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Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

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  • Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)



    My "Lady" seems to be purging more water (prior to steaming) than normal but only afer i pull a shot.  

    i seem to be getting bit more water on the purge once "steam button" has been pressed, i always wait for the green light before steaming
    its about 70-80ml

    if i try to repeat by only doing a "no shot" test run
    eg
    fill boiler
    press steam
    wait for green light
    i only get the "normal" 20ml (ish)

    any thoughts ?

    steam might seem a bit slow at start but then kicks in as normal, not sure if i am just looking harder now....

    it sort of crossed my mind that the element may be lacking some power (sort of)?? Shots seem the same.




    steps i normally take
    fill boiler using open steam wand / water button (#note a Lady has a "water" button)
    turn on power (element)
    heat up
    run a flush shot
    fill / tamp coffee
    run coffee shot
    quick clean and flush group head
    press steam button
    wait for "green light"
    purge water steam milk
    press "steam button" again when green light goes out to keep steaming
    pour milk
    clean wand
    refill boiler using open wand / water button
    next shot or power down

  • #2
    Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

    Hi Maheel,

    I dont know this machine particularly but any change indicates a change somewhere--Duh-oh. :P

    Your process looks pretty good.

    Most single boiler machines do better steam if you do the milk just before the heater turns off ("green light"?) and the pressure starts to drop, so Im not sure what pressing the steam button again to turn on the light does. Does Lady heat only once for steam and then turn the heater permanently off from steaming when pressure is reached?

    i hope someone with real experience on this machine can add more.

    Greg

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

      We just bought one of these off trade me and are having a similar issue. There doesnt appear to be enough pressure to stretch the milk properly - it runs out of steam (so to speak) very quickly! We need to push the steam button 5 or so times and even then it seems to be watering down the milk and producing only a few macro bubbles...I take it these machines are usually pretty good and ours shouldnt be doing this? Tempted just to go back to the La Pavoni manual pump machine - much better coffee from that so far!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

        pressing the button more than once is normal for this model. the "steam" button is on a timer and when the light above the 4 buttons goes out i normally press steam again. This keeps the element ON

        does yours have the green light like in the above pic?

        when i am getting close to the right milk temp i dont press again (you sort of get used to timing the steam button) as it still steams a while after the button goes out

        How much milk you steaming at once?

        you (I) can do 2 cups but any more would push it i think (imo)

        my extra water on purge is intermittent and does not effect real performance as long as i "Purge" till steam.

        once i hit the button again after first press steam comes on very strong. I think it may be due to having the boiler "full" on first press and then after you purge you make some space for "more steam" but NFI really.......

        make sure the steam wand is clean inside, i gave my machine a backflush and soaked the wand head in a cup of cleaner last night
        seamed to improve performance today

        yours may need a descale as well?

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

          Originally posted by 68646D606069050 link=1245906970/3#3 date=1246923289
          pressing the button more than once is normal for this model. the "steam" button is on a timer and when the light above the 4 buttons goes out i normally press steam again. This keeps the element ON

          does yours have the green light like in the above pic?

          when i am getting close to the right milk temp i dont press again (you sort of get used to timing the steam button) as it still steams a while after the button goes out

          How much milk you steaming at once?

          you (I) can do 2 cups but any more would push it i think (imo)

          my extra water on purge is intermittent and does not effect real performance as long as i "Purge" till steam.

          once i hit the button again after first press steam comes on very strong. I think it may be due to having the boiler "full" on first press and then after you purge you make some space for "more steam" but NFI really.......

          make sure the steam wand is clean inside, i gave my machine a backflush and soaked the wand head in a cup of cleaner last night  
          seamed to improve performance today

          yours may need a descale as well?
          Thanks for that....will persevere. Got a copy of the manual this morning e-mailed from Brasilia.

          Probably does need a descale so will put that on the list.
          Will have another go at getting the milk frothed - we probably do about 1/2-1cup of milk at a guess? I kept pushing the button yesterday and it still seemed to run out of steam.

          How do you purge? (gee, I really am a green bean huh?)

          Cleaned the wand yesterday - seems that the screw on attachment is quite long.

