Problem with Saeco Via Venezia

[kmrambo]

Hello everyone. My husband and I have searched all over the internet for a dolution to the problem with my Via Venezia. I hope someone here can help or direct me to somewhere the problem has been fixed before. It is too expensive to send it in for repair in relation to the cost of the machine. I have had the machine for 2 years and discovered that replacing the ball and spring, gasket and screen were ideal maintenence. So we did that. Couple weeks later a problem arose. When I turn it on I press in button for steam. As soon as the light indicates that it is ready to steam, the espresso head pours out steam and I can get hardly any pressure to the wand if I turn the knob. We checked the ball and spring as well as trying the old one and another new one. Its not the problem. We have taken apart the boiler and cleaned it out. I descaled again and that is when I noticed that, when it is cold and I am descaling or priming, water comes from both the wand and the head. Is this a seal problem? If so which one? This is driving us insane! Please help. I miss my lattes!
Thanks
K

[shortblackman]

Did you know that when you turn this machine on, you're supposed to open/ turn on the steam wand? (I didn't 'til I saw it on YouTube.) it lets out a stream of water. Do it for about 5 seconds, then let the machine heat up as normal. It fills the boiler I think. And it might help your problem. Maybe it alleviates pressure? i dont know.

it is just one of the quirks of the machine. I just hope that your problem isn't too far gone.

Welcome to CS

[kmrambo]

Thank you for your quick reply! This is what I meant by "priming". However the manual mentions doing this when the machine has been sitting long time or the water was used up. It is to get water into boiler and air out of the line. Without water, the boiler is fragile and will break (the same concept of a water heater element).

As far as this machine, water is flowing just not from the places it should and when it should. When priming it is flowing from the brew had and the wand.

Did you know that when you turn this machine on, you're supposed to open/ turn on the steam wand? (I didn't 'til I saw it on YouTube.) it lets out a stream of water. Do it for about 5 seconds, then let the machine heat up as normal. It fills the boiler I think. And it might help your problem. Maybe it alleviates pressure? i dont know.

it is just one of the quirks of the machine. I just hope that your problem isn't too far gone.

Welcome to CS

[shortblackman]

Ooh, you're out of my depth I'm afraid!!

I got one of these machines without the book, so I didn't know about priming & thought it was a bit of a secret.

Someone on here can help, surely?

[noidle22]

If there is any scale, pitting or any other damage on the seat for the small silicone ball then it will not seal properly.
It is the only thing stopping steam from escaping the boiler when you are trying to steam so the problem lies with it in some way.

The DeLonghi small boiler machines suffer from this problem regularly.

Remove the shower, spring and ball and shine a torch up where the ball seats, see if you notice any damage. You can get some fine grade sandpaper (1000-1200 grit) and work it up there and sand the ball seat, this can sometimes fix the problem.

Another alternative, if the seat is clean and the ball is in good shape, is to lightly stretch the spring. This will apply more force to the ball thus allow the boiler to maintain a higher pressure.
Only do this very lightly as to not deform the spring too much.