grumpybarista Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 217 Location: Detroit Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: LP Pub1 Grinder: Mazzer Mini w/ doser, NS... Vac Pot: Yama 5-cup Drip: French Press, aeropress Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012, 8:19am Subject: Pump Issue?
Machine: La Pavoni Pub 1 (heat exchanger; plumbed in water and drain; filtered and softened)
Issue: pump sounds as if not pumping - can't tell if it's not turning (haven't opened it yet). Water pressure shows ~4 bar whether pump runs or not, ie, the brew switch is activated. Water does come out but not at typical pressure. Heating up normally, and steam pressure is okay.
I'm due to open the machine and give it a good cleaning, but this issue came up recently and it seems odd. Not sure if the pump is plugged or burned out...
Any suggestions as to what it could be. As I said, I'll be opening it up soon, anyway, but if you've got an idea what to test for, I do appreciate the advice.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,684 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012, 10:11am Subject: Re: Pump Issue?
It sounds like 4 bar is your line pressure and that the pump isn't working at all. Is this a new thing or has the machine been in storage for a while? It could be electrical but it also may be a stuck pump.
The only way to know is to open her up!
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
chrisbruin Senior Member Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 62 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Astoria Compact CKXE,... Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDUA, la... Drip: teavana pot, french press Roaster: caffe rosto, popcorn popper,...
Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012, 10:41am Subject: Re: Pump Issue?
I just changed the pump on my astoria compact and it was having similar problems. My pump sounded like it was working but it the water flow was real low. There were also times when only steam would come out of the grouphead. I thought It was running hot but instead there no water being pumped through. The water tap was working decently so I kept ruling out the pump but it was the pump. The machine is working great now
grumpybarista Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 217 Location: Detroit Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: LP Pub1 Grinder: Mazzer Mini w/ doser, NS... Vac Pot: Yama 5-cup Drip: French Press, aeropress Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Wed Jun 20, 2012, 12:02pm Subject: Re: Pump Issue?
calblacksmith Said:
It sounds like 4 bar is your line pressure and that the pump isn't working at all. Is this a new thing or has the machine been in storage for a while? It could be electrical but it also may be a stuck pump.
Yes, it's just the line pressure, and it's not jumping up to the typical 9 bar when the brew switch is on. I'd been using it daily for over a year. When I hit the brew switch, however, it does "sound" like the pump wants to work. That is, I can hear it try to pump, but it doesn't sound like normal when it was working and pumping okay. It kind of sounds stuck, as you say.
Time to open it up. Next question: is it possible to "unstuck" a pump? Or am I looking at a new pump?
To be honest, I'm looking forward to this project. I wanted to give it a good acid bath, which I've done before on another machine, and this will now teach me a little more about the pump aspect to the machine.
chrisbruin Senior Member Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 62 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Astoria Compact CKXE,... Grinder: Nuova Simonelli MDUA, la... Drip: teavana pot, french press Roaster: caffe rosto, popcorn popper,...
Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012, 4:15pm Subject: Re: Pump Issue?
I took apart the pump in my machine first and tried to fix it to no avail and then just replaced it. Its the 70 watt fluid-o-tech pump in my machine. I dont see how it can hurt to try and check it out first ....if it doesnt work you still need to buy a new pump.
I think you could unstick it.....there might be scale in there and there are some springs and a ball most likely that could have some obstruction.
grumpybarista Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 217 Location: Detroit Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: LP Pub1 Grinder: Mazzer Mini w/ doser, NS... Vac Pot: Yama 5-cup Drip: French Press, aeropress Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Thu Jun 21, 2012, 7:45pm Subject: Re: Pump Issue?
chrisbruin Said:
I took apart the pump in my machine first and tried to fix it to no avail and then just replaced it. Its the 70 watt fluid-o-tech pump in my machine. I dont see how it can hurt to try and check it out first ....if it doesnt work you still need to buy a new pump.
I think you could unstick it.....there might be scale in there and there are some springs and a ball most likely that could have some obstruction.
Thanks. I'm going to have to wait until next week sometime, but I'm guessing I'll have to replace it, too. But I will look at it first and see what's what.
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