I looked at espressocare.com, which is Stefano's Espresso Care, one of our approved vendors. He has the same part for U.S. La Pavoni machines and a warning to get a different one for older La Pavoni home levers. I'm going to head home later and power up my Conti Prestina so I can measure temperature at the boiler front plate. That will get me the right temperature, so that I will be able to answer that question as well as the one for voltage rating. The heating element power is the same for the current La Pavoni Europiccolas and the Conti Prestina. I will also respond to your question on how to install and ask if you're wanting to install a replacement heating element too.

Thanks drgary! Sure, if it's not too difficult. It could be fun. Thanks again.

Can you tell me what you're asking regarding "installation instructions"? Do you mean installing the temperature safety shutoff or installing that and a new heating element?

The safety thermostat I linked earlier would work. I asked the parts guy at espressoparts and see the same part number listed at espressocare, here.

https://www.espressocare.com/products/i ... ostat-127c

You would need to add thermal paste between it and the boiler, and that's easily obtained at a local hardware store. To fasten it to the boiler you would need to find a way to attach its bracket, perhaps with something like JBWeld.

I measured the boiler plate, and it's 252*F, which is 4°cooler than the water in the boiler, measured by my PID electronic temperature controller. That water is 256°F measured by the temperature sensor connected to the dipper tube. I use a 52° offset to achieve brew temperature of about 204°. The thermostat would interrupt the circuit at 260°. This means it would cut power if you reached the boiling point on the outside of the boiler, a temperature you wouldn't use to brew espresso.

If the heating element needs to be changed out, instructions for rebuilding the boiler are in my Conti Prestina restoration thread, starting at this page.

Since it goes on for many pages, I'll summarize. The heating element is attached to the inside of the front plate. The bowl of the boiler is mounted behind it with bolts. I found I needed marine grade stainless steel bolts and washers slathered with food-safe anti-seize compound to prevent rust. I used a socket wrench on one side of each bolt and a torque wrench on the outside the achieve 15 ft/lbs of torque for sufficient bolt tightening. If the boiler gasket hasn't been changed any time recently, a new one will probably need to be fashioned out of sheet stock. You might be able to find one at Allann Brothers in Albany, OR, but they may be sold out of that discontinued part. When fastening a new boiler gasket, you need to tighten it incrementally over time because it'll loosen with expansion and contraction. So you retighten after two weeks to 15 ft/lbs, then after two months and as needed.

If the boiler bolts are rusted, that's a whole other story, and one I hope you don't face.