Hi all,
I have just purchased an E61 type machine under the unusual Argosini brand. Bit of a rare bird but made in Italy by one of the factories for a guy in New Zealand/Australia who I have yet to track down. Id like to know if anyone knows or has any info about this machine.


So I have been bench testing it. Last night it appeared to be working perfectly. The boiler pressure gauge came up to 1 bar and all functions worked ( group, hot water, steam). Today I had another chance to test it and the boiler only came up to 0.5bar and didnt go above that. The group appears to work normally and I made a decent espresso. I can hear the pump working when I lift the lever.

However there is no steam and no hot water available. When it hadnt fully heated up they were available and usually the green light is on at that point. This machine also has an orange light and seems to cycle between the two initially but when it got to about 0.5bar, it stays orange. Perhaps the orange is heating and the green means ready?

I would like to trouble shoot this machine but not sure where to start. I recently fixed an Isomac Venus, continuity tested and replaced the element so I have some technical ability. However E61 type machines are unfamiliar to me. Thanks for any help.

Yes, was a machine made in Italy by some people ex Rancilio, short story.
If you said the coffee is good, maybe the 0,5 bar of pressure is a fake value, or maybe your taste is very "friendly" i mean that, to bring up to temp the machine to brew a decent espresso probably a 0,5 bar is not enough.
Personally i would completely dismantle the machine even because maybe a good descaling bath will not be a bad idea as well.
First, open completely the steam/hot water valves, then try to blow in the steam wand and hot water wand to see if you can hear gurgling the water in the boiler or any other sound that make you recognize the path is free.
Then as i wrote above, i will open completely the machine for a visual check, maybe more simple than go blind.

Thanks. Im thinking it is either a thermostat issue or a pressure switch issue...
Any idea what the green and orange lights indicate?

Normally the green light it's the power on light, the orange light could be connected to the heating element, to signal the functionality of the power circuit, or to another circuit to signal an emptied water reservoir.

I've been a coffee tech in Sydney for 8 years, and only seen one of these in the workshop . From memory she said she bought it Crows Nest. There is this thread on Coffeesnobs too;

https://coffeesnobs.com.au/forum/equipm ... so-machine

From memory, it was a HX boiler with a pressurestat, if you take the covers off we can let you know more, or drop it off to me in Mosman if you get stuck . Good luck

Thanks for everyones help. I found more than one issue but all sorted now. New Pstat, New control box. Managed to descale the pressure gauge line and now it works completely differently. The gauge is very responsive now.