Got a pre-owned Elektra Microcasa Semiautomatica. I need help.

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
Goldensncoffee
Posts: 166
Joined: 10 years ago

#1: Post by Goldensncoffee »

HI all,
I was given my first espresso machine today by a customer of mine and I'm so excited! The machine looks to have been sitting around for a couple years without any use. It's just missing the drip tray and screen. Heres a few pics:







I have some questions I hope you all can help me out with.

1. The machine hasn't been used in a while...I should probably de-scale right? What do I need to buy to do this? and is there any instructions on how to perform a de-scale on this machine (i don't see anything in the manual)

2. The steam wand looks a little gunked up as you can see in the pic. Anything I can do to clean or possibly replace tip?

3. The portafilter looks really dirty as you can see in the pic...is this normal? I soaked it in soapy water but didn't seem to want to come clean.

4. I may take a ride over to 1'st Line tomorrow to get the drip tray and a group head screen and gasket. I know I also need a tamper. Anything else you can think of that I should buy while I'm there? Cleaning tools? I don't have a single dose basket...maybe one of these?

Thank You

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Eastsideloco
Posts: 1657
Joined: 13 years ago

#2: Post by Eastsideloco »

Congratulations. That's nice machine.

Definitely get some coffee cleaner. That will help with the clean up. You basically soak the portafilter, baskets, shower screens, etc. in this periodically. You may be able to soak the tip in this as well, or they may have a special product for the milk residue. If you take care of your machine, the tip won't get gross like that. If it doesn't clean up, you can probably buy that part and replace it.

You can also buy a descaling product, like citric acid. That's what I use. However, it wouldn't surprise me if some people just use diluted vinegar. You just run this mild acid bath through the machine, maybe alternating soaking and pumping cycles. Give it a few hours to work, then rinse rinse rinse until the water doesn't smell like vinegar or citric acid. (If you use the site's search function, I bet you can find detailed info about descaling this machine.)

It looks like the shower screen is in the group head to me. That's the piece with the exposed screw head above where the portafilter locks in. You might need a group head gasket-if not a full rebuild kit. My MO with a used machine is just to replace all the serviceable out the gate. That way you know what you are dealing with. Many people just fly blind and wait for the leaks. Your machine, your call.

The list of essential and random things you'll need or want to have is long: grinder, tamper, knock box, portafilter baskets, cleaning disk or blank basket, back flush detergent, tamping mat, cleaning brush for espresso machine, steaming pitcher, dosing scale, etc.

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TomC
Team HB
Posts: 10534
Joined: 13 years ago

#3: Post by TomC »

I wouldn't jump immediately to descaling. Fill it up turn it on and see how it works first.
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Goldensncoffee (original poster)
Posts: 166
Joined: 10 years ago

#4: Post by Goldensncoffee (original poster) »

David- Thank you for your informative reply. You definitely have a few things on that list I would have forgotten.

Tom- I took your advice and put some water in it after work today. I filled the boiler. She heated up fine. Pump works as far as I can tell. I didn't pull any shots but water comes out of the group head when I press the brew button. Steam wand works wonderfully! My only CONCERN....After the machine idles for a while (5-15mins) and I hit the brew button, there is no boiling noise like there is in Dans videos where he explains the different types of HX's. The pump runs but no noise. Any concern here?
It would be nice to make sure everything is working properly before I order the parts it needs...not to mention a grinder :D

Thank You

Goldensncoffee (original poster)
Posts: 166
Joined: 10 years ago

#5: Post by Goldensncoffee (original poster) »

**UPDATE**

I fired up the machine this am. Let it warm up for 30-40 mins or so. The boiler makes some gurlgling heating noises. I ran a 20 second flush through the group head and portafilter. I then waited about 3 mins and flushed again with no portafilter. (like you would do before pulling a shot?). ZERO flash boiling noise. I ran the pump for 20-30 seconds. It sounds the same the whole time. I then let it idle for a good 20mins, thinking this has got to be super heating this water in the group head. Flushed again....no flash boil noise this time either. Is there something wrong with my machine? How would one know when it is at the correct temp if there is no audible noise of when the flash boil stops? I couldn't sleep last night as I kept thinking about this. I'm super excited to get this thing up and running and will be ordering the misc parts and a grinder as soon as I know the machine is working properly. Any advice you all can give me?

Thank You