deejayc Senior Member Joined: 25 Sep 2012 Posts: 3 Location: LA Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Sep 25, 2012, 1:38am Subject: La Pavoni safety valve problem
I just bought a pre-millennium Europiccola from craigslist from a guy who hasn't used the machine in 2 years. I descaled the machine and tried to make a shot. Problem is, after the boiler heats up after 5 minutes, steam blows out of the safety valve with ridiculous force and I have to turn off the machine. Please help!
SeekingGodShots Senior Member Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Posts: 17 Location: California Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Tue Sep 25, 2012, 7:48pm Subject: Re: La Pavoni safety valve problem
While the machine is cold, use a 16mm thin walled socket wrench or a 16mm wrench* and remove the safety valve. Carefully observe the order of components which includes a spring, valve ball and the valve. Most likely a bit of debris or scale fused the free movement of the valve so it could not engage. Clean. Reassemble. Test.
*If you must use a crescent wrench, be careful in the removal and installation of the valve. The shield reduces the contact area for the wrench and you might damage the chrome plating.
mayhew Senior Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 202 Location: Pittsburgh Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Pavoni Europiccola Grinder: Baratza Maestro +
Posted Thu Sep 27, 2012, 8:12am Subject: Re: La Pavoni safety valve problem
Forgive my ignorance but does that white switch have two settings on it, I and II. If so your machine is doing what it's supposed to (eg II to heat up, I for leaving it on). But I think that's for machines older than yours. I've just not seen that white switch before.
I've had that problem a lot. As others said, pull it apart and inspect. Bicycle cone wrenches will serve you well in servicing the machine and they are fairly cheap. In my experience once you get that problem the easiest thing to do is replace the spring and plug that goes on the end.
Posted Sun Sep 30, 2012, 11:52am Subject: Re: La Pavoni safety valve problem
Mine does this when set to Maximo, and it is perfectly normal. The release is essentially "set" for a particular pressure, as the only means of regulating temperature/pressure in the older models. I'm not familiar with the switch type you have on your machine, but if you're heating on the high mode, this should be considered normal operation. If this is happening during the low heating mode, or if the machine has a pressurestat, however, this could be problematic, and should be addressed as the others have recommended.
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