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Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

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  • Yelta
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Removing the shower screen and cleaning it and the dispersion disc  was part of my weekly cleaning regime when I owned a Silvia, youd be surprised just how much gunk builds up in the area.

    Leave a comment:


  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 5F445B49514C5F573E0 link=1327195828/44#44 date=1328941118
    I put rocky back together and did a zero grind, gave silvia a hug lock and viola she choked without any leakage! (Sounds abusive but, Wohoo!)
    Ah! Yes - my Rocky needed similar treatment... I was working on the theory that it all worked and then started to misbehave!

    Originally posted by 5F445B49514C5F573E0 link=1327195828/44#44 date=1328941118
    Thanks for your help guys, I dont think Id be able to find out whats wrong without your help. On a side note, I seem to see water coming out from the lug entry points when I turn on the brew head without a portafilter in place. I was just expecting a straight downward flow from the shower screen but weirdly enough theres water coming down from that bit too.
    Sounds like there is water spraying sideways. I dont have my Silvia anymore so I cant check - but the showerscreen has a lip which should prevent any sideways throw. Maybe drop the screen and look to see how it comes out of the dispersion disk? (which would mean putting the screw back just to hold the brass disk, but you knew that anyway...!). I dont remember mine doing anything except a vertical drip.

    Glad it is all back on track!

    Cheers
    /Kevin

    Leave a comment:


  • azeworai
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 1A1B1C510 link=1327195828/42#42 date=1328851391
    So hows the leak??  I have to say I always did what youve christened the "hug lock" with mine    Otherwise it just slid sideways on the countertop!
    The hug lock works well to combat the leaks! So it must just be a really hard seal. I find that i really just have to lock it either to the point where Ive marked or a little further to prevent leaks.

    I think have also figured out what was wrong with my fast flowing pulls. Before today, I tried the finest setting on my rocky and it still was flowing 70ml/10 seconds no matter how hard I tamped. So I figured maybe my rocky needs some maintenance.

    I took apart my rocky last night, cleaned it out (using a brush, toothpicks and a hand air pump). I also removed the top burr and teflon taped the threads(3 rounds), found zero (which is -5 on the dial so I marked it with a Permanent Marker as a reference). I also removed the safety screw that prevents the burrs from going beyond zero. At the same time, I put some paper and tape on the doser fins to try and get a clean sweep going(works quite well).

    I put rocky back together and did a zero grind, gave silvia a hug lock and viola she choked without any leakage! (Sounds abusive but, Wohoo!) ;D

    I then slowly increased the grind and tamping with my weight (to keep it consistent) and found that at zero + 6 I achieved a sweet 25 second 70ml pull with Vellaneros Designer Blend!

    Thanks for your help guys, I dont think Id be able to find out whats wrong without your help. On a side note, I seem to see water coming out from the lug entry points when I turn on the brew head without a portafilter in place. I was just expecting a straight downward flow from the shower screen but weirdly enough theres water coming down from that bit too.

    For the moment Im not too fussed about it, but it might just mean my shower screen needs to be replaced.

    Leave a comment:


  • Yelta
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 0405024F0 link=1327195828/42#42 date=1328851391
    I have to say I always did what youve christened the "hug lock" with mine Roll Eyes Otherwise it just slid sideways on the countertop!
    Same with me when I had a Silvia, my feeling is that the seals are a little on the hard side, regardless, it served me well for many years, an excellent machine for the price.

    Leave a comment:


  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 312A35273F223139500 link=1327195828/41#41 date=1328706987
    Ive received my fitted pullman tamper + a ridgeless vst today. I tried it out on 2 cups of decaf tonight, I realised I can lock it to my marked spot without much hugging today, maybe the manhandling it yesterday has seasoned it or my silvia just likes this basket more.
    I found that I really preferred the taste from the VST in the Silvia compared to the LM basket I had in it. Quite a noticeable difference - more so than the Expobar shows.

