Hi all, I'm new to the forum which I have only recently discovered but I've spent most of my waking hours over the last three days reading it. Really great stuff!

So, unfortunately I have a problem. My Europiccola which I've used almost every day for 12 years (pre millenium, but inside says December 2000) malfunctioned before Christmas. When I switched it on the red light came on but the green light did not and the boiler did not heat up. I reset the fuse beneath the machine. This seemed to do the trick but I soon realised that the machine was not functioning correctly.

Whilst it would heat up it just did not seem to hold pressure even after releasing false pressure and I have not been able to pull a decent shot. When I open the steam valve very little comes out and the green light does not come on indicating that the boiler is on which is what usually happens to keep the unit at temperature when steaming. After a while however it would come on, but again I'm not able to get a decent shot. Either it pulls too quickly or nothing happens until the lever is almost fully down and I get a small amount of coffee coming through.

When the green light fails to come on I slide the machine across the counter with the intention of attempting to reset the fuse but then the green light does come on. So I figured perhaps there was a loose connection somewhere. I opened up the unit and carefully removed and then replaced each connector in turn to ensure I got them back in the right place, hoping that this would result in good connections. However now when I turn the machine on there is no green light and the boiler does not heat.

I'm wondering if there was perhaps a loose connection somewhere which is now broken due to me removing the connector plugs, though I didn't use any undue force so I'm guessing it was something which was likely to fail soon anyway.

I also noticed looking inside the boiler that there seems to be quite a bit of white scaling, I don't know if this could be related.

I'm in the UK and there are some decent places to get it repaired, but it will mean packaging it up and sending it off. I can experiment with my new Aeropress while I wait, but I'll really miss the EP so any suggestions for a home repair would be welcomed.

Thanks in advance,

Marc

Are you sure that the machine is not so filled with calcium carbonate that the tube leading to the pressurestat is obstructed? This could result in symptoms like you are experiencing. My 1999 model behaved like this just after I got it. The solution, of course, is to remove the calcium carbonate deposits. I suggest ordinary vinegar.

Some would recommend citric acid. I would strongly disagree in this situation. Citric acid is a so called "tribasic" acid, meaning that it can react with 3 moles of base. When citric acid is fully neutralised it forms citrate ion. Calcium citrate is rather insoluble. Citric acid will diffuse into little spaces where there is a lot of calcium carbonate, and be totally neutralised and block the space with precipitated calcium citrate instead of clear it! In a large open space this problem does not arise, because one normally uses sufficient citric acid to avoid its being totally neutralised.

When I have done this I try to get the vinegar to be an approximately 1M solution of acetic acid, that is around 4%. Stronger vinegar really would not matter, I guess. Calcium acetate, unlike calcium citrate is highly water soluble. Acetic acid is also a somewhat weaker acid than citric, so it is slightly less corrosive.

If it were my machine I would drain it, being sure that it is not connected to the power, and then fill it half way with vinegar. You could turn on the power and heat it a bit, up to perhaps 50 C. Let it stand half an hour. Again be sure not connected to power, and drain. Check to see if you can see deposits in the tank. If so, repeat. You should be able to see into the tube that leads to the pressurestat from above. You should not see any white deposits in it. If you do execute the following:

Fill machine at least half full of fresh 50% vinegar. Put on boiler cap. Connect power and bring up to full temperature and pressure. Let cool a few minutes be sure machine is not under pressure. Bring up to temperature again. Let cool again with no pressure. By alternatively heating and cooling you drive the acetic acid solution into and out of the pressurestat tubes. I repeated this cycle four times.

Then look in again and see if the tube leading to the pressurestat be free of deposits.

You can also try to break up the CaCO3 deposits at the opening with a Korean style chop stick of knitting needle, but that should not be necessary.

After the system is cleared, fill and empty the reservoir at least four times to remove the last vestages of acetic acid, or your espresso will taste like a salad!

NEVER DRAIN THE WATER WITH THE MACHINE CONNECTED TO POWER. YOU CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE THE HEATING ELEMENT IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY TURN IT ON WHILST POURING OUT THE WATER. IT IS ALSO DANGEROUS!

I now use only distilled water in my machines. Deposits will then never form.

Thanks for your response. I've been reading around and I think that the blocked pipe leading to the pressure stat would cause the boiler to overheat as pressure due to hot water would not be sensed by the stat and so it would not shut off. The problem I'm having now is that the boiler will not come on at all. We checked continuity today and found none at the pressure stat. I read here - http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... ouble.html - 'Take a multimeter and check for continuity at the pressure stat. Remove the two wires going to the pressure stat and do a continuity check. If no reading the pressure stat is bad and you need to buy a new one.' So I'm thinking I need a new pressure stat.

Not sure exactly how I'll play it yet. I might remove the stat check then diaphragm and see if then pipe needs clearing before ordering a new part. Doesn't seem like it would be to hard to fit.

Anyone done this themselves?

You also could heat some vinegar to perhaps 35C to 50C on a stove and pour it into the emptied boiler. Again be sure not to have the power connected with an empty boiler. Let it stand for an hour or so and drain. Mine would turn on after sitting a while, and it also sometimes would not turn off and steam would come out the pressure release valve, because of such a blockage. I also used a Korean chopstick to aid in unclogging the top part of the tube, using a light to see inside. It might be easier to remove the pressurestat.

I have one made in 1999 that must be identical to yours. I have, however, have modified a lot of things on mine. Yours probably has a plastic piston. I replaced mine. You might also check that deposits of CaCO3 have not begun to form inside the group. That will destroy the seals, and it can damage its walls. As I mentioned earlier I only use distilled water. The water in this area is extraordinarily loaded with impurities. Although many object, I contend that it is best to use distilled water. I have only used it since all the problems with everything covered with calcium carbonate.

Do not use mineral acids, they can cause serious corrosion problems.