Hello:

Looking around the web I found what seems to be a modified La Cara type EP.



As you can see from the only photo available to me, it is rather unique in that it has a water inlet/outlet port (?) at the back of the boiler, which in turn seems to be made/sourced from a steam valve assembly such as the one further up.

Cannot say if it is original or user modified, but I have often thought of doing something similar to one of my Shirley EPs.

My guess is that such an arrangement would work to refill the boiler in case you want to make a lot (more than three/four) shots in a row, provided that the temperature of the group was kept low enough and that PF sneeze was somehow controlled.

All this provided an adecquate check valve is put in place (cannot see one there), mains pressure is at least 1.2 bar and that it is used carefully as overfilling the boiler could end up being dangerous.

Unfortunately, the seller has been unreachable, so more photos will most probably not be available.
But I did not want to leave it out of HB's pages.

Anyone seen such a thing before?

Cheers,

CIV

I have one of those old La Cara machines, but mine does not have the steam valve assembly as shown in your photo. Mine simply has a bolt in its place. I have never tried to plumb the machine, so can't comment on how useful the autofill is.

The machines are nice with the brass sleeve group like on the first generation LPE, but with a more friendly bolt setup to remove the group. Looks like the one in your photo needs new electrical work, but will be a good machine once put back together.

Hello:

Alslaw wrote: ... have one of those old La Cara ...
... does not have the steam valve assembly ...
... simply has a bolt in its place.

Ahh ...
So it would have been OEM installed or an optional feature.

Alslaw wrote: ... comment on how useful the autofill is.

Would not be autofill as such, but manual user controlled filling of the boiler.
Hence the tap.

Alslaw wrote: ... but with a more friendly bolt setup ...

Indeed ... =-)

Thanks for the info.
Cheers,

CIV

A few years back, I had one of these as well. Also had the bolt in that spot on the boiler. They make great coffee - those brass sleeves groups are so thermally stable.

Francesco's site has more photos. They have an unusual 'inverted element' with all of the electricals up at the top of the boiler. The boiler appears to be the size of a LP Pro but it's actually the same capacity as a Europiccola - the larger size is due to an outer sleeve who has guess is an insulating design? Not sure about that.

I think the one pictured is actually the Picola, which has the heating element at the bottom like the LPE. The Graziella has the sleeve around the outside with the heating element at the top. I believe the Picola boiler is the same size as the Pavoni Pro.