La Pavoni pressure too high or safety valve venting
Most likely cause
On a machine with a pressurestat, steam from the safety valve or a gauge past 1 bar means the pressure switch is out of range or the valve spring is stuck. La Pavoni's manual sends both to a service centre. Older pre-pressurestat machines hiss at the valve by design.
Parts differ by generation. Not sure which you have? Check in two minutes.
How pressure is controlled
Machines from about 1990 on (Europiccola) and from 1977 (Professional) use a pressurestat, a pressure switch that turns the element on and off to hold the boiler in range, according to Francesco Ceccarelli’s history. La Pavoni’s manual says the switch light cycling on and off is normal for this reason. The current parts list shows the pressurestat as a 0.5 to 1.2 bar part.
Older machines used a two-position heating switch instead. A vintage manual tells owners to let steam whistle from the safety valve for about 60 seconds, then switch to the low setting. On those machines, hissing at temperature is normal.
Symptoms and causes
La Pavoni’s manual covers two cases:
- The safety valve whistles and steam escapes from the valve or the drip area. Causes: the safety valve spring is blocked, or the pressure switch is not working within its range.
- The coffee is too hot. Cause: the pressure switch is not working within the required range.
For both, La Pavoni’s manual says to contact a service centre. On a Professional, the US manual says the gauge should top out at 0.7 or 0.8 bar and never pass 1 bar.
What not to do
Do not adjust or block the safety valve. It is the last protection against an over-pressured boiler. If the pressure runs high, unplug the machine and send a repair request.
Parts for this job
MacMaxe 0 to 2.5 bar replacement gauge
Listed for: Replacement for La Pavoni gauge parts 453040 and 349045
A faulty gauge can look like a pressure problem. Compare against your original.
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Related
Questions owners ask
What should the gauge read?
The US Professional manual says the gauge should top out at 0.7 or 0.8 bar and never go past 1 bar.
Is a little water from the safety valve at first heat normal?
Yes. The older US Europiccola manual says some water may come out of the safety valve and this is normal.
Can I fit a stronger spring in the safety valve?
No. An owner on Home-Barista describes a machine where a previous owner fitted a heavy spring in the relief valve, raising pressure and heat until it forced leaks. The safety valve is a safety device.
Sources
La Pavoni manuals, parts lists and product pages; European Gift and Houseware, the US importer, and its US manuals; Older US La Pavoni manuals; Francesco Ceccarelli, La Pavoni history; Home-Barista owner forum.