# Spluttering from Bianca steam wand



## Chrisbriton (Mar 28, 2021)

Whatever temperature I set the steam boiler to , I'm noticing jets of moisture mixed in with the steam. If I let the steam purge for 20 seconds or so the steam gets dryer but the problem is still there.

is this normal or is there anything I should be concerned about?

The boiler is set to 135c in the video below


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Have you cleaned and or changed the steam tip?


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## Chrisbriton (Mar 28, 2021)

Mrboots2u said:


> Have you cleaned and or changed the steam tip?


 I've taken this tip off and tried the 4 hole tip. Only cleaned them externally as they both look clean inside. Seem to be getting the same issue with both tips though 🧐


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

I used to get that with my Profitec 700. Never with the Elizabeth.

do a test:

Machine up to steam temp - as hot as you can;
turn the machine off;
draw 100ml of water from the hot water tap;
test it.

If there's no spluttering, it could be that your level sensor is sitting too high and water is spluttering whist the heating element is on.

the fix would be to lower the level fill sensor&#8230; but someone lie, @DavecUK or @El carajillo might advise you better on this.


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## Chrisbriton (Mar 28, 2021)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I used to get that with my Profitec 700. Never with the Elizabeth.
> 
> do a test:
> 
> ...


 Appreciate the comment, I will test that ASAP 👍


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## Chrisbriton (Mar 28, 2021)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> I used to get that with my Profitec 700. Never with the Elizabeth.
> 
> do a test:
> 
> ...


 I've run the test and it's still spluttering. 
Step in the right direction if this rules out a sensor issue though 👍


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## Ryan2bready (Jul 23, 2021)

Hey, wondering if you found a solution, my Bianca behaves in exactly the same way as yours


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

age of machine?


water used?


do you use it for hot water production?


did it always do this, or when did it start?


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## Drekly (Feb 19, 2021)

Pretty sure mine's been doing this since I bought it 18 months ago


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

I'd like to add my recent experience to this thread too please - but on my MaraX.

I did my first descale at the weekend using the two bottles of Poly Cafe descale liquid (as per the Lelit insider YouTube video) and then ran 4 clean tanks of water through.

Steaming was perfect before, now it splutters and ruins the milk texture every time - and it does seem to coincide with when the heating element switches on (but I need to test this theory more). I rang Bella Barista tech yesterday and they advised to check the level probe physically for any contamination, which I did and thoroughly cleaned it with scotchbrite pad - it wasn't scaled up. No change. Tip is clean. Machine is 1yr old. Always ran on Tesco Ashbeck water.

Any further ideas from anyone?! I want my old clean steaming back !!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@itguy Remove the steam tip, check with a torch and clean it inside.


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

DavecUK said:


> @itguy Remove the steam tip, check with a torch and clean it inside.


 Thanks Dave, yes I did do that too yesterday unfortunately.

I'm actually going to BB tomorrow so will ask them if they have any other ideas.


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## profesor_historia (Sep 1, 2020)

itguy said:


> I'd like to add my recent experience to this thread too please - but on my MaraX.
> 
> I did my first descale at the weekend using the two bottles of Poly Cafe descale liquid (as per the Lelit insider YouTube video) and then ran 4 clean tanks of water through.
> 
> ...


 2 bottles of product?? Isn't that too much? And only with one year of use? Are you 100% sure you had to descale it? Forget one moment about what Lelit says.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@itguy - I remember having spluttering with my Pro-700 back in the day. It was like so from day one. But I attributed that to the steam wand inner sleeve design which wasn't as sophisticated as the Lelit - it was a silicone tube rather than a teflon tube and there was no o-rings to prevent steam going back up the arm, condensing and coming back. If I remember correctly that design was soon replaced. I also ran on Ashbeck.

- When you descaled, did you draw steam from the steam wand while doing so? 
- Is this steam wand still cool to touch?
- Did you check that the two seals on the steam tip (one on the thread and one inside) are still good?

I am wondering whether some seal in your steam wand go deteriorated and you are getting condensation getting mixed up with steam causing the spluttering effect.

Just a thought.


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

profesor_historia said:


> 2 bottles of product?? Isn't that too much? And only with one year of use? Are you 100% sure you had to descale it? Forget one moment about what Lelit says.


 I followed the exact instructions from the Lelit engineer on YouTube with exactly the same products and quantities. Did I need to descale it? Well, maybe, maybe not, but given it is a year old I felt it was pertinent to as I'd not done it previously. I do use Tesco Ashbeck but I have seen on here before that it still does scale slightly so wanted to errr on the side of caution.


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

MediumRoastSteam said:


> - When you descaled, did you draw steam from the steam wand while doing so? -
> 
> NO, I didn't - do you think I should have?
> 
> ...


