I recently had a problem with my Strega. The pressure would go all the way up until the overpressure valve would engage.

Took a while to troubleshoot, and it turned out out the pressure stat wasn't the cause. Some scale buildup partially blocked the tube that gives pressure to the pressurestat.

I descaled using Urnex Dezcal, then rinsed a few times. Fixed the problem.

I was out of the country for a few weeks, when I came back and started the machine the piston seals leaked. I just changed them, turned the machine on, and tried the lever a few times. Everything was fine, pressure stayed in the right range, no leaks from the group, all perfect.

Then out of nowhere while I was flushing some water from the group I noticed the pressure was down. The water level is fine, both lights are ON. When I pull on the lever the pump activates and pumps water trough the group. The heater inside the group functions.

The pressure is all the way down (really no pressure, no steam or hot water), and the heater inside the boiler doesn't work. I checked at the element connectors and I get 10 ohms, wich I understand is ok?

Any idea what the problem could be? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

I would check the pressurestat;
try to push out those 2 connector cables from the pressurestat, and shortcircuit them (only if you know what I mean!);
if the pressurestat is the problem, this would connect via a relay, the boiler heater;
as the resistor itself is ok;

the Strega R wiring diagram:

Thanks Radu,

I actually tried to change the pressurestat completely and the problem persists.

At the risk of stating the obvious, did you try resetting the high limit thermostat?

No heat means either no power to the element or the element is broken...

I had never noticed the high limit thermostat, so I'm not sure how the button is supposed to feel. Tried to reset it, but didn't feel any click or anything.

I checked and there is continuity in between both sides of the thermostat, so that should be ok I think.

I tried to check if there was power coming to the element, but I can't seem to be able to take a good reading from the crappy multimeter I have.

well, according to the above posted diagram,
and if it is true that the heating element shows continuity at the connectors (10 ohms reading is err, but you say the meter is not the best one...),
seems to be only one element left: the contactor driven via a relay by the pressurestat;

otherwise, the schematic is rather simple and with a good meter I hope you can locate the defective part;

Managed to read 120v going to the element. The element is defective I guess.

I removed it, the interior of the boiler was perfectly clean. I doubt the Dezcal damaged the element. No idea what happened...

Will shop for a new element tomorrow.

Update, I'm completely puzzled.

I tested the element directly to the end of an extension cord and it works fine. There is current (119V) at the end of the wires if I put both ends of the multimeter on both ends of the wires normally going to the element. How is possible that when I then plug the element to the wires it doesn't heat?

Also as there is no water in the tank, or in the boiler I'm guessing the element shouldn't heat. So there souldn't be power going to it. But there is.



Please help I'm going crazy!

If you have the element out, just measure its resistance. It should be around 8 ohms. If it is a lot higher; it has failed. If it is around 8 ohms, something else is going wrong. The high temperature cut put should read continuous; you might try rechecking that (when measuring continuity or resistance, always disconnect all wiring, since you could be making a circuit behind your back). The worst case scenario is that the brain box is fried, since that is an expensive replacement.

Hmm. Not sure if you tested this: With the element installed on the boiler - but not hooked up - and water in the boiler; test the resistance from (each) element terminal to a boiler fitting.