# La Pavoni Pre-Millenium thermostat and safety gauge issue - Please help



## Lang (Feb 19, 2015)

Dear all

I have acquired a La Pavoni Pre Millenium with red and white switches from Italy.

The machine is in good condition for its age. I have used this machine with the red switch on and the white switch left at 'II'. when the machine has reached critical pressure level the safety valve begins to let out steam. At this point I switch the white switch to 'I'. So far so good.

I have recently changed the safety valve because the old one looks worn out and chipped (someone tried to unscrew it before). I have also added a pressure gauge.

Now, I notice when the pressure get to about 1 bar (i.e the maximum of the green range and the beginning of the red one, in the pressure gauge). The machine switches itself off - I mean the red light just goes off - This switch operates again when the pressure goes down.

I guess there is a thermostat operating somewhere to prevent the machine from blowing off. But I don't have any manual and the various forums on the internet do not cover this issue.

Since this did not occur until I replace the safety valve, I can only guess that the safety protection did not work before, and is now operating when I replace the valve and re-screw the nut properly.

I would like to ask whether you have experienced this and is it normal to expect the machine to scwitch off by itself if the pressure is too high (this seems to be reasonable to me).

thanks in advance for any information,


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## suferick (Jul 19, 2011)

I have not had this on my own machine - mine went up to about 1.3 bar at one time (not recommended). I think it would probably not be a thermostat in any case, although it might have been fitted with a pressurestat somewhere along the way (from your description it is similar to mine, about 25 years old). I must say that the pressure gauge is a very useful addition; you might also want to put temperature strips on the group to watch how hot it gets and how effective your cooling measures are.

Congratulations on an excellent choice of machine. Whatever happens in the future, you'll never be bored.


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