Thanks, Eric.

Yeah, the steam light goes off in around 90 secs - if the machine is really hot. If it's the first time and it's only been on for 20 minutes or so, it's more like 2 minutes. I dunno, the steam seems wetter than before. I descaled the piss out of it. For the time being I'm just going to get the water out before the light goes off, and be happy it works.

What do you think about the OPV story? Restricting the discharge like that would raise the pressure, no?

R.

Normally when the OPV discharge is "kinked", the hose blows off its connection at the OPV but . . . there must have been some water getting through.

BTW, Silvia's steam tip hole was/is 0.059" or a #53 drill bit.

.....In Which We Find Out How Seemingly Unrelated Areas (if not the OPV) Of Silvia Can Effect Each Other...

Last night I made yet another lousy cap, due to poor frothing (not to mention the elixir de rubber that resulted from an attempt to improve upon my tried and true roasting method on a batch of usually scrumptious Indian Mysore Nuggets.) So this morning I woke up determined to get to the bottom of this thing once and for all. I went to the kitchen, turned on the Silvia, hit the brew switch - and nothing came out. Then just a dribble. NOW what!?

Water was streaming from the OPV line. I adjusted the OPV until nothing came out, and still only a dribble came from the group. I removed the OPV and took it apart. Simple thing - no problems, no scale.

I called Chris's Coffee again. Must be a clogged 3 way valve, said the guy. I told him it was releasing, and he said that means the output is clear, but the intake could be clogged, and he told me what to look for inside the thing.

I removed and dismantled the valve. And there, in the intake hole, was a plug of white spludge. I cleaned it thoroughly, put the machine back together and hit the brew switch - and out came a strong stream of water.

Now friends, you will recall that in my whining about steam, I kept saying it seemed a lot wetter than usual. I also mentioned a dramatic change from a small adjustment of the OPV. Had the plug of scale initially collected in the OPV, which would explain why all of this began when I adjusted it? And, more germanely now, could a spludge-restricted 3-way valve have something to do with the wet steam?

I adjusted the OPV to between 9.5 and 10 bar, and made a cup liquid rubber. It was every bit as awful as it was last night, but about 90% crema. Some nicely frothed milk with that? (Call it a "snow tire.") I gamely opened he steam valve - and out came practically dry steam, full blast.

Another coincidence? Will l be taking apart the boiler tomorrow? it is the only thing left! Tune in again for further adventures - or, hopefully, NOT!

Regards, and thanks again to all.
R.