Hi guys, we have an elderly La Pavoni Europiccola which we love, but it is playing up. It seems to be boiling out of the group head when the lever is lifted. I have just stripped it and checked the seals (all seem fine), and am unsure where to look next. Any ideas? It did the same thing a few months ago and it just seemed to come right after a while. I'm wondering about a thermostat issue or something? Help? Please.....?

Hi, and welcome to H.B.Do you have any more info about the age of the machine.Early models used a pressure release valve to maintain correct boiler pressure/temp, later models used a pressurestat.If its a later model you may have scale build-up or a sticky pressurestat.
Here's a link to a really useful site for Pavoni maintenance

http://www.pavoniexpress.com/

Hi Mike, nice to get a reply so fast, and from someone in NZ - I guess all the northern hemishere-ers are still sleeping. Our machine has the red/white switches and no external pressure gauge. Apart from that, I'm not sure how to tell its age or model. I've read through that site you linked to a few times in the past but can't really find anything on there that seems relevant to the problems we're having.

So its the old 2 switch model, with a 2 position heat switch? ie 1 on/off switch and 1 switch with 2 settings (hi/lo) If thats the case, it may need new switch.Are you getting hot/bitter shots? My Pavoni's use to flash boil with no portafilter in, but still made shots at the right temp, as the grouphead cools down the incoming water when making a shot.First i'd check you're 2 position switch is working ok.To test this check if steam output is increased by switching to position 2.If its the same on setting 1 and 2, it may be time for a new switch.
A search on here will bring up plenty of info on 2 switch Pavonis, good luck

The top (red) switch is the on/off switch, and the white one is the one you switch to kick in the afterburners. It will sit all day just ticking over on the top switch (will eventually evaporate out its water so you have to keep an eye on it) but to get any kind of pressure up you need to hit both switches on. The machine cuts off (and the red lit switch goes out) when it has reached pressure and temperature. Do you reckon there's any problem there? It all seems to be working as it always has (we've had it for probably 3 years and had it serviced about 11 months ago), it just develops this problem of superheated espresso gushing out of the group head when you lift the handle, and no pressure on the downward stroke. When it's going fine you lift the handle and wait a few second, as you would expect, and then push down with pressure relating directly to grinds and tamp pressure. Weird huh?

Hmmm, thats an odd one.I've never had the 2 switch model, but any Pavoni lever will overheat if left on all day.They're just not designed for that.2-3 shots is usually the max before overheating.I would have thought the switch in 1st position would be the right temp for brewing a shot, and the 2nd position should only be turned on if you need steam for steaming milk.

The older models of Europiccola have two switches. The "afterburner" switch gives extra power for steaming and for a fast heat up. You switch it off once you see/hear steam coming from the valve and have purged off false pressure using the steam wand.

Cheers

Mike

Is this how you use the machine? Position 2 gets it up to brew temperature at about 1 bar. When the pstat valve (on top of the boiler) blows off, switch to 1 and make your shot. Back to 2 and steam the milk.

Sounds like the pstat might be sticking. Is it sputtering and blowing off when it's supposed to? If you had a gauge it would show about 1 bar when this happens.

You write

It seems to be boiling out of the group head when the lever is lifted

Do you mean that you get a rush of steaming water or that just steam comes out? With no portafilter and coffee in the machine, it would be normal for boiling water to come out when you raise the lever.

The machine comes up to pressure as would be expected, blows off the pressure valve thingy ( you hear it pop) and then we switch off the white switch - all as normal and as we've always done to make great shots. Now, however, when we lift the handle to pull the shot, where we would normally wait a few seconds, hear the head being charged etc etc and push the handle down feeling a reasonable amount of pressure and watching a beautiful shot coming out with perfect crema, now we lift the handle and as soon as it is in the "up" position, crappy steaming thin and watery boiled espresso just runs freely out of the head into the cup, and the handle basically falls almost by itself with practically no resistance at all, and if we do push the handle down, it basically "boils" out of the head.
Having stripped it all yesterday and checking the bore and seals etc etc, it all seemed fine, which led me to believe that (a) too much pressure is building up somehow even though the valve is popping as would be expected, or, (b) the group head seals, even though they look fine may be giving out. Am I on the right track or am I missing something? I will replace the seals, I just can't get any for a few days here in New Zealand in between Christmas and New Years because everyone shuts down shop and goes to the beach!!!!