marc1968 Senior Member Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Virginia Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed May 14, 2008, 8:36pm Subject: anyone know about LaSanMarco machines?
Hello people
I have a good deal (I think)for $375 for a 1993 build LaSanMarco single group.
I am thinking of converting over to a manual/semiauto.
See the remote pump in the picture. I think that means it has a rotary pump inside because they need priming. Can someone confirm this???
I am wondering about the LaSanMarco system. I think it heats the water as you pour the shot. This is one of their claims to fame I think. They say keeping water hot for long periods of time wll cause the water to release the oxygen that is dissolved in the water and that makes a bad shot.
I want to use it as a hardcore at home machine.
If it heats up the shot only when you use it it should require little heatup time.
any info on these machines is greatly appreciated.
I think thay have a manual override to pour shot if electronic crap doesnt work. If this is true I will replace the front panel with apiece of stainless and only use the manual override.
Beeb Senior Member Joined: 27 Dec 2007 Posts: 70 Location: Tx Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Your name it, I have it,... Grinder: Faema MPN, Mazzer Super... Drip: Fetco 2031E Extractor
Posted Wed May 14, 2008, 9:36pm Subject: Re: anyone know about LaSanMarco machines?
marc1968, The machine is a heat exchanger machine, if the machine has steam in the boiler, then the water in the heat exchanger (water for the espresso) is hot always regardless of use or no use. The only pump for this machine is the pump outside the machine. This pump generally requires that you plumb this to a water source, although I have seen many people put a water jug at machine level and the pump draw from that. Before you decide to hook the water and power to the machine, you should make sure the pump ( the brass piece that is at the end of the motor) can be turned by hand. If it doesn't, then it is likely that the pump is either bad or is just seized from water setting to long in the pump and has formed mineral deposits. Descaling could be done to salvage the pump if it is not to far gone. As for changing this to a manual / semi auto machine, that would be a little extreme and fairly unnecessary. The touch pads have an * at the far right side, this is your manual pour. Also, on the back splash on the left side as you face the machine, there should also be a red or green manual pour switch. If you decide to make this a Frankenstein, realize that I as a technican would not want to do this because you already have this option on the machine without having to do one bit fabrication. Don't do it, it is more trouble than it is worth.
stefano65 Senior Member Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 638 Location: Eugene OR Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Vibiemme,Elektra,Isomac,... Grinder: Macap,Cunill, Isomac Vac Pot: not Drip: not Roaster: not
Posted Thu May 15, 2008, 5:09am Subject: Re: anyone know about LaSanMarco machines?
I second Mario suggestion to try the pump first an a good descaling the list you can do is open the boiler from the heating element and take a look inside
Micaelo Espresso is the san marco importer and they are in you side of the world ( I believe they are in Seattle) you can get a lot of info from their web page
toots Senior Member Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Posts: 54 Location: belgium Expertise: Professional
Espresso: ... Grinder: Faema MPN
Posted Thu May 15, 2008, 4:40pm Subject: Re: anyone know about LaSanMarco machines?
to override electronic, is very easy, just make a switch which sets the 220v (or 110v in amerika?) to the electrovanne and pumpmotor, and water comes out. The water counter can be left in place... no problem. But mostly this is still working as the water counter is only in touch with cold water and not easy full with scale. If there's a manometer on the machine, check if needles go to +/- 9 bars for pump pressure, and +/-1 bars for boiler pressure. you can check scale buildup by demounting the injector on the grouphead. opening in injector is +/- 0.8mm. If group is not giving water, water counter or injector is full with scale. if you open the heating element for scale check, be sure you have a spare o-ring to refit heating element! ciao good luck, toots in hasselt belgium
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