I have put up with the embarassment of having a leaky wand for long enough. My Lelit combi started spluttering from the steam wand a week after I bought it and I have considered many different solutions until I came up with what I think is the simplest.
To fix it, remove the valve from the machine (2 screws to take the cover off and a 17mm open ender to remove the split nut from the valve shaft and away you go!).
Get hold of some 6mm diameter heat shrink tube and slip it over the end of the valve all the way to where the thread starts (see pics below).
Cut the heat shrink a bit longer than the end of the valve to allow for a bit of shrinkage and give it a hit with the trusty corretto heat gun until it shrinks to fit.
Cut the end off with a sharp knife and replace the valve. This effectively gives you a washer between the mating surfaces of the needle valve and stops that annoying leakage.
I did this mod a week ago and it seems to have got better over time. Ill keep my fingers crossed that it is a semi permanent fix and post here if it fails. However, if it does start leaking some time down the track, its simply a matter of removing the heat shrink and replacing it - much better than buying a new valve every couple of months.
G.


To fix it, remove the valve from the machine (2 screws to take the cover off and a 17mm open ender to remove the split nut from the valve shaft and away you go!).
Get hold of some 6mm diameter heat shrink tube and slip it over the end of the valve all the way to where the thread starts (see pics below).
Cut the heat shrink a bit longer than the end of the valve to allow for a bit of shrinkage and give it a hit with the trusty corretto heat gun until it shrinks to fit.
Cut the end off with a sharp knife and replace the valve. This effectively gives you a washer between the mating surfaces of the needle valve and stops that annoying leakage.
I did this mod a week ago and it seems to have got better over time. Ill keep my fingers crossed that it is a semi permanent fix and post here if it fails. However, if it does start leaking some time down the track, its simply a matter of removing the heat shrink and replacing it - much better than buying a new valve every couple of months.
G.




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