If the RCD is not defective, it would be better to unplug it and wait for repair instructions.

We all know that the hot water & steam valves can be damaged if they are over-tightened (closed), right? Right?

And everyone who uses the machine (spouse, roommates, guests, etc) knows that too, right?

And everyone always remembers not to over-tighten the valves, even before having had their coffee, right?

Well, here's my solution to preventing this damage:

I removed the steam & hot water knobs (pop off the decorative cap, unscrew the knob) and placed an o-ring on the threaded shaft, against the body of the machine.

This acts like a buffer, preventing the knob from being physically tightened all the way, while still allowing the valve to close enough to stop the water or steam. As a side effect, it adds a little physical resistance to the knob, which makes them feel "heavier" and slightly easier to control fine changes in water or steam volume.

A very quick hack (it probably took longer to write up this description than to do the work).

JRising wrote:No lower(drain) valve or spring. What would normally be the preinfusion valve is on a much harder spring functioning as drain valve.

In other words, the lever has no middle position that can hold pressure while the pump is idle, unlike a "true" E61 grouphead.

No, it does have the middle position, but it's not about holding pressure, the puck is porous, pressure and water escaping through it is the trick. The middle position of the E61 allows the valves, particularly the brew valve, to be delicately feathered so that more controllable pre-infusion can be done using line pressure prior to the cam turning the pump on. Constant line pressure being applied due to the partly open brew valve is what keeps the pressure constant, the water is replenished as it escapes.

The "pre-infusion valve" of 3 valved E61s is different, allowing leakage from the brew circuit into the "pre-infusion chamber" of the brew head so that the pressure ramps up slowly to the brew chamber when the pump comes on the the brew valve is opened. They too benefit from the possibility to preinfuse at line pressure when plumbed in.

The Bianca, of course, also has its pre-infusion setting which will run the pump then pause for a moment despite the control lever being up, This is counter-productive to what the machine can do when plumbed in, but many Bianca are used with their reservoirs.

I had this same loose screw (pun not intended). Checked everything, couldn't find anything missing a screw. When I had the machine over at 1st Line, I asked Jim about it, and he attributed it to a tech having slippery fingers on the assembly line

Edit: I suck at posting. This is meant as a reply to vRallye6's question

ckboon wrote:The blue Cafelat E61 8.5mm Silicon Gasket is a 'direct' replacement for the original black rubber gasket.
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And I'm trying out the IMS E61 shower screen.
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Which IMS shower screen fits the Bianca? Seeing diff sizes