Pavoni behaving badly?

[j7on]

The title might be a bit misleading but i have noticed that my PavoniPro is trying to "scare me" once in a while...

Now, if i have an espresso in the middle of the day, usually i just have one but sometimes i feel like having another one in a few hours, so, being lazy and all, i just shut off the thing and leave the water in the boiler with the boilercap on, and then...

15 minutes later there is a weird noise(like a flat tire) in the kitchen and the handle jumps right up!

Is this normal?

[flttrainer]

The title might be a bit misleading but i have noticed that my PavoniPro is trying to "scare me" once in a while...

Now, if i have an espresso in the middle of the day, usually i just have one but sometimes i feel like having another one in a few hours, so, being lazy and all, i just shut off the thing and leave the water in the boiler with the boilercap on, and then...

15 minutes later there is a weird noise(like a flat tire) in the kitchen and the handle jumps right up!

Is this normal?

I have heard my pavoni do this before. I guess it is just releasing pressure. I have never seen the handle jump up though.

[Alchemist]

It is completely normal. Just like a cooling vacuum pot, as the water and boiler cool, you create a vacuum. That pressure is enough to raise the handle, pull air into the boiler (the sound you hear), and equilibrate to atmospheric.

My Gaggia does it every time.

[Dr Jim]

Jon -

We always leave our elderly Euripiccola with water in the boiler and the cap on - but over the years have evolved a morning ritual that includes opening the steam tap to 'blow down' the steam pressure, and then leaving the tap open until we next use the machine.

This procedure prevents a vacuum from forming and makes sure that you don't draw any residual milk in the steam tip back into the boiler which makes an awful mess - it also means that your group gaskets are never subjected to reverse pressure which isn't all that good for them.

Cheers

Jim

[Teme]

We always leave our elderly Euripiccola with water in the boiler and the cap on

I think this is an interesting point that has not been discussed much. How often do folks actually empty their boiler? The water has been boiled and you will need to partially refill anyway before the next session - do you deem this as being enough in terms of managing the freshness of the water in a lever machine? I personally empty the boiler completely at least once a week... ...but then again I don't use it every day.

Br,
Teme

[Mark08859]

I think this is an interesting point that has not been discussed much. How often do folks actually empty their boiler? The water has been boiled and you will need to partially refill anyway before the next session - do you deem this as being enough in terms of managing the freshness of the water in a lever machine? I personally empty the boiler completely at least once a week... ...but then again I don't use it every day.

Br,
Teme

I empty the boiler anytime I use the machine. I would think that, much like tea, cold fresh fully oxygenated water would make the best cup. Once water has been boiled, it'll begin to lost that property.

[HB]

...do you deem this as being enough in terms of managing the freshness of the water in a lever machine? I personally empty the boiler completely at least once a week... ...but then again I don't use it every day.

I empty the Microcasa at end of each session, either by clicking off the power and running water out of the group until it's empty, or turning it upside down if I won't be using it for a few days. It's likely overkill, but I don't mind doing it.

[j7on]

..How often do folks actually empty their boiler?..

99% of the time i fill and empty the boiler every time i use it to always have fresh water in it.

Then every 100th time or so i feel i want to have another cup "soon", like in 30min-1hour, so i leave the water in - until it scares me again and i remember(for the next 99 times) i should not leave the water in..

[Walter]

I empty the boiler each evening during the daily cleaning routine, but during the day I refill partially...

[cannonfodder]

I use my machine a couple of times every day (except weekends, lever is in my office) so I do not empty the boiler. There is usually only about 1 inch of water left in the sight glass (I have the larger 16 cup) so the boiler is mostly empty. Then the next day, when I refill, I pour the water in from just above the boiler opening. That way it thoroughly mixes and aerates with the remaining water.

[Madroaster]

I use my Europiccola several times a day. I tend to drain it twice in the morning from use, so mine gets more or less drained a couple times a day. Granted I'm not running it dry, but filling and emptying twice a morning really cycles the water I'm sure. Other than that, I only fully drain the tank when I pull the piston to rescrew it, which I do about every 2-3 weeks. The damn thing never stays tight.

For the record, a typical morning is 7 or 8 drinks, between two of us, over a few hours. More on weekends.

***EDIT***
To clarify, I use the water in the tank a couple times a day, but I'm not tipping it over and draining. Bad choice of words...

[kennyland]

i've just bought my europiccola, and initially you scared me too with your post! but reading replies i believe it is normal.
Do you have some others advices to give me, about strange behave of europiccola?...so i will not scared about my europiccola jumps!
bye