    So hows the leak?? I have to say I always did what youve christened the "hug lock" with mine : Otherwise it just slid sideways on the countertop!

    /Kevin

    Leave a comment:


  • azeworai
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Ok Kevin, I think Im quite happy with the lower profile for now so I may do what youve suggested after I tweak the pressure.

    Ive received my fitted pullman tamper + a ridgeless vst today. I tried it out on 2 cups of decaf tonight, I realised I can lock it to my marked spot without much hugging today, maybe the manhandling it yesterday has seasoned it or my silvia just likes this basket more.


    Leave a comment:


  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 253E21332B36252D440 link=1327195828/39#39 date=1328669687
    Thanks for sending me the screws Kevin, I have received the screws well and it seems to fit well, although it is not completely flush but definitely lower profile than the original screw. Is it supposed to be like that or when you said it should smish I should actually keep screwing it in until it is flush+ the screen smished?
    No probs - glad to help out.

    Dont use the 400lb gorilla technique - youre screwing that M5 screw into an (expensive) piece of brass. If it isnt flush enough - a small amount of "encouragement" might be needed with a piece of wood and a hammer. You need to make a dent in the wood to accomodate the showerscreen bump and then use a former (I sent two screws for this reason!). A couple of whacks with a hammer should form the stainless into a shape that is compatible with the screw.

    A piece of wood - a countersink bit to make the dent in the wood and a ball pein hammer and a good sharp (and accurate) whack. (maybe use a pin punch to make sure you dont make a dent somewhere in the showerscreen :)

    I did that with mine, but really needed to do it some more. In the end I couldnt be bothered because it was "flat enough". Certainly compared to the original!

    Cheers
    /Kevin

    Leave a comment:


  • azeworai
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 6C6D6A270 link=1327195828/32#32 date=1328582989
    PS: About the screw - I forgot to mention it is a socket head (allen key) - it will also be a metric key .
    Thanks for sending me the screws Kevin, I have received the screws well and it seems to fit well, although it is not completely flush but definitely lower profile than the original screw. Is it supposed to be like that or when you said it should smish I should actually keep screwing it in until it is flush+ the screen smished?

    Leave a comment:


  • azeworai
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Notes on Descaling
    1) the steam knob turns way smoother now.
    2) During the descale, I thought of closing the steam/water knob whilst im pumping water to sort of force the descaler through the opv back into the water tank. Greyish water came out and back into the tank as I thought Id see.
    3) I tried to do the same with a blind filter locked as per normal (gentle tug) and it leaked from the group head without returning water to the tank. Locked in harder and the leakage got lesser.
    4) Manhandled the lock and pulled it to about a 5 oclock position (literally had to hug my Silvia to lock that deep). Surprise surprise, it didnt leak and greyish water is returning back into the water tank!
    5) I marked the spot where my handle is at on my grouphead with a marker.
    6) It is very hard to unlock the portafilter with it locked so deeply (had to hug Silvia to get it off).
    7) Ran through about 7 litres of filtered water to clean out the insides.

    Notes on the Backflush after
    1) Locking in the portafilter at the point i marked but it still leaked so I locked it in harder.
    2) Other than that, backflush was normal

    Notes Making 2 shot after the clean
    1) Hug Locked the portafilter, a small leak from the lug entry area but slow flow
    2) Hug Locked the portafilter again trying to go past the marked spot, no leak but flow was fast.

    Leave a comment:


  • saoye
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 4C57485A425F4C442D0 link=1327195828/36#36 date=1328593277
    I think it did, maybe I have been too gentle with locking in the portafilter after I put in a new seal? Im quite paranoid since the last time I locked it in hard it seemed to leak even more (on the old seal).

