Hello everyone, first post here! I just got a new (to me) Pony Espresso Pony 100. It turns on just fine and stats the cycle to fill the reservoir, the suction is not enough to fill the tank. I can see the water trying to work its way up in the rubber tube underneath, but it doesn't quite make it up and in. I tried priming it with a squeeze bottle directly injecting water into the tube while it sucks but all I get is water on the counter from excess pressure and the low water level indicator light comes on after attempting to fill. Any possible solutions? I can post pictures or videos of anything you might need. Thanks in advance!

Sometimes pumps have trouble getting started. Try helping the water along with a syringe or turkey baster or put the hose in a shallow container above it so it doesn't have to work so hard to get started. No promises, but it often solves that problem.

Will it not allow you to try to brew when it's trying to fill the boiler?
Sorry, I don't know the machine. But open everything. Open the steam valve, open the hot water valve, open the brew valve, give that pump every opportunity possible to get itself primed.

You'll have to make the judgement on why it's not priming, you're the one listening to it and trying to feed it water (and cursing it). If it's loud like a metallic hammering, it's because there's no water inside the pump, the moving piston is just slamming from full stroke to spring return with no mass to resist it with only air in the pump. I'm going to assume that Pony machine has no priming/bubbler valve, so to forcibly prime it you'll need to make sure the outlet is not too high a pressure to overcome. If opening the water valve and brew valve isn't enough, you can physically open the fitting at the pump outlet and mimic a priming valve. Produce a leak until the pump is primed and strong, then close off the leak and let the machine try to overcome the rest of the resistances to flow with a properly operating pump, on its own.
If it stalls a properly primed pump, then you know the blockage causing the stall is the real problem.

Thanks for the reply! I don't think I can open anything- it seems to run through it's start up sequence which fills the tank and turns the heater on. Once the water tank is filled it allows use of the steam, single and double shot options. With the low level light I get, I can't do anything. Can feel and see it trying though so that's good. I'll try what you said to mimic the purge valve. I found a hydraulic blue print for it on this website so I can pretty easily identify the system components. What if I filled it manually be removing any fitting that would allow direct access? Would that help at all? The seller is willing to take it back but I feel like this is a small obstacle I can fix. Thanks again!

I have a squeezable bottle that I used to try and prime it and I could see water fill up the suction tube completely but I'm not sure if it went to to the tank- the pressure from me squeezing the bottle caused it to leak and I barely had pressure. Blockage maybe?

you have the manual ?

Yes I found that, a schematic, and hydraulic diagram for it

I was more pointing at the instructions for use, how to prime it etc. It can be found online, not having access to the machine makes it difficult to assess the issue, from what I read on the quick the IFU says there is a filter inline...perhaps that is clogged? Did the seller put it away working, and how long ago, that may help you troubleshooting...typically these things are small issues when you hear the pump working..airlock, pump may have died, clogged water circuit.

It mentions a filter to to check alignment to the reservoir and if all else fails it says to contact the company. But I just got it working! I dyed some water green to trace through the lines and took apart the bottom where the suction happens and noticed a missing bolt. While filling, that bolt hold started dumping water so I covered it with a bolt I had on hand and that solved it. I still need the correct crush ring for it. It seems to have another small leak as well but that could be from the missing bolt. Gotta take it apart again and go into detail. Thanks so much to everyone that commented! Had it pour its first shot (of water) while typing this!

good for you! enjoy!