Hey Guys, I'm new to this forum and spend a TON of time researching and learning daily and greatly appreciate all the knowledge and experience it has to offer. Today, I'm in need of that knowledge and experience to help me diagnose what seems to be a wet steam issue with my Profitec Pro 700.

I have removed the insulating plastic tube from the steam arm in hopes of correcting this problem, and it hasn't helped. I have increased my steam boiler temp to 127C which gives me approx 1.6 bar of pressure and still have the same issue. I have attached a couple videos showing what seems to me like excessively wet steam....or is this normal operation? This is my first prosumer machine, and I don't have access to other similar machines to compare to.

Have you ever walked into a steam room and walked out soak 'n wet? Steam will condense back into liquid form as it cools just like it's doing on your hand.

ShelbiRyan wrote:I have attached a couple videos showing what seems to me like excessively wet steam....or is this normal operation? This is my first prosumer machine, and I don't have access to other similar machines to compare to.

It's hard to tell from the videos, but it looks a little sputtery.

Lowering the steam boiler water level will produce drier steam. If you want to compare the dryness of steam with others, measure how much water is added steaming 8 ounces of water from 40 to 160°F (weighed before and after). IIRC, a dry steamer will add less than 1 ounce. I used to include that measure in early reviews, but it turned out the difference between properly adjusted models was small enough that I no longer bother.

HB wrote:If you want to compare the dryness of steam with others, measure how much water is added steaming 8 ounces of water from 40 to 160°F (weighed before and after). IIRC, a dry steamer will add less than 1 ounce.

Hey Dan, I did previously read this on one of your other posts, and I forgot to mention it in my OP, but when I do this test I get over 2.5 ounces of water. I have reached out to some Profitec distributors and their only advice was to raise my steam boiler temperature. No where in the Profitec manual does it tell me how I could go about lowering the steam boiler water level, I will have to do some research on that.

Don't have 700, but looks ok to me.

1.6 bar? That's 2 bars outside of the green zone(max 1.4 bar). If the OP's safety valve hasn't exploded at 1.6 bar I wonder what is the max pressure at which the Pro 700 can be safely run at. The manual doesn't say.

I've also looked through the manual for a max pressure specification and haven't found anything. I suppose one could try and find a parts manual to see what OP safety valve the Pro 700 is built with and look for a spec...but I usually keep it in the green zone just to be safe. The pressure difference between 1.4-1.6 bar is minimal...so I don't think its much to worry about.

ShelbiRyan wrote:...when I do this test I get over 2.5 ounces of water.

That sounds like a lot. Raising the steam boiler temperature won't help. Wet steam occurs when the steam wand's pickup tube in the steam boiler is too close to the surface of the water. The height of the water in the steam boiler is determined by a water level sensor:


From Profitec Pro 700 Dual Boiler Espresso Machine Overview by WholeLatteLove

I am assuming this machine is new, but for sake of completeness, I'll add that the typical cause of wet steam is scale buildup on the water level sensor probe. The scale on the metal probe acts as an insulator, preventing it from detecting ground. Over time the steam boiler level will slowly rise. It's only a problem for owners who neglect to descale the steam boiler over a long period.

If your Pro 700 is new, I recommend working with the vendor. I would start by creating a video of you doing the steam wetness test I described and then ask them to do the same. By capturing your results on video including the start/end temperature, you'll eliminate any quibbling about operator error.

I agree it's hard to tell from the videos but I think my machine is similar. I've been really happy with the results though and never feel things are watered down. To lower the water level, push the sensor that Dan highlighted down in the sleeve. As for boiler pressures, the safety valve says 2 bar on it. I haven't tested this but it's clearly printed on the top of the part.

That amount of condensation is normal and I see it on many machines. This is not caused by the water level being too high. The steam comes off the top of the boiler so the water level would have to be pretty high.