Hello,

I recently got 2003 La Cimbali microcimbali that had not been used for a while. With help of this forum and pictures at Orphanespresso.com I was able to take the machine to pieces and clean it inside out. Seals and the whole machine is in great condition. However I still have few problems and questions with the machine that I have not got answer yet.

If someone could send me schematics and manual for this machine I would really appreciate it. I have seen some links to these but they have been all too old.

1) What is the normal operating pressure for this machine. I am not able to get more than 0.2 to 0.3 bar on my machine but I have read that it should be more. If I am lacking pressure, how to fix this? Where is the pressure detector, maybe it is clogged even if I cleaned everything pretty good.

2) Frothing milk. Frothing milk with this machine seems to be much more difficult than on my past espresso machine, but I have read that people have praised this machines capacity for milk frothing, any hints or tips how to do it properly with microcimbali?

Ville
Helsinki, Finland

To continue;

Also I seem to be missing one bolt that is just under the lower part of the lever, seen greatly in this picture:

http://www.orphanespresso.com/images/La ... d%2012.jpg

Anyone know what that is for, and what is the size so I can hunt for replacement?

-Ville

Welho wrote:1) What is the normal operating pressure for this machine. I am not able to get more than 0.2 to 0.3 bar on my machine but I have read that it should be more. If I am lacking pressure, how to fix this? Where is the pressure detector, maybe it is clogged even if I cleaned everything pretty good.

2) Frothing milk. Frothing milk with this machine seems to be much more difficult than on my past espresso machine, but I have read that people have praised this machines capacity for milk frothing, any hints or tips how to do it properly with microcimbali?

Because it controls brew water temperature and steaming capability, the normal operating boiler pressure cannot be much different from what it is on most domestic machines, somewhere around 0.9 bar plus/minus 0.3 bar.

Premature to judge your machine's steaming capability if the boiler pressure/temperature are as low as you report.

Pressure-stat looks to be mounted below the base of the boiler:
http://www.orphanespresso.com/index.php ... &chapter=7

hi Timo,

thanks for your answer and especially the link for schematics, as I am quite a new with espresso machines I am not able to say what is pressure stat in those pictures, could you point me for a part number?

Thanks again, Ville

If you have the 2003 model (black and chrome) then there is a pressurestat buried inside the column under the boiler. To arrive at the pstat for adjustment involves major surgery not covered in our photo manual as this is for simple rebuilds. The pressurestat is the obvious technical looking electric thing inside the column of the machine and it has a stand pipe that goes almost to the top of the boiler....I realize that English is not your first language and Finnish is not even my second but the stand pipe goes from the pstat up into the boiler so the pstat will sense only steam pressure and not water pressure....with some luck you may be able to empty the machine boiler and turn the machine upside down to also empty the water from the stand pipe and clear the pstat for better function.
As a note, the old Micro with high and low switches much like the old Europiccola actually operates at a very low boiler pressure on low.....as low as .3 bar. there is no dipper tube and the water simply gravity flows into the cylinder so a high pressure is not needed for a normal shot, but the high watt element is used for steam only.
The machine must be completely taken apart to change the pstat setting and completely reassembled to test the pstat setting and then taken apart and assembled again over and over until you get the setting right. I suggest you look for any steam or pressure leaks first. Listen to every fitting and connection using a hose or piece of tubing in your ear like a stethoscope and if you hear a bubbling or hissing sound then fix the leak and keep at it and see if your pressure goes up. Also your gauge may be off as well.
The pressurestat has temperature numbers on the setting dial and this may help you get it set up correctly.
If you would like a photo of the pressurestat just email and we can send you one....we have a pstat on our shelf...very impressive unit, but also very hard to service due to its position inside the machine.

the little screw with the collar on the top of the group is to adjust the position where the lever stops on the downward pull because if you pull it too far down the piston will escape the cylinder or become misaligned and get stuck.

Hello,

Thanks for great hints and tips Doug. I will check all sealings. As far I could see they all seemed still in very good condition, not cracked and still soft, but of course, they still could be broken and leaking

Ok, I had a feeling that strange pipe or column without clear function (as I figured it out had to do something with pressure regulation. I also noticed it is not pipe but has full length crack on it is side from up to bottom of the boiler, is that normal? If this pipe is not supposed to be filled with water then obviously it is broken. What is the max water level on the screen you can add not to flood this pipe if you should be avoiding this?

I actually put everything else into pieces expect the lower part of the machines where all the electronics are.

And yes, mine is black and chrome, see picture of it here:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/391 ... 3571_b.jpg

-Ville

This http://www.orphanespresso.com/index.php ... ge&pID=511 is what the part looks like. As you can see, no cracks in the tube so one can only guess what effect cracks would have. Water in the pstat? Interference of proper function? The pipe is there for a reason and if it is broken then this may be your problem, but then again it is difficult to tell without actually testing the pstat to see if it is working properly. There will be some water in the pipe under normal use, but the placement of the pstat at the boiler base near the element would mean that the water would tend to boil away leaving the pstat diaphragm overall dry and exposed to steam/vapor only. Sorry I can't say more to help.

Could be that the crack in the stand pipe allowed mineral deposits to reach the diaphragm, so the pstat is stuck. Is it possible to put some citric acid solution directly into the standpipe without taking the machine apart?

Or perhaps the designers, when transitioning from the old model Microcimbali to the new, decided to use a p-stat whose lowest setting matched the low boiler-pressure of the old model when it was in brew mode? The pstat might only need to be adjusted in the + direction. The pstat in the picture goes as low as 0.1 atm and tops out at 0.6, so if it's working, it could be moved all the way up without problems.

Hello,

I also lately got the same machine and is has quite the same behaviour as Ville's machine.. Yesterday I managed to fix the pressure gauge (the niddle fell off) and the reading I get is cycling between 0.3 - 0.34 bar, which is within a red zone on the gauge (What does the red zone mean ??). So, pstat is working but steam power, as with Ville's machine, is very low.

1. When the heating element is "on" by the pstat and pressure reaches it's top reading of 0.34 there is a hissing/bubbling coming out of the safety valve on the top of the boiler. Ville - do you also experience it ?
Is it normal ? because if so, then machine is not designed for more pressure.. ? if not - can it be fixed ?

2. I take the opportunity for another question: I opened the steam knob all the way while the steam wand was in open air and noticed that the steam came out in pulses of stronger-weaker power. Any idea why ?

Thanks,
Niv

Hello,

again, thanks again for experience and information your sharing with me.

mine machine also stops about at the same bar levels, maybe our machines are ok in the end. Usually mine starts with 0.3 and when it is warm it rarely goes over 0.2 on the meter. Can Anyone share where the reading should be when the machine is warm and ready to go?

Niv, mine pressure relief valve never starts making noises but it should open when the right pressure is reached no to get the machine over pressurized.

Also included is the image of my pstat pipe. As you can see it is cracked all the way to the bottom as far as I can see. Also you could see some light coming through the crack so water will also finds it way there as well. If the crack should not be there I guess I have option trying to fix it or get a new pstat. Any opinions which way to go?

On the good side, as the most pressure is made by spring I have had few pretty ok espressos out of the machine so far. Next I will try to listen for any leaks and if I do not find anything I will try to change pstat settings to see if it helps. That means opening the bottom of the machine for the first time..

-Ville