actually work. Do they let out steam or hot water if moved in any direction from straight out? Do they automatically return to center (off)? Or will they stay in any position you leave them in? Sorry to hijack the thread, but it really wasn't mentioned in the review, and none of the re-sellers of this kit talk much about it either.

Psyd wrote:I've been looking at that machine, and I'm wondering how the steam and hot water levers actually work. Do they let out steam or hot water if moved in any direction from straight out? Do they automatically return to center (off)? Or will they stay in any position you leave them in?

They work like this...

[gvideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-495625159680580491[/gvideo]

cannonfodder wrote:They work like this...

Merci beaucoup, to you and to Dan. Dan gave me the basics, but I started to think about finding that center position in a hurry (I tend to wander mentally sometimes, pulling the first doppio of the day...) and the video just said it all. A bit of a 'center detent' position. Looks great!

They are super easy to use and the location of the steam wand (right side of the machine) just beside the brew lever is wonderful. You can work the entire brew and steam process with two fingers, one for each lever.

So you can open the ball valve slightly and it will stay slightly open? Meaning, you can feather it for really small amounts of milk...right?

Niko wrote:So you can open the ball valve slightly and it will stay slightly open? Meaning, you can feather it for really small amounts of milk...right?

No...you have hold it slighty off-centre to have it only slightly open or it will spring back to the centre position. It only holds itself fully open (at least on the Elektra I worked on).

That what I was afraid of....

Oh well, it's still a beauty and I'd love to steam on one someday.

it is possible to put this part on another machine?

RegulatorJohnson wrote:it is possible to put this part on another machine?

I don't know, but I did notice sometime back that cafeparts shows a different (knob style) Elektra steam valve assembly for $530+ !