          Also, the handle from the group is not sitting right IMO - instead of sticking right out at you as in the pic, its turning arond a lot further to the right - will this be the seals? And should there be a stopper? Sorry about all the questions and thanks so much for the help

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

            when i say 1 cup of milk i mean enough for my latte, i did two cups this morning but it took a while, i prefer to do 1 cup of milk at a time for better foam.

            by purging water i mean this
            press steam button
            wait for green light (above 4 buttons sign)
            put a spare cup under steam wand
            open steam wand to drain any off water until only steam is coming out

            then i
            close steam wand, and put milk jug under and steam milk
            press steam button when green light goes out to keep steaming
            press again if needed
            complete milk
            close steam
            clean wand
            put spare cup back again, open steam and press "water" button to refill boiler (bottom left button)

            hope that helps, i think its a great little machine and makes a very nice coffee

            ps. i have sent you a PM with my email, could you send me a copy of the owners manual as i dont have one but would like one please

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

              as for group handle mine turns about another ten deg further than that pic to lock in very tight, but i will be ordering some parts for my project soon and will get another group seal then for the Lady.

              imo its not to far yet but cheap fix, the new one may also need that extra 10 deg as the current seal is (seems) very new.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

                Originally posted by 6468616C6C65090 link=1245906970/6#6 date=1247009603
                as for group handle mine turns about another ten deg further than that pic to lock in very tight, but i will be ordering some parts for my project soon and will get another group seal then for the Lady.

                imo its not to far yet but cheap fix, the new one may also need that extra 10  deg as the current seal is (seems) very new.

                Far out - I think ours turns about another 45degrees+ from where it sits in the pic above.
                Spent the day cleaning out the steel (?) piece that you unscrew with the brass (?) plate bit and got a pin and cleaned out every one of the bloody holes - hopefully we wont have the same pinholing problem.

                Still cant get a decent foam - managed to work out how to get the steam to keep on coming - thanks - and get the milk up to temp but just cant seem to get a good foam.

                Another Q (sorry to OP for the threadjack) but is there meant to be something sitting between the brass plate and steel filter plate like a rubber seal? Nothing there on ours but doesnt seem to sit very snug. :-/

                Have e-mailed you the manual Maheel.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

                  Originally posted by 01092E2A2573794B0 link=1245906970/7#7 date=1247027921
                  Originally posted by 6468616C6C65090 link=1245906970/6#6 date=1247009603
                  as for group handle mine turns about another ten deg further than that pic to lock in very tight, but i will be ordering some parts for my project soon and will get another group seal then for the Lady.

                  imo its not to far yet but cheap fix, the new one may also need that extra 10  deg as the current seal is (seems) very new.  

                  Far out - I think ours turns about another 45degrees+ from where it sits in the pic above.
                  Spent the day cleaning out the steel (?) piece that you unscrew with the brass (?) plate bit and got a pin and cleaned out every one of the bloody holes - hopefully we wont have the same pinholing problem.

                  Still cant get a decent foam - managed to work out how to get the steam to keep on coming - thanks - and get the milk up to temp but just cant seem to get a good foam.

                  Another Q (sorry to OP for the threadjack) but is there meant to be something sitting between the brass plate and steel filter plate like a rubber seal?  Nothing there on ours but doesnt seem to sit very snug. :-/

                  Have e-mailed you the manual Maheel.
                  nah good to keep the topic here and going i reckon, lady owners can find it easy then

                  45 deg might mean a new group head gasket for you, sponsor <----- coffeeparts has them and a few drawings on them for reference in the parts section i have seen spacers in other machines but not sure how they work?

                  i am sure there is nothing but the 2 brass bits you talk about in the group head (apart from the gasket) in mine.
                  i remember taking the screw out for the shower screen and the whole lot came out.... :-? and thinking the same.
                  went back ok so....?

                  mine needs another clean so might pull it apart on the weekend and have another look (will take pics)

                  does yours have the little green light like in the top pic, thats how i "steam surf" i know there is a few models but not sure if they all have the light?

                  yeah microfoam...... does it exist ?....lol :
                  but i can get pretty good foam, not latte art stuff but nice i reckon

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Brasilia Lady steam issue (extra water on purge)

                    yeah, Id say its 45deg and then some!

                    I only got one brass bit out after the "shower screen" I guess if thats what the visible bit is when its all screwed in? However - it did look like there was a rubber ring between the outer part of it and the flat piece on one side - the side the faces up into the machine. We pulled out the rubber ring too the goes in before the brass piece but not sure where the gasket is....if you pull yours apart pics would be great help thanks.

                    Oh yeah, ours does have the green light too but holding the steam button in doesnt seem to make a difference - seems to have a switch that turns on when you push the steam button.

                    We can get a pretty good foam from the La Pavoni and really want a machine that does the whole shebang well - shot, crema, steamed milk and foam - hoping we can coax the "Lady" into helping us acheive that!

                    Comment

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