ethom Senior Member Joined: 24 Nov 2012 Posts: 63 Location: Pittsburgh Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: NS Oscar, Silvia broken :o( Grinder: Vario Drip: Bosch
Posted Sun Dec 9, 2012, 12:58pm Subject: Re: Silvia making awful noise
I did fill the boiler according to user manual instructions and suggestions here and was always aware that the boiler needed to stay filled. The machine pulled about 15 shots, steamed half a dozen pitchers of milk, was back flushed, descaled, the full gamut all without incident. There was no problem until I moved her and used another outlet. if you read the early posts of this thread, you'll get the full story.
Posted Sun Dec 9, 2012, 1:29pm Subject: Re: Silvia making awful noise
Frying the boiler from running it without water would NOT cause the pump to sound odd. The two are not related.
As mentioned presiouslty, there are just a few possibilities: 1 - The pump's diode is burnt out, shorted, and the pump's function has turned from half-phase, AC electromagnet to a personal pleasure device (vibrator). 2 - The inlet hose to the pump is kinked or crimped which will not allow water to flow TO the pump 3 - There is a clog or loose scale in the boiler which is clogging the outlet to the group. 4 - I just re-read the original post. You said, "The hot water switch brings the normal hum and water flows from the wand." Hot water is pumped out through the TOP of the boiler. Brew water is pumped through a smaller opening iirc. This would verify #3 above, and explain why hot water works but brew does not. Try this: Turn on the brew cycle, but open the hot water valve. If the pump is functioning then hot water will flow just as if you turned on the hot water switch.
4a - During the #4 test (brew cycle on and hot water valve open), if the sound of the pump is normal then there is a clog inside the boiler or in the brew path from the boiler to the group 4b - If the sound is rattling (not normal) then the 3-way solenoid is likely the problem and that is where the noise is coming from.
there are other possibilities, but these are most likely.
JGG Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 1,343 Location: Kentucky, US Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: PID Silvia; PID Alexia Grinder: Mazzer Mini E (A), SJ; Rocky... Roaster: Hottop D w/PID; Thermometric...
Posted Sun Dec 9, 2012, 7:17pm Subject: Re: Silvia making awful noise
ethom Said:
Here is the electrical tester result. Not sure how well you can see the photo, but hot and neutral are reversed. This condition has never caused trouble with any other device or machine on the outlet, e.g. grinders, drip coffee, small pump espresso, lamps.
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