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  • Low water-flow from groups

    Hi guys, i noticed a rather weird problem today when i fired up the LSM.

    The left group has noticeably less waterflow/pressure than it did yesterday. Now the left was always slightly higher than the right, but never like this.

    I put a single in, and hit the doser for 30ml...just clicked off straight away after only a few drops coming thru.

    So i just made another one in the right group...worked fine.
    Came back 20mins later, and it seemed that the pressure was back in the left group.

    So i ground another single, packed it in fairly tight (updosed a little) and put it into the left group.

    Hit the semi-auto button and instead of it coming out thru the spout, i could hear it coming out thru the group drain pipe like as if i was doing a backflush or ending a shot.

    Then i took the portafilter out and looked in the basket....and there was a perfect imprint of the showerhead...with wet spots where the holes are, but completely dry everywhere else.


    Im guessing it has something to do with either the Solenoid or the 3-way valve...and am starting to think probably the latter.


    Can anyone shed a bit more light on it?


    ...just my luck i just put an order in at coffee parts for my Faema today...i bet its shipped already too. Couldnt have broken yesterday.



    Anyway, thanks in advance guys.

  • #2
    Re: Low water-flow from groups

    Hi Zakal1,

    Id say there is some gunk in the three way valve.... and that is preventing the valve from operating correctly....

    All three way valves Ive seen are pretty much the same construction as the Silvia 3 way valve..... and if you do a search you will find disassembly instructions on the web for servicing the Silvia 3 way....

    It comes apart pretty easily and is a lot cheaper than a replacement if it is just a bit of crud preventing the valve operating correctly. Worth a try!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Low water-flow from groups

      Originally posted by JavaB link=1196936834/0#1 date=1196941966
      Hi Zakal1,

      Id say there is some gunk in the three way valve.... and that is preventing the valve from operating correctly....

      All three way valves Ive seen are pretty much the same construction as the Silvia 3 way valve..... and if you do a search you will find disassembly instructions on the web for servicing the Silvia 3 way....

      It comes apart pretty easily and is a lot cheaper than a replacement if it is just a bit of crud preventing the valve operating correctly. Worth a try!
      hmmm, yeah that sounds like a better option than buying a replacement. hehe.

      Ill pull it out tomorrow and see if its that. It does make sense actually, cos that would explain why its intermittently showing different signs. Gunk sometimes holding that spring open. That could happen by some idiot backflushing while the head is still dirty couldnt it?

      Cos ive recently taught others how to clean and backflush (so i don thave to do it all the time)...maybe theyve got the order mixed up. hehe

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Low water-flow from groups

        Well i pulled it all apart and i cant see too much gunk in there, gave it all a good clean, but it didnt fix the problem.


        I think the spring is sticking and thus the valve getting stuck open.

        Does that suggest a replacement is required? or is there something else i should try?

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Low water-flow from groups

          May be that the solenoid is not working properly, supplying enough magnetism to operate the valve.

          You could try swaping them over to see whether that is the case.

          Did you soak the bits in coffee cleaner? Any signs of wear on the bright metal parts?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Low water-flow from groups

            well the strangest thing, its stopped doing it.

            Just after i pulled it apart, i went on holidays, and when i came back i replaced the group gaskets and gave the shower screen and holder a good clean.

            Now it works fine again. I wonder if maybe pulling it apart dislodged a bit of gunk (but didnt quite remove it) then after a few backflushes it finally broke clear.

            Kind of annoying cos i have a few things to get from CoffeeParts, but dont want to put the order in until i know if im gonna need a new solenoid or 3-way valve.

            Oh well. At least it seems to be working again.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Low water-flow from groups

              Argh, it just did it again.


              Had just loaded in a fairly tightly tamped double shot of African Red Sea Blend (one of my last) and hit the switch....water coming out both from the group and the drain pipe at at the same time.

              So i pulled the filter out, replaced it with a blind and hit the semi-auto button again...this time it built upto pressure and backflushed properly rather than flowing through both at the same time.


              Im thinking of putting an order into Coffeeparts in the next couple of days, what am i going to be more likely to need to replace? The Solenoid? or the 3-way valve?

              Comment

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