First I would like to say thanks for everyone who has posted on this amazing site. There's no way I would have been able to enjoy my machine this long without it.

Here's my question. My beloved Nuova Simonelli Elli circa 1978 now shoots lightning sparks out of the bottom of the boiler. Upon closer inspection (see photos below) it appears that the end of the boiler element has corroded/melted to the point where it's separated and now arcs when the power is switched on.




I believe the root cause was me forgetting to turn off my smart plug while I was on holiday so the boiler dried up , overheated then eventually melted (doh!).

Is it possible to replace the elements in these old machines or is it going to be impossible to find one that fits properly? Are they flexible enough that I could just get one that is close enough in terms of wattage, voltage, rough dimensions and where it attaches to the boiler and bend it to fit?




Thanks!

Colin

Heating elements are definitely not flexible, they're basically a resistance wire encased in a hardened ceramic insulator, inside of a metal tube that keeps the water out. Looks like the terminal broke or melted off and also arced to the threaded stud - which is touching the boiler and therefore grounded.

I think you want part # 14100007, but might be obsolete? Any chance this one fits? https://cafeparts.com/Heating-Element-1 ... duct/14079 If you can pull your element you can measure and compare.

Another option is to find a similarly sized element, drill new holes (or a new hole if you can reuse one), and find a way to plug the old hole. Maybe a SS bolt & nut w/ some teflon washers? Unless you've got a buddy w/ a TIG welder.

Thanks Nico. I took it apart and it seems that the boiler is so corroded that it's hard to even get it open or remove the old element. The element you suggested is close but it's 230v so I don't think it would work in my North American machine. I do have a buddy with a TIG welder but that's a much bigger project than I was planning on and I'm already getting pretty bad espresso withdrawal:)

Think I'm just going to buy second hand Oscar and enjoy the modern features like automatic boiler filling:) Hopefully I can find another Ellie owner that can use some of the parts of that amazing machine. RIP Ellie.

Thanks again for you thoughtful post.