Today, I performed a nice cleaning on Miss Silvia. I removed the parts from the grouphead and soaked in Cafiza. I descaled with Cleancaf for the first time since I purchased new last March. I also recharged the water softener.
Anyway, after a thorough rinsing and re-assembly, I pulled a few shots. I noticed that today's shots had a little standing water on them when I removed the PF. This is unusual. Other than for the bit of water, the puck was pretty formed and wasn't a goopy mess. Weird.
Could the descaling have made this much of a difference? Is this perhaps an issue with how tight I screwed back in the group parts? I tightened the screw to the point that I felt the dispersion screen just barely starting to deform a little. This didn't seem too tight to me. Other posts I've seen say tighten only as tight as you can get with your hand. Should the dispersion screen be able to rotate around with a lightly tightened screw?
I haven't backflushed yet. Just as I was about to order the blind filter, I noticed a cosmetic problem with a small piece of the outside stainless steel having flaked off. I'm waiting to hear back from 1st-Line...so I don't want to take a chance with a potential warranty issue in the works.
I did notice some of the Cleancaf coming through to the drip tray, but just thought that was normal solenoid operation.
I just tried hand-tightening the screw...and I am still able to rotate the screen if I grab it by its edges.
I don't know if it means anything, but while the group parts were soaking, I ran the Cleancaf through the machine. I surprised to see that, without these parts, the water came out almost straight at me. Is that ok? See picture.
Hmmm..where is this flaking steel? Sounds odd! I do believe the trajectory, when unimpeded, will be forward as that is how the hole is machined in the grouphead. The wet puck may be just an anomoly, as I had occasionally wet/watery pucks, but not as a rule. Follow RandyG's site wrt backflushing with Cafiza...you'll even taste a difference!
I haven't backflushed yet. Just as I was about to order the blind filter, I noticed a cosmetic problem with a small piece of the outside stainless steel having flaked off.
Stainless steel cannot "flake off"
I'm waiting to hear back from 1st-Line...so I don't want to take a chance with a potential warranty issue in the works.
warranty? for what?
I did notice some of the Cleancaf coming through to the drip tray, but just thought that was normal solenoid operation.
normal and a good thing.
I just tried hand-tightening the screw...and I am still able to rotate the screen if I grab it by its edges.
tighten it lightly with a stubby SCREWDRIVER.
I don't know if it means anything, but while the group parts were soaking, I ran the Cleancaf through the machine. I surprised to see that, without these parts, the water came out almost straight at me. Is that ok? See picture.
Sorry for the stainless steel confusion. The part in question is the outside housing (don't know a better word for it) around the grouphead. It's the piece with the red dot on it. On the underside, part of the plating (or whatever you'd call it) has chipped off, near where the PF goes in. I'm not sure about the exact construction of the piece.
xdavez Said:
Normal! and if you stand there you will get a powerful jet of hot water right at your privates.
Another argument against nude espresso maintenance.
I was quite surprised to see a stream of water coming at me! Luckily I was, indeed, clothed at the time. Thanks for the advice...I'll add espresso machine maintenance to the list that includes frying bacon.
Sorry for the stainless steel confusion. The part in question is the outside housing (don't know a better word for it) around the grouphead. It's the piece with the red dot on it. On the underside, part of the plating (or whatever you'd call it) has chipped off, near where the PF goes in. I'm not sure about the exact construction of the piece.
I understand the Version 2 Silvia has a plastic group 'shroud', so you are seeing the chrome paint chipped away.
Smoothe2112 Said:
I was quite surprised to see a stream of water coming at me! Luckily I was, indeed, clothed at the time. Thanks for the advice...I'll add espresso machine maintenance to the list that includes frying bacon.
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