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Date: 06 Aug 2006 14:10:56
From: Ian Smith
Subject: dead Silvia - no water from brewhead
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My Silvia (18 months old) has partly expired, and I'm hoping for
enough assistance to fix it.
From first thing this morning the three-way valve was a bit flaky -
when running the shot, the valve went ping (sounded a bit like a
ping-ball-machine buffer). After three or four shots with an
occasional ping, I did some back-flushing. Two sets of back-flushing
and it was still pinging occasionally. I then ran a double shot and
it started to do rapid machine-gunning noises. A second shot was back
to one or two pings. The third shot ... didn't happen, because no
water comes out of the head.
Temperature behaviour is all as expected (Silvia has PID).
Steam works as expected.
Water switch works as expected.
Coffee switch runs the pump, but it just behaves like the water switch
- no water out of the brew-head, just pressurising the boiler, so if I
open the tap I get hot water from the nozzle.
I've opened it up. All connectors are in place - I've removed and
re-seated all three on the solenoid and the coffee switch. I've
wiggled the connectors on the water switch. No change.
I've put a multimeter on the switch connectors for both water and
steam switches, and they seem to be switching properly.
I'm loathe to poke probes around inside with the mains connected.
I'm thinking jammed solenoid / valve, but I'm willing to hear other
suggestions. If jammed, do I take it out, dismantle and clean, or do
I replace? In either case, how does the valve / solenoid come out?
If it needs a replacement, does anyone know a parts source that's easy
to deal with from the UK?
Thanks for any assistance.
regards, Ian SMith
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 08:38:04
From: Randy G.
Subject: Re: dead Silvia - no water from brewhead
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Ian Smith <ian@astounding.org.uk > wrote:
>My Silvia (18 months old) has partly expired, and I'm hoping for
>enough assistance to fix it.
>
>From first thing this morning the three-way valve was a bit flaky -
>when running the shot, the valve went ping (sounded a bit like a
>ping-ball-machine buffer). After three or four shots with an
>occasional ping, I did some back-flushing. Two sets of back-flushing
>and it was still pinging occasionally. I then ran a double shot and
>it started to do rapid machine-gunning noises. A second shot was back
>to one or two pings. The third shot ... didn't happen, because no
>water comes out of the head.
>
On my website, if you take a look at this diagrammatic layout of the
wiring of a Silvia in brew mode:
http://home.surewest.net/frcn/Coffee/Silvia/SilviaBrewing.html
you will see that the wire/switch connection that activates the pump
also activates the 3-way valve (makes sense, no?). Since the pump is
working properly it means that the switch is sending sufficient
current that it should operate the 3-way without problem. If the wire
from the switch to the 3-way is OK (not broken along its path
internally or damaged at one of the connectors) it sounds like it is
the 3-way itself.
First step (because it doesn't cost anything) would be disassembly
and cleaning of the 3-way- see:
http://member.newsguy.com/~jenkins/silvia/
More info on the 3-way at:
http://home.surewest.net/frcn/Coffee/3way/intro.html
Odds are it is the electromagnet coil portion of the 3-way,
particularly as young as the machine is. There is a diode in there
that is probably failed/failing or there is a fault in the coil
itself.
Randy "probably" G.
http://www.EspressoMyEspresso.com
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 19:14:55
From: Ian Smith
Subject: Re: dead Silvia - no water from brewhead
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On Sun, 06 Aug 2006, Randy G <frcn@DESPAMMOcncnet.com > wrote:
> Ian Smith <ian@astounding.org.uk> wrote:
>
> >My Silvia (18 months old) has partly expired, and I'm hoping for
> >enough assistance to fix it.
> >
> On my website, if you take a look at this diagrammatic layout of the
> wiring of a Silvia in brew mode:
Yes, I'd read the schematic in the manual, which was why I'd checked
the switches were doing as they ought.
> Odds are it is the electromagnet coil portion of the 3-way,
> particularly as young as the machine is. There is a diode in there
> that is probably failed/failing or there is a fault in the coil
> itself.
That was my feeling, but I hoped someone else would diagnose something
easy to fix with a wipe of a cloth, or something.
I've followed the photographic sequence, and extracted my coil. I
find it has in excess of 20 MegOhms resistance (that's as high as my
handheld meter goes, and I can't be bothered to use anything better)
to current in both directions. So, coil it is.
Question now is - anyone know a spares supplier in the UK, or in the
EC and UK-purchaser-friendly....?
regards, Ian SMith
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Date: 06 Aug 2006 23:05:03
From:
Subject: Re: dead Silvia - no water from brewhead
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A Parker ZB09 coil is a good substitute for the standard one, and pretty
widely available.
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Alan
alanfrew@coffeeco.com.au
www.coffeeco.com.au
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Date: 11 Aug 2006 18:29:12
From: Ian Smith
Subject: Re: dead Silvia - no water from brewhead
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On Sun, 06 Aug 2006, <alanfrew@coffeeco.com.au > wrote:
> A Parker ZB09 coil is a good substitute for the standard one, and pretty
> widely available.
Thanks for the advice.
In the end, I found a different valve with the same (KP 07) coil, and
having bought, cannibalised and installed that, we have a functional
Silvia again. Phew.
regards, Ian SMith
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