noobie Senior Member Joined: 29 Jul 2011 Posts: 66 Location: Kuwait Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sat Jan 21, 2012, 7:56am Subject: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
Hi, I just bought the machine like last September and now it won't heat up and won't steam. I think I broke it but not sure how as I've been pretty careful with it and following these instructions on how to operate it: Click Here (www.brownbean.com)
So since being in Kuwait there is no hope for getting it fixed anywhere should I just throw it and buy a new one, yeesh. This is painful lol.
Posted Sat Jan 21, 2012, 8:47am Subject: Re: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
- Unplug machine - Remove reservoir - Remove metal top cup warmer (4 screws on top) - On boiler there is a round thermostat with a little red button. Push button in until it clicks. If that solved it, be sure that boiler is always refilled after steaming and before shutting down.
Posted Sat Jan 21, 2012, 10:06am Subject: Re: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
There is no "fix" for a burned out heating element. The only way is to replace the boiler (the top half into which the heating element is welded). This involves removing the water fittings and the thermostats, removing the socket-head screws which hold the boiler onto the group (seen when looking down inside the machine) and removing the boiler. Be sure to also get a new gasket.
JGG Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 1,343 Location: Kentucky, US Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: PID Silvia; PID Alexia Grinder: Mazzer Mini E (A), SJ; Rocky... Roaster: Hottop D w/PID; Thermometric...
Posted Sat Jan 21, 2012, 11:12am Subject: Re: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
Since replacing the boiler/heater is an expensive repair, I'd check the element resistance directly with a multi-meter to confirm the diagnosis.
Unplug the machine again and remove the reservoir and cover ala Randy's previous instructions. Locate the two terminals (they will be obvious) for the heating element on the top of the boiler. Slide/pull the connectors off both terminals. Grasp connector bodies while you do this, not the wires themselves.
Put your meter in ohms mode (probably has a Greek omega symbol on the dial) and set it to a 100-ohm or 200-ohm range. While the machine is still unplugged, measure the resistance across the heater terminals.
If the element is good, you should get a reading of 15 to 20 ohms. Any reading that is much higher than that, or an indication of "OL" on the meter, would confirm that the element is shot.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,685 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Mon Jan 23, 2012, 10:09am Subject: Re: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
I bought a dead Silvia and replaced the boiler and element, check to see if you need to do the same. It is a fairly easy repair esp. if all you are doing is replacing the boiler top half but my thread will show you what is inside the machine and what everything looks like.
If you order the part once you get it, the repair will only take a couple of hours and a few hand tools.
Thanks for your willingness to serve our country. Come home safe.
noobie Senior Member Joined: 29 Jul 2011 Posts: 66 Location: Kuwait Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Jan 23, 2012, 10:15am Subject: Re: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
Thank you everyone for your inputs. I contacted the company that sold me this and after a few testing I think I need to replace the boiler. I found the part on a UK website for 75 pounds so that's ok I guess.
PS. to calblacksmith, I am actually Kuwaiti not an American Soldier :)
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,685 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Mon Jan 23, 2012, 10:32am Subject: Re: Rancilio Silvia V3 Dead as Cold.
LOL, I'm sorry, I guess that is what I get for ASSuming LOL! That is my thinking due to my son being in the service so my thoughts naturally went that way.
Even more, enjoy your machine, the rebuild is not hard :D
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 