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@itguy - if you haven't drawn steam while descaling, then any issues with the seals are very unlikely.

Intriguing how it started after a descale though.

The only other thing I could think is that, maybe Ashbeck coated the element with limescale deposits and it became "less aggressive". Now you descaled and it's really aggressive, thus causing the splutter? (only a guess though!)


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

Not a clue. I have just taken the steam wand apart, removed the tube and all the seals and reassembled. It might be slightly better now but time will tell tomorrow I think.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@itguy I use a pallo coffee tool with a spike in it to clear steam tip holes. It's surprising how they can reduce in size without you realising it.


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

I've been playing around a bit more this morning and it really is being a little strange now. I tend to make cappuccinos so I make my milk a little thicker than for a latte or flat white, meaning it is very rare that I'd see any flat 'milky coffee' at the end of a drink, it would normally be a bit of foam left in the cup. I now CANNOT seem to get this type of milk from my steaming and it really is like there is a lot of wetness or unwanted air (not steam) being added to the milk during steaming. I will do a video of the noise too.

Steaming always starts off just fine - noise is as expected but then with the milk rolling in the jug, you suddenly hear what I can only describe as extra air being introduced even though the steam tip is still buried in the milk. This is when it all goes wrong I think.

You can then see in the milk texture in the cup that there are larger bubbles that wanted and over a minute or two the milk goes flat.

I am now wondering if I should take my machine with me to BB this morning for their opinion... ?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@itguy - if it's not a pain&#8230; I'd take it. You never know.

but, if the tip is buried in the milk, where is the air coming from? How is it entering the circuit? That is what you need to ask yourself.

it's all very strange indeed, and I cannot think how a descale could have changed it.


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

Here is the video from this morning. I did it as a full extraction and then steam just to make sure the pressure was ok etc. See what you think??

Maybe it is all in my mind as this particular steaming wasn't too bad at all (but you can hear the pitch change)...


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

how much milk and how big is that jug,

id say this is more a technique thing than a machine thing, ideally you want the tip facing more down it sounds like the milk is screaming.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Steam pressure is fine, but might be over stretching the milk the wand is at too flat an angle (and in the wrong position), the increase in noise happens as the milk gets very hot, coupled with the shallow angle of the wand isn't working for you, as it's difficult to submerge the tip with it's angled holes.. If you get milk too hot it sounds bubbly with a roar, if that makes any sense. Nothing wrong with the machine...now look to the operator. Below is one of the best steaming milk tutorials I have ever seen.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

@itguy - looks fine to me. The only bad thing I saw is the brown sugar at the bottom of the cup. 😂😂😂😂😂


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

Thanks everyone - nothing quite like a dose of reality to keep things simple!!

I must admit I blindly thought I'd got my technique sorted after all this time but clearly not, so back to learning for me 

BB were fantastic today too, they tested my MaraX next to another MaraX there and showed me that they were both the same too. At least I didn't break it by descaling it!!

Will report back in a few days once I've re-learnt how to steam again !


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

Well, finishing this off (from my perspective), I am now steaming milk on my MaraX like I used to. Not too sure what happened to my (limited) skills but they seem to have returned somewhat. I think I actually wasn't putting enough air into the milk for the texture I wanted and I also changed slightly where I have been putting the wand in the milk. Regardless, milk steaming is all now good again in our house.

Problem is, whilst at Bella Barista I had a play with an ECM Mechanika IV Profi (rotary pump HX) and loved it. Then had a go with their LM Linea Mini, OH MY!!

Anyway, can't now get the thought of either a Mechanika or a Synchronika out of my head  . Time to start saving...


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

itguy said:


> Anyway, can't now get the thought of either a Mechanika or a Synchronika out of my head  . Time to start saving...


 Nah. You know you want the Victoria Arduino Eagle One Prima. 🙂


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## profesor_historia (Sep 1, 2020)

> On 27/08/2021 at 09:20, itguy said:
> 
> Here is the video from this morning. I did it as a full extraction and then steam just to make sure the pressure was ok etc. See what you think??
> 
> Maybe it is all in my mind as this particular steaming wasn't too bad at all (but you can hear the pitch change)...


 It seems like a very long time, it's normal to take so long to steam that quantity of milk? Almost a minute...


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## itguy (Jun 26, 2015)

profesor_historia said:


> It seems like a very long time, it's normal to take so long to steam that quantity of milk? Almost a minute...


 No that wasn't normal, it was me just not steaming properly. It usually takes around 30 seconds or so to do a small pitcher like that. For some reason I just had completely forgotten how to steam on my machine, after owning it for a year and making 3 or 4 coffees a day on it! Still, normal service has resumed here now.


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