La Pavoni leaking from safety valve
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- Posts: 3
- Joined: 5 years ago
My La Pavoni Europiccolo millennium is leaking an enormous quantity of stream from the safety valve. Thinking the safety valve was work out, I replaced the assembly, including the spring, but it continues to leak.
I recently replaced all the gaskets and o-rings, and descaled the machine, and the problem showed up a few weeks later. I don't know if that's a coincidence or related.
Any ideas of what else I can do to get my machine running again?
I recently replaced all the gaskets and o-rings, and descaled the machine, and the problem showed up a few weeks later. I don't know if that's a coincidence or related.
Any ideas of what else I can do to get my machine running again?
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- Joined: 5 years ago
Rap it fairly hard with a wooden something. Mine will start to hiss every now and then and a tech told me that tip. I use a wooden mallet, hit it once or twice and it stops. Wood shouldn't damage the finish but your mileage may vary.
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- Posts: 1021
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Just leaking from the valve? You can replace wih a teflon nub from stefanos that seals better than a ball bearing. Was there any damage to the overflow hole? Its just a round ball and a spring so it has to sit on a smooth surface.
Seeing this is a millennium, have you checked the pressurestat? Was there a lot of scale when you descaled? I am wondering if its venting because the pressure is actually to high. Do you have a gauge you can put on the steam wand? Absent that maybe remove and descale the pressurestat tube and make sure its unobstructed. You can find plenty of pressurestat info here on the millennium.
A whack with a wooden spoon is helpful for stuck springs, but millenniums should not be spurting since they have a pressurestat and the spring is tighter.
Which brings me to the next question, did you replace it with he correct spring? The gen 1/2 non pressurestat springs do not work in pressurestat machines, they are too light.
Seeing this is a millennium, have you checked the pressurestat? Was there a lot of scale when you descaled? I am wondering if its venting because the pressure is actually to high. Do you have a gauge you can put on the steam wand? Absent that maybe remove and descale the pressurestat tube and make sure its unobstructed. You can find plenty of pressurestat info here on the millennium.
A whack with a wooden spoon is helpful for stuck springs, but millenniums should not be spurting since they have a pressurestat and the spring is tighter.
Which brings me to the next question, did you replace it with he correct spring? The gen 1/2 non pressurestat springs do not work in pressurestat machines, they are too light.
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- Posts: 3
- Joined: 5 years ago
I've tried rapping it a few times, with no effect.
The safety valve assembly is a little more complicated than a back on a spring, it has a secondary low pressure valve that releases steak before pressure builds up, and the sealing surface is a flat rubber gasket. I ordered the correct valve from an espresso supply shop.
I don't have a pressure gauge to attach to the wand.
I cleaned out the tube leading to the pressurestat, thinking a clogged tube could be causing my problem. The tube was clogged with scale, but that didn't solve my problem.
It definitely seems possible that the pressure is too high, but I haven't been able to get the safety valve to seal by opening the steak valve or grouphead. I'll look into troubleshooting the pressurestat
The safety valve assembly is a little more complicated than a back on a spring, it has a secondary low pressure valve that releases steak before pressure builds up, and the sealing surface is a flat rubber gasket. I ordered the correct valve from an espresso supply shop.
I don't have a pressure gauge to attach to the wand.
I cleaned out the tube leading to the pressurestat, thinking a clogged tube could be causing my problem. The tube was clogged with scale, but that didn't solve my problem.
It definitely seems possible that the pressure is too high, but I haven't been able to get the safety valve to seal by opening the steak valve or grouphead. I'll look into troubleshooting the pressurestat
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- Posts: 1021
- Joined: 11 years ago
Its been a while since I rebuilt my single millennium, yes the valve is different, though there is still a spring. Make sure its descaled and not gunked up.
Descale the pressurestat tube and pressurestat with vinegar again and see if that helps.
Its either gunked up or too high of pressure, do you have a gauge?
Descale the pressurestat tube and pressurestat with vinegar again and see if that helps.
Its either gunked up or too high of pressure, do you have a gauge?
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- Posts: 3
- Joined: 5 years ago
The pressure stat wasn't cutting off when the boiler reached pressure.
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.