hipyogacat Senior Member Joined: 9 Aug 2012 Posts: 12 Location: Milwaukee Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Aug 12, 2012, 11:50am Subject: Silvia PID overheating boiler
On Wednesday, I got a brand new Silvia with PID installed by Seattle Coffee Gear. After a bit of a hiccup, I got everything up and going well. I've been brewing good espresso since Friday.
Today, day 5 since it arrived, I turned the machine on and waited the requisite 30 minutes. I was doing other tasks when the machine started making sputtering/hissing sounds and the PID listed the temp as 350°F! I turned it off and tried again after a few minutes. The temperature when I turned it back on was 215°F and declined degree by degree for 10 minutes until I gave up and turned it off.
The reason it is not heating now is probably the result of tripping the safety thermostat. To reset:
Turn off and UNPLUG the machine
Lift the tubes out of the water reservoir and remove the water reservoir
Remove the stainless steel top
Look for a thimble-sized thermostat on the front of the boiler, near (but not on) the top of the boiler
Press the small red button in until it clicks
There are two things that might explain why it overheated to begin with. First, the programming in the PID might have become corrupted. Second, the SSR may have failed.
To determine if the SSR has failed, watch the large orange bulb next to the master switch when you turn on the machine. If the orange light turns on immediately, i.e., without any delay, then the SSR has probably failed. Normal behavior with most PID systems is there is a second or so lag between flipping the master switch and the light coming on.
Posted Sun Aug 12, 2012, 3:16pm Subject: Re: Silvia PID overheating boiler
Before using the machine again, be sure you've primed the boiler (i.e., refilled the boiler with water). If you forgot to prime it before, then that could have caused the overheating problem. The Silvia's instruction manual has the directions. I would also recommend contacting SCG for help.
hipyogacat Senior Member Joined: 9 Aug 2012 Posts: 12 Location: Milwaukee Expertise: Just starting
Posted Sun Aug 12, 2012, 5:19pm Subject: Re: Silvia PID overheating boiler
Thank you, thank you! This did get it restarted and your directions were concise and easy to follow. There was a lag between the orange light and my flipping the switch so it doesn't look like the SSR is at fault.
WRT priming, I did prime when I first got the machine but will do so again. I will also be touch with SCG tomorrow regarding the overheating.
Posted Sun Aug 12, 2012, 5:46pm Subject: Re: Silvia PID overheating boiler
You need to prime the boiler after each use. Single boiler machines like the Silvia don't autofill, so you have to refill the boiler manually. It's an easy procedure once you get used to it. I had a Silvia with a PID for several years and they're great machines. You'll get good results once you get over the learning curve.
Ah, good to know. I read the owner's manual and didn't see that in there. Then again, the manual did seem very incomplete and warned strongly against operating the machine while "irrationale."
I primed the pump before brewing. The PID showed the water temperature holding steady at 219. I brewed w/o problems. Then, when I turned on the steam button, the temperature went up over 300 again, at which point I just shut off the machine. I will be calling SCG this morning for further inquiry.
I know I said it before but I'd like to reiterate just how much I appreciate the help from both of you. It's helped me narrow down what the problem might be and possibly avoid future problems because I now know to prime the pump every time. Merci, merci, merci.
You shouldn't need to prime the pump every time you turn the machine on. Only if you've run it on an empty reservoir, or if you've released a significant amount of steam from the boiler. The boiler is filled during brewing, and during normal steaming for a couple of drinks you shouldn't be releasing that much water.
I've only need to prime my Gaggia SBDU twice in 6 years, and that was when I first got it, and after shipping it to the US with 2 months of storage.
LIKELY CAUSES: If it is a dual-setpoint PID then it has an incorrect steam temperature setting. If it is a single setpoint PID then the steam thermostat needs to be replaced. - or - The boiler is not remaining filled during use (leaking pressure relief valve, steam valve, fitting, 3-way, or?) or the boiler is not being refilled by you.
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