Elektra Semiautomatica with no heat, lights on, but no boiler pressure

#1: Post by **Fullsack** » January 4th, 2007, 3:29 pm

I start my Elektra Semiautomatica early in the morning with a timer. When I looked at it yesterday AM, two hours after the timer started, the light was on, but no bar pressure and all of the water in the sight glass was gone. The bar pressure has been creeping up almost to the red for a while now. Anyone have an idea what happened? I've made calls to Jim at 1st-Line. Unfortunately, he is the only one there who can help and he hasn't been available.

January 4th, 2007, 4:30 pm

Just heard back from Jim, says it needs descaling, the pressure stat gets clogged from minerals in the water, use distilled water for the boiler. I'll do another post if this works.

#3: Post by **LeoZ** » January 4th, 2007, 4:32 pm

man you have no luck :/

i thought you RO your water?

January 4th, 2007, 4:39 pm

Hey Leo!
I used Dasani water, an RO water with minerals added back. I haven't gotten an RO system in my new place yet. I liked your wine, I'll send you an e-mail with more details.
Cheers,
Doug

#5: Post by **another_jim** » January 4th, 2007, 5:57 pm

I got the sticky pressurestat problem too; and this time around, the push pin maneuver only fixed it for a few days. So, apparently, has everyone else who recently bought the machine, even if they used distilled water. The same debacle happened about two years ago with these same Mater stats, when every Isomac sold inside a 3 month period got the same problem. Mater apparently delivers entire production runs with this defect, and this is the second time it's happened me. Life's too short to mess with a company like that, pay the $50 for the Ceme and simplify your life.

Next time I'm reviewing a machine, no matter how well built, I'm deducting a half to one point if they use Mater pressure stats, since they have such a lousy history.

Order a Ceme from Jim as a replacement. You'll need two 11/16 or metric equivalent wrenches to replace the stat, and a jewellers screw driver to set it. The electrical connections go on COM and NC. The one I got was set too high, and you might want to give it a full turn before you install it. To set it, let the machine warm up with the bottom cover off, and the tank empty. If the pressure goes too high, unplug the machine, tip it on its side, set the pstat and repeat as necessary.

The Cemes are reliable, but have sticky set screws that break easily after the plastic gets old. Set it once and forget it.

#6: Post by **2xlp** » January 4th, 2007, 6:11 pm

ceme is 50... but sirai is $65 new on ebay

January 4th, 2007, 7:54 pm

another_jim wrote:I got the sticky pressurestat problem too; and this time around, the push pin maneuver only fixed it for a few days. So, apparently, has everyone else who recently bought the machine, even if they used distilled water. The same debacle happened about two years ago with these same Mater stats, when every Isomac sold inside a 3 month period got the same problem. Mater apparently delivers entire production runs with this defect, and this is the second time it's happened me. Life's too short to mess with a company like that, pay the $50 for the Ceme and simplify your life.

Next time I'm reviewing a machine, No matter how well built, I'm deducting a half to one point if they use Mater pressure stats, since they have such a lousy history.

Order a Ceme from Jim as a replacement. You'll need two 11/16 or metric equivalent wrenches to replace the stat, and a jewellers screw driver to set it. The electrical connections go on COM and NC. The one I got was set to high, and you might want to give it a full turn before you install it. To set it, let the machine warm up with the bottom cover off, and the tank empty. If the pressure goes too high, unplug the machine, tip it on its side, set the pstat and repeat as necessary.

The Cemes are relaible, but have sticky set screws that break easily after the plastic gets old. Set it once and forget it.

I'm going to pass on the descaling, a 2 hour procedure according to 1st-Line instructions, and purchase the Ceme pstat. I'm sure your installation suggestions will save me some headaches.

Thanks Jim.

#8: Post by **another_jim** » January 4th, 2007, 8:37 pm

2xlp wrote:ceme is 50... but sirai is $65 new on ebay

It's too large to fit into the Elektra's base

#9: Post by **another_jim** » January 4th, 2007, 8:41 pm

Fullsack wrote:I'm going to pass on the descaling, a 2 hour procedure according to 1st-Line instructions, and purchase the Ceme pstat. I'm sure your installation suggestions will save me some headaches.

I just did mine today, after a New Year's back on the Tea. (It's nice to have my shots in high fidelity again!) So feel free to email me if you run into any snags.

#10: Post by **howard seth** » January 5th, 2007, 3:52 am

I suddenly seem to be having - as of last morning - a sticky pressurestat - problem as well - on my Elektra Semiautomatica. I descaled the machine tonight and the pressure gauge does now cycle off at about 1.5 - instead of going over the red zone- like it did this morning - however 1.5 is a bit higher number than before the sticky stat happened.

I see there is a move to replace the Mater with a Ceme stat above - but that sounds past my technical abilities -

I wonder what to do.

Meanwhile - I noticed that the descaler -Ascor DL- took the thin chrome skin off the inside of the water reservoir to the water line -( it looks coppery now) I diluted this descaler correctly based on the instructions that came with it. I did not run the descaler solution through the boiler/steamer - just the grouphead.)

Sigh, Making tea is a lot less complicated than espresso...

Howard