La San Marco Lever 80 no hole for water flow to groups

#1: Post by **eric needham** » May 23rd, 2014, 7:59 pm

So I bought a second La San Marco 80 machine. The folks that I purchased it from said something to the effect of "we couldn't get it going" I ran across this today and found it quite interesting;

Does anyone care to guess how this came to be? BTW both sides are the same. looks like the new parts were cast, but the holes for the HX water passage were never machined? I am considering drilling some holes straight thru. Anyone have any better ideas?

Eric

May 23rd, 2014, 8:04 pm

This is the backside

#3: Post by **phillip canuck** » May 24th, 2014, 4:01 am

Whoa! That's odd. Does everything else seem to be in place? Is it a HX as well? What is the previous owner's history with the machine?

-phillip

May 24th, 2014, 10:54 am

Yes, everything else seems to be in place.
Not sure where these parts came from, they appear to be new. There is the HX water line connection on the back, but the hole were never drilled out to allow the water to the group chamber!

#5: Post by **espressotime** » May 24th, 2014, 3:05 pm

Looks just like my Pompei.
Made to work as a dipper.

May 24th, 2014, 7:03 pm

espressotime wrote:Looks just like my Pompei.
Made to work as a dipper.

Thank you for your reply!

Is that machine a thermosyphon?

Eric

May 25th, 2014, 1:40 am

No , it's a dipper.One big tube is feeding the group.
I understand that Pompei made the machine as a dipper.Same group as a LSM though.Works great.Temperature stability is also great.

June 3rd, 2014, 3:10 pm

Thanks, so I got off the phone with La San Marco, the newer machines use a heat exchanger that the water comes into the group from the lower holes the same location as your sipper.

I drilled holes in the top fittings and now it works! Thanks all for the input.

Eric

June 3rd, 2014, 4:02 pm

Is your machine like the one in Doug Garrott's LSM 80 rebuild photos?

If so, then your HX would feed the upper opening. I can't tell for sure to what extent that lower tube might act as a dipper on that machine. Sure is an interesting design.

#10: Post by **phillip canuck** » June 3rd, 2014, 4:42 pm

eric needham wrote:Thanks, so I got off the phone with La San Marco, the newer machines use a heat exchanger that the water comes into the group from the lower holes the same location as your sipper.

I drilled holes in the top fittings and now it works! Thanks all for the input.

Eric

Hi Eric - can you post a photo or two of your drilling work? I'm still slightly confused. Did LSM say this was normal or the first time they have come across it? An apology?

-phillip