New poster, casual reader. Finally sold my old KA and bought a used Silvia V3. Priming per directions there is absolutely NO noise from the pump?? Tested V and got 118 at the pump so think (?) switch is ok? Searching and reading posts on H-B last two hours looking for info. Don't think my little meter can do the diode test to see if the coil is good, hope I'm saying this correctly. Since there's no noise I don't know if its worth disassembling like Schiffer's post/web site shows, is it?? I've only kept the machine on 20-30 sec at a time as the boiler heats up and I've not disconnected the element, as the posts are suggesting I do.

Anyone have any suggestions, or does this just sound like a dead pump? Date on the pump is 25-6-13 so doesn't sound that old, but it is an electronic part.

One side note, anyone have a solution to remove "dust" rust on a Stainless MD40 housing? Thinking it was stored in a moist and dusty shed/storage unit. Looks like hell, runs great and was cheap!! Would like to spruce it up and so far steel wool only scratches it, no rust removal. THANKS ALL. Twodogs

Just test it with continuity (ohms), check if it is a dead short or completely open. If so, probably just replace. A few hundred ohms would make sense in a healthy pump. It could also be seized (piston) with junk or scale too, disassemble to be sure. Not terribly expensive to replace is the good news as from what you're saying the wiring is probably okay.

Stainless is not rust proof. So other than good rough cleaning with something powdery abrasive then little choice than attacking it with steel wool / fine sandpaper. Rust is rust so kill it with acid and abrasives.

. . . and I've not disconnected the element, as the posts are suggesting I do.

That is simply foolish. You DO NOT need an energized heating element to troubleshoot a pump problem.

Thanks Lain, I'll try the Ohm's and see what I get. Will I need test with power on and hooked to the pump?
Appreciate the suggestion on the rust issue as well!
TD

Thanks for the reply Eric S. Did learn this fact after my initial testing, it won't stay engaged from now on.
Learning as I go.
TD

No problems, disconnect it to test it as I'd probably not trust readings with mains across it. Remember it's just a coil with a springed piston in it.

Lain,
Tested at 200 Ohm setting across the two spade connectors on the pump, power and ground (?) connectors from the machine were disconnected totally and I got no change from the "1" on the display. Tried the leads from the meter on either tab and still no change.
So, I'm thinking this is not a good thing? You'd mentiond I should maybe see a couple hundred, correct?
Like I said to Eric, learning as I go so really do appreciate your help on this. Maybe one day I can be on the other side of this situation for a newbie.

T.D.

Mytwodogs wrote:Lain,
Tested at 200 Ohm setting across the two spade connectors on the pump, power and ground (?) connectors from the machine were disconnected totally and I got no change from the "1" on the display. Tried the leads from the meter on either tab and still no change..

Hmm from what you're saying with it 'in circuit' you get a resistance and completely 'out of circuit' completely open? If so well.. he's dead man.

It could have been seized from lack of maintenance by the prior owner then further cooked by running the coil/pump hot.

Don't worry I'm no expert either just adding my 2c. In reality like 15 years ago I too got my first real espresso machine for basically free with & because a dead vibration pump.

I'm not sure about in or out of circuit so here's what I did. Unhooked the wires from the spade connectors on the pump. Then with meter set at 200 Ohms the meter screen read a "1". Placing the meter leads onto the tabs resulted in no change from the "1" on the screen. So I switched the meter leads to the other tab, revered them in other words, and still no change from the "1". Is that "in Circuit"? And thus a dead pump?

T.D.

Yea you got it, with nothing connected, just the pump, that's out of circuit.

So setting from the k-ohms or m-ohms (since I think you have a non-auto range meter) probably will still be a open circuit (no continuity) then I'd highly wager it's dead. Polarity does not and should matter in this case of an AC induction coil like this or other stuff like AC synchronous motors and such. Only DC diodes and stuff matter without going into detail.