Rancilio Silvia shorted out this morning - Page 2

Equipment doesn't work? Troubleshooting? If you're handy, members can help.
Mr.Repsher (original poster)
Posts: 4
Joined: 12 years ago

#11: Post by Mr.Repsher (original poster) »

OK, here's the update:
Checked the machine and nothing looked out of order, burned, melted etc. Took the plate off to get at the pump (easier said than done) and still everything looked fine. So we moved on to unplugging all the wires to the pump and the 3 way valve, turned the power on then hit the brew switch and all was fine (i.e. nada happened except for the boiler starting to warm up). Next we plugged the 3 way valve back in and again turned it on then hit brew and all was good (could hear the 3 way valve humming a bit as I believe it should). So, it must be the pump then right? Unplugged the 3 way and plugged the pump in, fired it up and hit brew... and the pump worked just fine. So it must be when they are all connected right? Hooked everything up, fully wired ready to rock. Powered it up and everything works just fine.

The only real difference between the test tonight and this morning was that she had been warming up for a while this morning before I hit the brew switch.

Any ideas? Would anything ever sporadically go wrong with the rocker switch itself?

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Randy G.
Posts: 5340
Joined: 17 years ago

#12: Post by Randy G. »

The act of unplugging and unplugging things back in may have changed something. The heat may be a factor as well. But if the sparking was that noticeable, I would think that at the very least there would be an odor, or maybe some carbon tracing of some sot. Maybe arc marks on a spade terminal... Something. And we can't draw a direct cause and effect relationship with the pump's action and the sparks. It could have been the vibrations of the pump that caused some other part to move and arc. As I mentioned earlier, it's water and electricity, not to mention a metal box. Don't assume anything.
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