Rancilio Silvia now has reduced output - Why?

Equipment doesn't work? Troubleshooting? If you're handy, members can help.
saltytri
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Joined: 4 years ago

#1: Post by saltytri »

My Silvia worked fine yesterday when last used. A double shot was about 2 oz. This morning, with everything done the same as always, the output was a dribble, producing 1/2 to 3/4 oz. I decalcified and cleaned then tried again to pull a shot. Same bad result. Any ideas?

GreavesManchu
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Joined: 4 years ago

#2: Post by GreavesManchu »

Is your shower screen clean? PF basket clean? I used a Silvia for 19 yrs and can't recall having that problem. What is the output with no PF basket?

saltytri (original poster)
Posts: 5
Joined: 4 years ago

#3: Post by saltytri (original poster) »

Good thoughts, but no dice. I cleaned the PF basket in Cafiza when I did the main cleaning process. Dropped the screen and it's clean, with no debris behind it to block the flow of water. When I run a 15 second brew cycle without ground coffee in the basket, it deposits 5 oz of water into a cup. So it seems to run freely, except when the flow meets resistance in the form of coffee in the basket. It's almost as if the pump seems to do fine when pushing against little resistance but has lost the force it needs to push the water through a puck.

GreavesManchu
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Joined: 4 years ago

#4: Post by GreavesManchu »

You got me. The only issues I had was replacing a couple of sensors on top of the boiler. Wish I had some better ideas.

JRising
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#5: Post by JRising »

How much water is passing over your OPV while you're brewing? Ie. if you put the return hose into a small measuring cup and run the machine with no portafilter, can you confirm zero flow over the OPV? And then, while brewing an espresso, are you getting less than an ounce into the measuring cup?

I will assume you have not changed beans or left the beans exposed to humidity for a day and then thought you had "everything the same as always".
If your pressure is good, the pump sounds normal and you're just getting too much flow over the OPV for too long, adjust your grinder.

saltytri (original poster)
Posts: 5
Joined: 4 years ago

#6: Post by saltytri (original poster) »

Similar result this morning but I did get 1.25 oz of espresso. On the same run, I got .5 oz of water out of the overflow tube. The puck was very watery.

I haven't changed the grind. Yet. Same beans throughout. Change in humidity isn't a unlikely suspect. I am very much aware of ambient humidity for a reason unrelated to coffee and have pretty decent instrumentation to monitor it. It's been stable.

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stefano65
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#7: Post by stefano65 »

If the puck is very watery sounds to me that the water is not pushing through,
ether the opv is opening too soon or your pump is weak or both,
if you go coarse with the grind what happens ?
Stefano Cremonesi
Stefano's Espresso Care
Repairs & sales from Oregon.

saltytri (original poster)
Posts: 5
Joined: 4 years ago

#8: Post by saltytri (original poster) »

Thanks, Stefano. I'm going to hold off on changing the setting of the grinder because that would change a variable and I might not be able to return the dial to the spot it's in now. I'm trying to contact the vendor of my machine because it's still under warranty.

JRising
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#9: Post by JRising »

If that 1.25 oz shot was delivered in about 30 seconds, with the other .5 oz passing the OPV, then it sounds pretty good, (ignoring the watery puck)... If it was 40 seconds or more, then my opinion is that the pump is weak, it should have moved more water than that (to the shot and OPV combined).
Does the pump sound normal, or does it get really quiet?

saltytri (original poster)
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Joined: 4 years ago

#10: Post by saltytri (original poster) »

I got hold of the vendor. A tech had me do a back flush and the pump did get really quiet. Apparently, both the pump and the OPV are suspect and it's going back for repair. So it's back to drip, at least for a while.

Thanks to all for your interest and advice!

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