# Classic: Priming the pump



## BillyHey (Mar 5, 2010)

The manual says I should do this every time I turn on the machine, but perhaps apart from it being stale water in there surely it's already full from the last use as long as I've not used the steam wand?

Anytime I've turned on the brew switch immediately after turning on the machine water has always come out right away so I'm not sure if it's necessary.


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## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

I thought priming was only done on the initial set - up. However, I do not have a Classic so I may be wrong.....


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Not required for each time you use the machine

However, if you bleed the pressure through excessive steaming you may need to let the machine cool then fill the boiler again, but otherwise just switch on, run a small amount through the grouphead when the machine reaches temp and pull a shot


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## bdt (Sep 13, 2011)

An old thread I know but I've been having some problems with my Classic recently as, half way through pouring a shot, the water stops flowing and the machine makes the much louder noise that indicates it needs to be primed.

This has coincided with me upgrading to a Rancillo steam wand and I'm wondering if I'm now using much more steam (I steam milk before pouring the shot) therefore the boiler is running dry before I've finished pouring my shot?

Any ideas?


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

Is the steam particularly wet? How much milk are you steaming and how long is it taking?


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## Obsy (May 21, 2012)

I pull my shot first then steam as the steam temp is higher. I find I have to empty the classic of steam before brewing if it's the other way round.


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## bdt (Sep 13, 2011)

lookseehear said:


> Is the steam particularly wet? How much milk are you steaming and how long is it taking?


Yeah, the more I think of it the steam is quite 'wet'. Is this possibly an issue with how I've fitted the new wand? Normally just steaming for one cup but occasionally 2 so not a huge amount of steam by any means but the steam defo has more water content than when using the standard wand


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## bdt (Sep 13, 2011)

Obsy said:


> I pull my shot first then steam as the steam temp is higher. I find I have to empty the classic of steam before brewing if it's the other way round.


I suppose the rationale behind that is that I'm trying to practice latte art and assumed that the more crema is still present, the clearer any 'art' should be (and I use the word 'art' in very, very loose terms there!). The milk, I can always give a swirl in the jug to recombine layers of different textures before pouring but once the crema is gone... it's gone


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