Excited and overwhelmed new owner of a La Pavoni Pro - Page 2

#11: Post by **Utking** » September 8th, 2023, 3:11 am

I'd say you have a version 2.2 1980 model, as the heating element is fastened by three screws, as well as there are two extrusions on the heating element.

I do agree with Dr Gary that looks like the pstat pipe isn't fastened at all, as there is a hole in the center?

Good tip on hanging the HE upside down into the solution though!

Looks like a fun little project

It seems like the pressure gauge is somewhat defective as it doesn't rest on the 0 part. These come apart pretty easily (at least new ones does) as I swapped the casing on my silver one to a gold plated one yesterday.

Wish I'd had a professional with the larger boiler! I'd love to not have it filled up all the time (as in over the sight glass) as it spurts out water when it's ready!

Search around to find rpavli's water recipe as well if you'd like to give it a good treat. Use this some months and it should be very nice inside

as Dr Gary says, it takes away the scale without eating away the protective oxidation!

September 8th, 2023, 6:44 am

Regarding the pstat pipe: I only have a post-millennium Europiccola, which is probably 40 years younger, but in my machine the pstat pipe is actually attached off-center to the boiler base. Dead center sits the thermo trip switch, but it is only attached to the surface and not drilled through into the boiler itself, so there's no actual hole in the center. Hard to tell from your photo how it is done on your machine, but it certainly looks different than that of Francesco.

September 8th, 2023, 4:42 pm

Hi!
So I just look at the Francescco website and now I am very confuse which model I have. I don't think I have the 2.1 because the pipe is actually onto the side. It looks like a 2.3 with the pipe on the side.
Anyway, I attached some photos, hopefully better and can provide more info.

Water tank: Shots of the inside from the bottom; outside shot: do I need to take off the steam part and the other nut?

Heating element:
When I first got it, nothing was attached in the middle hole so I don't know what is missing...

September 8th, 2023, 5:05 pm

Parts may have been changed over the years. For example I see no date on the heating element.

What you're missing is the safety fuse/thermostat that tries to keep the machine from burning out the element or worse if there is no water in the boiler or the pressurestat fails closed.

On the plus side, there is no need to descale anything in the pictures except the pipe between the pressurestat and the boiler. (You probably also do not need to remove the steam wand/safety valve nuts.)

September 8th, 2023, 6:35 pm

I think everyone has it right - - looks like an early 80's V2.2, fairly standard except that it has had the on-off switch replaced. Only real difference there is that the new switch is green. Also I suspect your thermofuse was removed. Per Francesco, the 'export models' had a safety thermofuse inside a red insulating sheath that was tucked into that hole in the center of the element, with the pstat fitting off to the side. Note that your element has a tang that is intended to conduct heat from an exposed overheated element down to that well where the safety fuse would be located.

I see a bit of red sheathing in your original pictures, but can't tell if it contains a thermofuse. See Francesco's pages about that thermofuse here: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... to_eng.htm . You get a replacement fuse and the insulating sheath from Stefano's: https://www.espressocare.com/products/i ... al-cut-off

That's the original pressurestat and a nice one, but is getting old and is no longer made. I recently reluctantly had to replace one of those with the new pStat on a friend's machine - it had performed well for 30 years. Hopefully yours works.

I don't advise removing the pStat pipe from the boiler element. Its fitted in with a threadlocker when the pipe is still straight and the pstat is attached and then the pipe and pstat are bent into place. If you remove it you will need threadlocker to reinstall it. Easiest to just make sure the pipe is free of scale and blockage by using a flexible wire or pipe cleaners.

#16: Post by **drgary** » September 9th, 2023, 8:52 pm

lassepavoni wrote:Regarding the pstat pipe: I only have a post-millennium Europiccola, which is probably 40 years younger, but in my machine the pstat pipe is actually attached off-center to the boiler base. Dead center sits the thermo trip switch, but it is only attached to the surface and not drilled through into the boiler itself, so there's no actual hole in the center. Hard to tell from your photo how it is done on your machine, but it certainly looks different than that of Francesco.

