La Pavoni Europiccola with steam tee leak at boiler

#1: Post by **taildraggin** » June 11th, 2014, 10:30 am

Got the Pavoni all polished and rebuilt, so I ran some water through it last night an found a small leak at the steam "Tee" into the boiler. I'll take the boiler back off to remove the nut and the washer to the "Tee". Interference with the boiler top threads is the problem.

Any tool/technique suggestions for best getting to the nut?

-Charlie

For extra credit: This pavoni has a copper tube that sits around the elements in the boiler (element dated '93). I have not seen this collar in anyone else's pictures or parts diagrams. It looks 'factory'. It's pretty beat up, so I'm going to leave it out. Any ideas about the history or necessity of the part?

#2: Post by **drgary** » June 11th, 2014, 2:05 pm

My first instinct is to leave in any factory installed parts. It may help protect the elements from running dry if water gets low or it may help distribute heat better. If that's copper it just needs cleanup with something like Barkeeper's Friend and then a good rinse.

#3: Post by **algue** » June 11th, 2014, 2:55 pm

Never seen a collar like that.
How is it locked to the machine?

#4: Post by **algue** » June 11th, 2014, 3:01 pm

Looking at it more carefully, it seems to me a part of a copper gutter. Maybe a junction.
I think that it could not be a factory part.
But I'm wondering why it has been placed there.

#5: Post by **homeburrero** » June 11th, 2014, 4:35 pm

taildraggin wrote:For extra credit: This pavoni has a copper tube that sits around the elements in the boiler (element dated '93). I have not seen this collar in anyone else's pictures or parts diagrams. It looks 'factory'. It's pretty beat up, so I'm going to leave it out. Any ideas about the history or necessity of the part?

I know I had seen something like that, and it was going to drive me crazy til I found out where. Located it on Francesco Ceccerelli's site (should have looked there first.) Is about the 6th picture down on this page: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... za_eng.htm

On the one in the Francesco picture it looks like it has a tang on the bottom that rests on upper surface of the thermal safety fuse well. I'm thinking it might fit tight enough that it is in contact with the element and in theory might have been there to buffer and dissipate element heat and conduct it to the thermal switch when the water level is below the element. (That is just a guess.) Since most boilers/elements (of identical design) don't have it I can't see it as a necessity.

#6: Post by **algue** » June 11th, 2014, 4:43 pm

Bingo!
Pat, I'm really impressed by your photographic memory.

#7: Post by **DanoM** » June 11th, 2014, 5:14 pm

homeburrero wrote:I know I had seen something like that, and it was going to drive me crazy til I found out where. Located it on Francesco Ceccerelli's site (should have looked there first.) Is about the 6th picture down on this page: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... za_eng.htm

That's where I saw that thing! I think I've seen it documented somewhere else too - someone rebuilding a machine was very puzzled by it and finally got an answer from Francesco that it was at one time a La Pavoni part.

#8: Post by **drgary** » June 11th, 2014, 5:57 pm

Great catch, Pat!

I asked Francesco and he replied that it fits loosely in the bottom and has a metal tongue that touches the middle of the element where there's a rounded thermofuse. It transmits heat to the fuse. He says it can be easily removed (I take that to mean it can be removed without causing a problem since the thermofuse would be heated without it).

June 11th, 2014, 8:26 pm

Yes, that's it. It has a tang that went to the center. It's all quite frail right now. My guess is that it provided earlier response to the fuse. It's a 2 coil europiccola though, not a Pro element. I think I can remove it safely.

Any tips on tightening the steam tee nut?

-Charlie

#10: Post by **OldNuc** » June 11th, 2014, 8:41 pm

There is a brass washer between the inner nut and the boiler shell. If it is not perfectly smooth it will leak tightening may result in stripped threads. Loctite 515 would probably fix it if the washer is in good condition.