    Time to test locking it in hard! Ill try it out tonight when Im backflushing and cleaning the machine.
    I played around with the Silvia at my friends house and the portafilter was definitely tighter to lock in than on my Giotto. It is the same with my Lelit where I find it is quite tight, but in order to give it a complete seal I do have to hold the side of the machine and force the portafilter a little. (dont be crazy and wrench at the thing though!)
    Work out the full lock position and then do the rice test method...otherwise its not going to work. I think it may be that your old gasket was already cracked and when you locked the portafilter in hard it opened those cracks up more and hence more leaking, but with a new gasket this should not be the case.

    Leave a comment:


  • azeworai
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 5446485E42270 link=1327195828/34#34 date=1328588784
    the rice check wont give you any dosage information other than reference point for your tamper and only at the point where the portafilter is fully locked into the grouphead.  Sounds like youre not locking in the portafilter fully.
    Thanks for that Saoye, btw i saw your youtube video ;D

    Originally posted by 7E424B5346270 link=1327195828/35#35 date=1328592123
    Did this slow the leak? I always found the Silvia seals to be quite hard and the PF needed to be locked in very firmly to get a complete seal.
    I think it did, maybe I have been too gentle with locking in the portafilter after I put in a new seal? Im quite paranoid since the last time I locked it in hard it seemed to leak even more (on the old seal).

    Time to test locking it in hard! Ill try it out tonight when Im backflushing and cleaning the machine.

    Leave a comment:


  • Yelta
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 28332C3E263B2820490 link=1327195828/33#33 date=1328588215
    I have tried holding the group head handle
    Did this slow the leak? I always found the Silvia seals to be quite hard and the PF needed to be locked in very firmly to get a complete seal.

    Leave a comment:


  • saoye
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 78637C6E766B7870190 link=1327195828/33#33 date=1328588215
    Can I use the rice trick to try and get the optimum dose/lock position?
    Hi JWL,

    the rice check wont give you any dosage information other than reference point for your tamper and only at the point where the portafilter is fully locked into the grouphead. Sounds like youre not locking in the portafilter fully.

    Leave a comment:


  • azeworai
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    I have tried holding the group head handle and dosing it with a curved finger instead of a flat edge and today I managed to get just above 70ml in 25 seconds + the standard preinfusion time.

    I did however still have some leakage around the portafilter basket but i moved my measuring cup away from it as much as possible.

    Im tempted to lock it further to the right to see if itll totally stop the leakage. (Theres no red dot telling me where to stop). I generally stop locking it to the right when it feels like it is in place.

    Can I use the rice trick to try and get the optimum dose/lock position?

    Im waiting for a new basket and tamper from Pullman so Im hoping thatll help.

    Leave a comment:


  • KJM
    replied
    Re: Help! Silvia Leaking Grouphead Seal?

    Originally posted by 47626362525A64616160687F0D0 link=1327195828/31#31 date=1328553528
    Hi JWL sorry to here you having so much trouble. Ive dug up an old post which may be relevant to you. If one of the more knowledgeable guys could confirm that this works, here is a link on how to test your machines pressure without a gauge,
    http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1143622054
    well, yes, there is a nice relationship between flow and pressure. But that technique wont work in this case because there is a leak of some kind. Youd need to catch all the water (that returned to the drip tray, plus all the leakage..) and as long as the leakage wasnt so great that it lowered the pressure below 9bar then this would work.

    The problem is that if you get (say) 300ml out of it you cant differentiate the two outcomes: pressure too low -OR- too much leakage.

    Originally posted by 6C77687A627F6C640D0 link=1327195828/30#30 date=1328529426
    About the OPV pressure, Ive popped some money into Mr Pullmans account to be next in line for the pressure gauge. Once I get my hands on it Ill be albe to tell for sure if my OPV is giving me too much pressure.
    Same problem with this - you need to stop the leak before you can do this. The greater the flow, the less pressure youll read. At the pumps max flow rate - youll read exactly zero for example.

    /Kevin

    PS: About the screw - I forgot to mention it is a socket head (allen key) - it will also be a metric key .

    Leave a comment:

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