Hi there... I had wondered the same thing so you're not alone but I think that to take the cover off you actually have to take the steam and water VALVES off. Not just the knobs. I'd read that on other posts here and that's what I do.

First of all, make sure your machine is unplugged of course! This was the advice given to me by Doug of OrphanEspresso on this thread Checking over my new Ponte Vecchio Lusso

Well now, I am a bit ahead because if you are listening with a rubber hose in your ear at this point you already have taken off the case, now haven't you. OK, to take off the case first take out the plastic SAMA by removing the bolt that holds it in and doing a swoop and pull motion and out it comes. Remove the two bolts that hold on the case. It is far easier to simply remove the entire steam and water valve than it is to fiddle around with the knobs. Loosen the valve retaining nut (17.. I recall...perhaps 16 or 18...something different perhaps than the standard 17mm for that part) and then back out the water and steam leaving the knob on the shaft. Take them both out. Once you get the case off just reinstall the valves and you can then set the pstat down form the flame-o-rama factory setting to about 1 or so, opinions differ.

We used an adjustable wrench. Now, when I first tried to get them off they felt 'stuck' so I got my helper in. He said they get really snug because of the pressure and not to just keep leaning/pushing on the wrench cause the brass is soft. Brace the machine with you other hand and give them a good sharp twist and they should loosen up. After the valve fitting is undone, you still have to manually unscrew the ends. You'll know what I mean when you get to that point, just keep turning the stem until they come out, dont pull.

I never worked out how to get the knobs off, but I recently saw the star shaped knobs on OE's website and yes the centre has a plastic plat which would pop out, but you'd almost surely dent the plastic getting them out, and I'm not sure it would be enough to get the case off anyway.

If you don't have any lube, Dow 111 (Molykote 111) I'd suggest you buy some, I always wipe and relube the o-rings on the valve ends before putting them back in.

Now I'll post this on my brain dead thread too, but if the lower NEON on your machine is lit, and you know you have enough water in there, its highly likely that your brain is indeed dead. to BYPASS the brain, based on my helper's tracing of the circuit, the easiest way is to number the wires as I've done in my other post, unplug connection #5 at the brain and tape the end of it (electrical tape) to cover it and keep it 'safe'. Then disconnect #6 wire and plug it into #5 slot. This should enable the circuit to complete and activate the element if its alive.

Now look, be extremely careful with the machine plugged in and the cover off, those connections are very exposed and touching any of them when its live would be like putting a screwdriver into a socket...

Suggest you post back in the brain dead thread, that way its keeps all the relevant info in the same spot for poeple whp come along later looking for help

jn_nz wrote:I never worked out how to get the knobs off, but I recently saw the star shaped knobs on OE's website and yes the centre has a plastic plat which would pop out, but you'd almost surely dent the plastic getting them out, and I'm not sure it would be enough to get the case off anyway.

Yes I saw those too and bought them to replace my round ones. Totally unnecessary of course apart from a slight aesthetic improvement, although they do "feel better" in the hand so to speak.

The knobs do pop off but only after alot of force. The plastic plat covers, at least on the star knobs I bought, were too big for the 'hole' covering the screw, and may well have only fitted after a bit of hammering in. I left them off in the end as they are really not needed, not to mention making it virtually impossible to access the holding screws should you need to in future. And I didnt fancy hammering anything.

Your advice, and the use of dow 111, is spot on.

Thanks, jn_nz! To heck with the knobs -- removing the steam & water shafts is much easier. Please refer to Dead Ponte Vecchio Lusso brain - REPAIRED/PICS post for followup to this problem.

I'm a new PV Lusso owner (used 07 2 group) with stuck knobs. I used two small open end wrenches placed over the valve shaft as a spacer of sorts, then screwed the knob in forcing it off the shaft. Unnecessary as I soon found out. She's in her new home for a few days only getting some TLC.