The new photos confirm this observation.

About another post, rpavlis gave us a water recipe but separately suggested using distilled water for a boiler preserving descale.

Also to Pat's comment that we're all right, La Pavoni often transitioned from one model to the next while assembling from their existing prior parts stock, such as the thick plain steel base.

September 10th, 2023, 5:15 pm

baldheadracing wrote: What you're missing is the safety fuse/thermostat that tries to keep the machine from burning out the element or worse....

homeburrero wrote:I think everyone has it right - - looks like an early 80's V2.2.....

lassepavoni wrote: Dead center sits the thermo trip switch, but it is only attached to the surface and not drilled through into the boiler itself, so there's no actual hole in the center. Hard to tell from your photo how it is done on your machine, but it certainly looks different than that of Francesco.

Thanks for the confirmation! Do you guys have any insight as to which safety fuse/thermostat I need to buy for my unit? I know you guys mention my model may be a 2.2, but I think my element is from a 2.3 as the pressure stat pipe is onto the side http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... R_1987.htm

I just sent the base to get it sandblast to treat the rust as Dr. Gary suggested. The next thing I need to buy is the complete gasket kit to replace all the gasket. The wiring is currently stressing me out as it seems very messy from the original photo I took. But I will cross that bridge when I am there.

The element seems very dirty to me, I am surprise it does not need descaling... when I touch the coil, black stuff gets on my finger.

Thank you for letting me know to not remove the pstat pipe from the element as I was thinking to do. I do have a question about the pstat pipe and the element; I will ask on the next post.

September 10th, 2023, 5:19 pm

A: this hole sits on top of the Pstat pipe and it is very rusty. Is water suppose to go in through this hole because it looks completely blocked. This part touches the water and I am surprise to see the amount of rust! That can't be healthy?

B: Is there a gasket here that I need to remove? I can't see if there is a gasket or not; there are a lot of built up harden stuff on it... I used a screen driver and stuff do come off. I am worry to poke it too much incase I damage it.

thank you!

September 10th, 2023, 6:14 pm

Iambob wrote:I know you guys mention my model may be a 2.2, but I think my element is from a 2.3 as the pressure stat pipe is onto the side

As Gary said, these machines were produced from a mix of parts bins and not under a strict configuration management regime. Also that 2.2, 2.3 etc number scheme is not from the factory but a convenience later used by Francesco to help categorize the differences. I'm pretty sure your element would be from circa 1980 - - See the 1980 element in Francesco's picture here: http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... za_eng.htm . (Looks just like your element and has a thermofuse in the center well.)

Iambob wrote:A: this hole sits on top of the Pstat pipe and it is very rusty. Is water suppose to go in through this hole because it looks completely blocked. This part touches the water and I am surprise to see the amount of rust! That can't be healthy?

That should be the open end of a 1/8" copper pipe soldered to a threaded fitting. Others on this forum may have a better clue as how this came to look like that, but it should be the open to that pipe, which when new it looks like this: https://www.espressocare.com/products/i ... estat-pipe. Try to clean it up with a pointy tool and brass brush, maybe a try a soak in vinegar in case it's some sort of carbonate scale.

Iambob wrote:B: Is there a gasket here that I need to remove? I can't see if there is a gasket or not; there are a lot of built up harden stuff on it... I used a screen driver and stuff do come off. I am worry to poke it too much incase I damage it.

Yes, remove and clean that as well as the bottom edge of the boiler that seats against it, and replace it with new: https://www.espressocare.com/products/i ... asket-flat

September 12th, 2023, 7:46 pm

When it comes time to wire this back up, be aware that in 1980 - 1984 they used an odd wiring, described here: La Pavoni Professional - Weird Wiring . That thread has pictures and discussion that help make that wiring clear.

If you prefer you can use their newer wiring schema, which I think is more straightforward and makes use of that DPST power switch in the standard way: La Pavoni Professional Wiring Diagram

This newer wiring is also represented in a realistic model at the very end of John Hauck's video here: Switches & Wiring Over the Years - La Pavoni Lever Espresso Machines