# Gaggia Brera (help) - Low Steam pressure & hot water temp



## tkm96 (Sep 28, 2014)

I have a 2 year old Gaggia Brera, over the last week the steam pressure has declined considerably and I've noticed an increase of water in the drip tray. When dispensing hot water it's only ~55 deg C (should be ~85, I believe)

I can hear the pump running as normal.

I think it needs a new boiler unit or could it be the temp sensor ? ... thoughts ??

Thanks

Murray


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2014)

Steam pressure is dependent on boiler volume,size, coil wattage and also the level of water in the boiler..

I believe your boiler is over-filled (although the system shouldnt overfill the boiler)

But i believe you said: DISPENSING WATER

And if so its the boilers water thats being dispensed isnt it?

So the level of water isnt enough to dispense the right mount of steam.

Try to restart and not dispense water, see if the pressure is satisfactory.....


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## Guest (Sep 30, 2014)

RayTCoffeePro said:


> Steam pressure is dependent on boiler volume,size, coil wattage and also the level of water in the boiler..
> 
> I believe your boiler is over-filled (although the system shouldnt overfill the boiler)
> 
> ...


Regards......

RayT










^Example of good microfoam^


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## tkm96 (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the response.

Let me try and explain the problem a little more. On the Brera besides the normal "coffee" settings etc I have a setting for steam via the pannarello and a setting for simple hot water.

When on the steam setting, the pressure is continually low out the wand and has now reached a point it's more of a warm moist breeze !, there are also more water drips being dispensed with the steam.

When on the hot water setting I can dispense hot water but it's only luke warm at 55 deg C

Not sure if the pump is not providing enough water to the boiler, or if the boiler is not heating enough or if a sensor is messed up somewhere ... even if I can narrow it down it's maybe worth throwing money at a new boiler than a new machine!

BTW, nice microfoam, having been without my coffee machine for a few days it's making we salivate !









Rgds

Murray


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Lack of steam and low water temperature suggest's faulty thermostat


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## Guest (Oct 2, 2014)

El carajillo said:


> Lack of steam and low water temperature suggest's faulty thermostat


Hmm thanks for pointing it out....

But now that i think of it....

The SBDU i had (a silvia v3) once had a faulty steam thermostat......

The steam thermostat completely doesnt work...... and when i just switched from the brew to the steam thermostat the temperature was low and theres no steam...... hence being controlled by a faulty thermostat......

Plus the Silvia has no boiler pressurestat to point out the amount of dispensed steam......,

Anyways i fixed it using a thermostat

(steam thermostat) from espresso-parts.....


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